Republican Representative Jim Gibbons of Nevada viciously attacked liberals, holding himself out as a true patriot and morally superior to us liberals - with a speech stolen from Republican hate-monger Beth Chapman - at the annual Linclon Day Dinner.
None of the news reports mentions whether or not Mr. Gibbons borrowed the president's wireless earpiece so that an aid could feed him the speech from a backroom.
Here's the news report of the speech by the Elko Daily Free Press:
Gibbons rallies GOP
By DAVE WOODSON - Staff Writer
February 28th, 2005
ELKO - Patriotic spirits soared as Elko's Grand Old Party had a grand old party Friday night at its annual Lincoln Day Dinner.
The fervor was whipped up by a fiery speech by Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., during which he passionately proclaimed his heartfelt support for troops waging the war on terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan and voiced blistering contempt for certain celebrities for giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
Gibbons said he was dedicating his remarks to the "brave young men and women who are serving on the front lines" in what he termed World War III. ...
He said Lincoln understood better than most that unity and solidarity "best comes from dogged adherence to the Constitution and defense of liberty."...
"We are all here tonight because men and women of the United States military have given their lives for our freedom," Gibbons continued. "We are here tonight not because of Rosie O'Donnell, Martin Sheen, George Clooney, Jane Fonda or Phil Donahue - they never sacrificed their lives for us or for liberty."...
"I say we tell those liberal, tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing, hippie, tie-dyed liberals to go make their movies and their music and whine somewhere else," Gibbons said to another burst of applause.
Gibbons brought the crowd to near feverish pitch when he hit the hot button issue of abortion.
"I want to know how these very people who are against war because of loss of life can possibly be the same people who are for abortion?" Gibbons said. "They are the same people who are for animal rights, but they are not for the rights of the unborn."
He said that they are the same people who wanted to go to Iraq and become human shields for the enemy.
"I say it's just too damn bad we didn't buy them a ticket," Gibbons said.
Laughter rippled through the room, mingled with more applause.
Here's the news report after it came out that Gibbons stole the speech by the Elko Daily Free Press:
Gibbons speech was plagiarized
By DAVE WOODSON - Staff Writer
ELKO - The speech delivered by U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., during Friday night's Lincoln Day Dinner in Elko was largely plagiarized from a copyrighted speech by Alabama State Auditor Beth Chapman.
Chapman told the Elko Daily Free Press this morning Gibbons had not requested permission to use her speech, which she said she delivered Feb. 2, 2003, at a Stand Up for America rally in Alabama. ...
During his speech at Friday night's Lincoln Day Dinner, Gibbons did not mention that the speech had been written and previously delivered by Chapman.
"I don't remember where I got it," Gibbons said this morning. "I had no idea it was copyrighted."
He said he believed the speech had been e-mailed to him....
Chapman's speech is 21 paragraphs in length, of which Gibbons used 15 paragraphs word-for-word in his Lincoln Day address.
"It was just some wording that was sent to me," he said. "It reflected my thoughts."...
Gibbons is under fire from Nevada Democrats for his speech in general and particularly the lines: "I say we tell those liberal, tree-hugging, Birkenstock stocking wearing, hippie, tie-dyed liberals to go make their movies and their music and whine somewhere else."...
Those words, with the exception of "I say," were taken verbatim from Chapman's speech.
Gibbons said if war protesters lived in Iraq or Afghanistan, "Ironically they would be put to death at the hands of Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden," another quote that also came directly from Chapman's speech.
The comments that drew the strongest response from the Lincoln Day crowd also were from Chapman's speech.
"I want to know how these very people who are against war because of loss of life can possibly be the same people who are for abortion? They are the same people who are for animal rights, but they are not for the rights of the unborn," Gibbons said Friday night, again word for word from Chapman's copyrighted address.
Attacks on movie stars and other entertainers for their opposition to the War in Iraq that Gibbons voiced at the dinner also came from Chapman's speech.
Here's the speech he stole:
Stand Up for America Speech
By: Beth Chapman, Alabama State Auditor
I’m here tonight because men and women of the United States military have given their lives for my freedom. I am not here tonight because Sheryl Crowe, Rosie O’Donnell, Jane Fonda, Martin Sheen, the Dixie Chicks, Barbra Streisand, George Clooney or Phil Donahue, sacrificed their lives for me.
If my memory serves me correctly, it was not movie stars or musicians, but the United States Military who fought on the shores of Iwo Jima the jungles of Vietnam , and the beaches of Normandy.
Tonight, I say we should support the President of the United States and the U.S. military and tell the liberal, tree-hugging, hippy, Birkenstock wearing, tie-dyed liberals to go make their movies and music and whine somewhere else.
After all, if they lived in Iraq , they wouldn’t be allowed the freedom of speech they’re being given here today - - ironically, they would be put to death at the hands of Sadam Husssein or Osama Bin Laden.
I want to know how the very people who are against war because of the loss of life, can possibly be the same people who are for abortion?
They are the same people who are for animal rights but against the rights of the unborn.
The movie stars say they want to go to Iraq and serve as human shields for the Iraqis, I say let them buy a one-way ticket and go.
No one likes war, I hate war. But the one thing I hate more is the fact that this country has been forced into war—innocent people have lost their lives - - and there but for the grace of God, it could have been my brother, my husband, or even worse my own son.
On December 7, 1941 , there are no records of movie stars treading the blazing waters of Pearl Harbor .
On September 11, 2001 ; there are no photos of movie stars standing as human shields against the debris and falling bodies descending from the World Trade Center . There were only policemen and firemen - -underpaid civil servants who gave their all with nothing expected in return.
When the USS Cole was bombed, there were no movie stars guarding the ship - - where were the human shields then?
If America’s movie stars want to be human shields, let them shield the gang-ridden streets of Los Angeles, or New York City, let them shield the lives of the children of North Birmingham whose mothers lay them down to sleep on the floor each night to shelter them from stray bullets.
If they want to be human shields, I say let them shield the men and women of honesty and integrity who epitomize courage and embody the spirit of freedom by wearing the proud uniforms of the United States Military. Those are the people who have earned and deserve shielding.
Throughout the course of history, this country has remained free, not because of movie stars and liberal activists but because of brave men and women who hated war too - - but lay down their lives so that we all may live in freedom. After all – What greater love hath no man, that he lay down his life for his friend,” but in this case a country.
We should give our military honor and acknowledgement and not let their lives be in vain. If you want to see true human shields, walk through Arlington Cemetery . There lie human shields, heroes, and the BRAVE Americans who didn’t get on television and talk about being human shields, they were human shields.
I thank God tonight for freedom - - those who bought and paid for it with their lives in the past - - those who will protect it in the present and defend it in the future.
America has remained silent too long. God-fearing people have remained silent too long.
We must lift our voices united in a humble prayer to God for guidance and the strength and courage to sustain us throughout whatever the future may hold.
After the tragic events of Sept. 11th, my then eleven -year-old son said terrorism is a war against us and them and if you’re not one of us, then you’re one of them.
So in closing tonight, let us be of one accord, let us stand proud, and let us be the human shields of prayer, encouragement and support for the President, our troops and their families and our country.
May God bless America , the land of the free, the home of the brave and the greatest country on the face of this earth!"
