Gonzalez: Removal of Sergeant Freddy Gonzalez from military website is unjust

5 days ago 27

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of our south Texas war hero, Sergeant Alfredo “Freddie” Gonzalez, a hero who will never be forgotten.

Sergeant Gonzalez was killed in action February 4, 1968, and history is clear he was a marine sergeant in charge of a third platoon command near Hue City, Vietnam. His company came under heavy fire for days.

Sergeant Gonzalez maneuvered his men and retired fire and personally carried wounded warriors out of harm’s way. He didn’t ask what ethnicity these men were, or religion, or what region of the country they came from.

They were all Americans, fighting one of the most atrocious and unpopular wars in our history.

Freddie was awarded the medal of honor. Not because he asked for a special privilege or recognition, or job, Freddie was dead.

He was recognized by his men for his bravery, for going beyond his call of duty to save other American lives while losing his own.

This administration’s appalling efforts to erase history under the disguise of eliminating DEI Has seen no boundaries.

Prompting indiscriminate removals of Latinos and women and other minorities from our nation’s archives.

Removing the Tuskegee air men who proudly defended our country in Europe during World War II.

Removing our Navajo code talk yours who helped us defeat Japan.

Removing our most recent and honorable general Colin Powell for god’s sake, for god’s sake, have you no shame? Have you no decency?

This is not about eliminating DEI, this is straight up old-fashioned racism against some of the most deserving Americans in our history.

And I ask my friends on the other side of the aisle who have worn our uniform and some who have fought for our freedom to stand with me.

To stand on the right side of history with the American people and oppose these un-American, unpatriotic policies coming from this administration from folks who never had the gall to serve themselves.

Let’s grow a spine in this house and preserve the American values that actually made us great. And I yield back.

Editor’s Note: The above commentary was provided by U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in the form of a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives following a decision by the Trump Administration to remove Edinburg hometown hero, U.S. Marine Sergeant Alfredo “Freddy” Gonzalez, (no relation) from the Naval History website. It is believed the decision was made in order to fall in line with the president’s DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policy.