Prepared Remarks of Attorney General

Alberto R. Gonzales
at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s 14th
Annual National Leadership
Symposium
Colorado Springs, Colorado
February 22, 2007
Good afternoon.

It is important to study and take the time to appreciate strong leadership and I have
been looking forward to our discussion this afternoon. I believe that this nation has
been extremely well-served by its leaders at critical moments in our history, and
there is much to be learned from the decisions they made, and how they made them.

I’d like to begin today by mentioning a few of the Americans who I believe stand
out in our history for their courage, for their steadfast commitment to what they
knew to be right and rightly American – men who protected the foundations of our
nation and set the stage for what we have evolved to be today: the standard bearer
of equality and human dignity … of liberty and justice for all.

With their example as our guiding light, I’ll then share with you some thoughts I
have about where we are, as a nation, on these critical issues – including
observations from my own life and concrete examples of what your government is
doing, today, to protect these uniquely American rights.

*** First, stories of leadership:

Beyond the solid foundation that was built by our Constitution, strong leadership
has often made the difference in determining the direction of our country, and our
ability to protect and promote basic human rights and freedoms.

I think you will agree that we cannot talk about leadership and equality without
invoking the name and memory of President Abraham Lincoln. He was a man who
hated war, but committed his country to the bloodiest of wars rather than lose it to
the irreconcilable status of half slave, half free.

Lincoln was sure, to his core, that this difficult direction was the right one. He was
so sure that he held steadfast through criticism, lost battles and massive human
casualty. He did not bend, and in fact used all the powers of the presidency that he
could to stick to the course. He withstood harsh ridicule for that use of power, but
pressed on.

Lincoln pushed the limits. Without Congressional approval, he increased the size of
the Army and Navy, spent money on weapons, and suspended the writ of habeas
corpus. And by executive fiat, he freed the slaves through an executive
proclamation. These actions were controversial. But history has shown that
Lincoln’s vision and dedication were right and necessary. The risk was absolutely
worth taking. Today, Lincoln is considered one of the best and most significant
leaders this country has ever known.

At the time when he was making the hard decisions and exercising his leadership to
save the union, Lincoln knew that he had many critics. In commenting on that fact,
he said, quote, "I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the
end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on
earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside me."

Half a century later, another American President, Woodrow Wilson, would commit
the nation to war, face criticism, and remain steadfast. Having spent his first term
doing everything he could to avoid war, Wilson delivered a poignant message to the
Congress when he ultimately compelled them to commit troops to World War I. He
said, quote, "There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of
us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most
terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance.
But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which
we have always carried nearest our hearts -- for democracy, for the right of those
who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and
liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free
peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at
last free."

Wilson believed that the importance of protecting democracy – which is uniquely

represented in this world by the United States – was worth great sacrifice. He is
remembered as a visionary and a great leader.

Another war-time President, a man who we see today as having been absolutely the
right leader at the right time in both national and global history, was Franklin
Roosevelt. But at the time of his presidency, many called him “dictator,”
“warmonger,” and even “fascist.”

In entering World War II, Roosevelt told Americans that our nation would be the
“Arsenal for democracy.” He was right. And, indeed, the thought of a world today
in which the United States had not lent its forces to defeat Nazi Germany is
unimaginable.

The United States, and ultimately the world, are fortunate to have been led during
difficult times by men of such conviction, such faith in the founding principles of
this great, free nation. We are fortunate that they were not easily swayed by critics –
who inevitably have the luxury of voicing their views without risking human lives,
without committing soldiers to war or leaving the innocent without protection.
These great, proven leaders could not change course based on complaints. They
could not please all constituents all of the time – no public official can. Instead they
courageously set course based on conviction and a deep, philosophical
understanding of what was right and what was necessary.

As I’m sure this symposium has shown, year after year, the term “leadership” can
be defined in so many ways. In this great nation of ours, I believe the most
successful leadership has been guided by a deeply-rooted belief in those things that
make this country special: Freedom. Equality. Liberty, and justice.

It is therefore fitting that the theme of this year’s symposium is “equality and
human dignity.” The American commitment to these values is, I believe, unique.

I have seen this commitment deepen visibly, and at times dramatically, over my
lifetime.

Equality and human dignity have meant something special to me since I was very
young – perhaps because I grew up in a time and a place where those things were
not a “given” in every situation. When I joined the Air Force in 1973, I was
welcomed into a community that was a little different from what I had known
growing up – because in the Air Force, everyone really was basically treated the
same. Equality was real because integrity, service and excellence were the things
that were valued most. They are the things that really count in life, and that will
save lives in battle. This emphasis on higher values and life-or-death skills leaves
no room for petty or bigoted judgments.

I had come to the Air Force from a background that included the uncomfortable
knowledge that some folks didn’t see me as just “Al Gonzales.” They might see me
as Hispanic, as “Mexican,” or as being different because I was from a certain, poor
neighborhood. I knew that some people I encountered in life might miss the other
important things about me because of that narrow view.

Playing sports had been an equalizer for me during those younger years. I loved
baseball and football. If you were good, and played fair, you could be a star. Your
teammates were your brothers, regardless of race.

But things could get complicated at school, socially. I dated a girl in high school
whose parents did not like me dating their daughter because I was Mexican. She and
I didn’t care about our differences, but her parents couldn’t see past them.

I remember vowing, at that time, to prove to the girl’s parents, someday, that I was
just as good as they were.

I think it was important during those times that I held on to the belief that being an
American meant having equal opportunity. I knew it was true because I watched my
mom and dad and other adults in my neighborhood go to the polls on election days.
On that day, they had the same say, the same voice as anyone else in how our state
and our country would be run. We had the same vote, the same amount of power to
choose our government.

That appreciation of American equality made my heart beat with hope in the
classroom – where I studied hard and discovered that America’s founders had
written that “all men are created equal.” My heart also beat with hope on the
baseball and football fields – where I played hard and dreamt of being a
professional athlete. And it beat with hope in the stands of the stadium at Rice
University, where I worked selling Cokes to fans and dreaming that someday I
might sit in their seats, cheering for my school’s team.

My experiences were not unlike those of so many other American minorities – both
the hurtful, challenging times and the times filled with hope.

Many before and after me experienced treatment and racism much, much more
harsh than I ever did – utterly unthinkable abuse and violence in far too many cases.

I believe I was fortunate to have been growing up in time when things were getting
better in this country. I was eight years old when Dr. King spoke of his dream, and
by the time I was in high school, that dream was beginning to be realized. The
words “all men are created equal” were becoming far truer than the day they were
written.

In my final year here at the Academy, I witnessed another moment in the evolution
of equality in this nation when the Academy admitted its first female cadets.

I won’t pretend that the admittance of women was without controversy here on
campus. The women of the class of 1980, unfortunately, weren’t welcomed by all. I
think some questioned the wisdom of the change and resented the end of a tradition.
Like so many women and minorities before them, the first female cadets persevered
through a time of difficult social transition and they have made the Academy, and
our nation, a better place– women like Brigadier General Susan Desjardins, class of
1980, the first woman to serve as the Academy's Commandant of Cadets. We are
proud of Brigadier General Susan Helms, also class of 1980, who was the first
woman graduate astronaut, flying on four Space Shuttle missions and serving five
months on the International Space Station. My generation didn’t have everything
right; our social evolution was sometimes painful. But we did experience more
equality than our parents did and because of what I have seen in my lifetime, I
continue to be impressed by the evolution of attitudes toward equality from one
American generation to the next. Unlike other cultures, intolerance is not often
passed down here in the land of the free.

I am speaking broadly, of course. There are terrible exceptions to what I see as a

positive trend.

But the evidence of my own life is hard to ignore.

My friends in high school were more open-minded than some of their parents were,
for example. And my sons are growing up in a time even better yet, where their
race and that of their classmates is so inconsequential that it rarely comes up as a
topic. The eyes of my children’s generation seem largely colorblind to me.

For this and many other reasons, I believe that this country is living up to its ideals
today more than ever before. We are doing our best to heal the wounds of the past.
Our commitment to human dignity is unrivaled in the world – and I’ll speak more to
that fact in a moment.

The progress of true equality in this nation during the course of my lifetime was
evident, in a very poignant way, to me just a few weeks ago.

On January 25th, the Department of Justice indicted a former member of the Ku

Klux Klan alleged to have participated in the abduction, brutal beating and forcible
drowning of two black men – Henry Dee and Charlie Moore – in Mississippi in
1964.

Being part of the Department of Justice on that day was a moment that I will
remember as a highlight of my time as a public servant because it was a day that
meant so very much to the families of those men who were killed in an act of
unbridled racism. The Department’s commitment to seeking justice in this decades-
old case brought a lot of peace to a family who had suffered greatly in a time of
terrible darkness and struggle in our nation’s history.

As much as I believe deeply in the American dream – and as much as I know that I,
myself, am living proof of that dream – I also know that the dream still needs to be
supported and protected, every day. I’m honored to help with that support and
protection as Attorney General.

The murders of Henry Dee and Charlie Moore would not go unanswered today, as
they did in the 1960s, when I was a boy. And the Department that I am proud to
head doesn’t let other offenses to human dignity go unanswered, either.

We work, instead, to protect the American dream every day. We are the passionate
defenders of voting rights, working with our partners in state governments to ensure
both full access to voting and the integrity of the ballots cast.

We have recently established a Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit within our

Civil Rights division because the victims of modern-day slavery desperately need
our help in finding freedom in the freest country on earth. We are rescuing the
victims and giving them a voice in hopes of putting and end to this heinous
practice, where people – most often minority women and children, immigrants and
U.S. citizens alike – are forced or coerced into prostitution, labor or illicit sexual
activity.

The work we do at the Justice Department to protect children from sexual predators
and pedophiles also speaks to America’s dedication to protecting human dignity. A
child is a human being. Predators and pedophiles treat them like their prey, and this
simply cannot be tolerated in a nation of laws designed to elevate human dignity
and rights.

I feel strongly that abiding by our nation’s laws is central to equality and human
dignity as well. That’s why the law enforcement community works so hard to
reduce violent crime – we know that a young person who lives among criminals, in
an environment of fear, cannot take full advantage of the opportunities offered by
this great nation. Equality can only be fully enjoyed when we feel safe, and a
neighborhood that functions in the shadow of gangs and drugs does not feel safe.
Those who participate in the gang or criminal life are not respectful of those values
that this Academy rightly holds up as priorities: integrity, service before self, and
excellence. Their actions also disrespect human dignity and flout the blessings of
American equality.

Today’s topic inevitably reminds us of all these challenges America has faced and
will face – in the past, present and future – to uphold that American dream and that
ideal of equality. We need to be ever-mindful of this important challenge, and to
think of our role in the global community as well.

The United States stands as a shining example to the people of the world because
our foundations of freedom are strong, and because we have dealt with our flaws
throughout our history. I hope that we have learned from our mistakes … and for
the most part, I believe that we have.

The establishment of this great nation has also consistently offered a unique breadth
of freedom. From the start, we represented freedom of religion, of association, and
of speech. Immigrants to this country could, and can, leave a caste system behind
and establish a better future for their family here. That’s what my own grandparents
did.

Today we are writing the latest chapter that will clarify American dedication to
human dignity and equality. We are engaged in an important national conversation
about how to ensure civil liberties while we aggressively fight the War on Terror.
Our enemies would not have this debate, yet our dedication to human dignity and
liberty – things for which they have no respect – ultimately helps protect their
human rights.

Some Americans ask why their government is going so far to protect the rights of
terrorists or would-be terrorists, while others insist that we aren’t offering enough
protection. It is a critical and often contentious debate, but I hope all sides agree that
America has a unique responsibility to set the global standard for liberty and fair
conduct.

We are a beacon of hope. I travel quite a bit for my job, and I am reminded every
time I go abroad of how much the world looks to us as an example.

The world looks to us to set high standards for freedom, and we take that leadership
role very seriously.

Other countries sometimes strike a different balance between security and freedom,
both in the activities they punish as crimes, and in the procedures with which they
do so.

Other nations give terrorists the same rights as every other criminal – car thieves,
bank robbers and terrorists are all the same in those courts. As people in this room
know, in the United States we have a long-standing tradition of trying those who
violate the laws of war in military trials. Our approach is different; that does not
mean it is wrong.

In some instances, our allies have adopted or utilized some counterterrorism tools
that we have not adopted in the United States because doing so would abridge the
civil liberties protected by our constitution.

For example, speaking out in support of past terrorist acts is punishable in several
European countries, including Italy, Spain, and France. And after the July 2005
terrorist attacks in London, the United Kingdom passed a law making it a crime to
directly or indirectly encourage terrorism, or to disseminate terrorist publications, or
to post “terrorist publications” on the Internet. Laws like these contain aspects that
would be inconsistent with the First Amendment if adopted in the United States.

Another example: In France, police can hold suspects in custody for up to 96 hours
if there are plausible reasons to suspect that the person has been involved in a
terrorism offense, or up to six days if there is a serious danger that acts of terrorism
are believed to be imminent. Compare this to our country, where there must be a
probable cause hearing within 48 hours of a suspect’s arrest.

And in the United Kingdom, the arrest or search of a suspected terrorist is allowed
if law enforcement “reasonably suspects” the person to be a terrorist or to possess
“anything which may constitute evidence that he is a terrorist.” This reasonable
suspicion standard is a lesser standard than the “probable cause” standard required
under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The terrorism suspect can be
detained in the United Kingdom for up to 28 days, and the reviewing official still
does not need to find probable cause–only that there are reasonable grounds to
believe that detention is necessary to obtain relevant evidence.

In short, there are a variety of approaches to combating terrorism, and each country,
including ours, makes choices based on their values and unique legal system.

I’m proud of the American approach, and of the laws that we have established. Our
laws are unique … they uniquely protect human rights.

That said, debate is still necessary, and our right to free speech supports that debate.

I believe the vitality of the discussion over treatment of detainees is important. And
I believe it is a sign that we are mature as a nation, as a culture and a society, that
all sides of the debate agree that to achieve victory at the cost of eroding civil
liberties would not really be a victory. We all agree that we cannot change the core
identity of our Nation and claim success.

In conclusion, I want to emphasize the fact that, through our laws, our founding
principles and our cultural attitudes, this nation celebrates equality and the human
spirit every day.

Public service has taught me that what I hoped was true about our country when I
was a young boy, really is true. The United States government really does operate
by the philosophy that “all men are created equal.” Through the power given to the
government by the people, human dignity is protected and civil rights are enforced.

The cadets in this room today will be among the next to take on the responsibility of
both protecting and promoting the American ideal of equality, of liberty and justice
for all. Do not take this lightly. It is not easy work to maintain the beacon of
freedom and hope for the world. And you will inevitably face challenges; each
generation does.

But do, do approach the task with pride of self and of country. It is a great nation
that happily embraces and supports an Hispanic Attorney General, an African-
American Secretary of State and a woman Speaker of the House – when just one
generation ago such diverse leadership seemed a far distance into the future.

We are great for our foundations but even greater for our progress. The American
dream is real, it lives in our hearts, is protected by our laws and promoted by our
greatest leaders. I believe your generation will take the American dream to its
highest heights yet.

Thank you again; may God bless you, may he watch over you and guide your
discussions and may he continue to bless the United States of America.

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