Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I find, Mr. Chair, every time I'm getting close to wrapping things up, there are all kinds of folks jumping in over here. The record will show, Mr. Chair, that I was very near the end of my comments in the last meeting when they started interrupting to ask how long I was going to speak. That's why I always say to stay tuned. We could be close to finishing up here.
In fact, Mr. Chair, I was making the point before all of these interruptions that what sets us apart is that in a civil democracy, in a civil society, we engage with words, not with force. Think about what that means to Zimbabwe. Think about what that means to Sudan. Think about what it means to an emerging democracy in Afghanistan, Mr. Chair.
I hear chuckles from some of the young folks who are in the audience here today watching. Those are freedoms that they're going to hope for down the road, Mr. Chair, and they're the freedoms that young people in other parts of the world, in third world countries, don't enjoy.
It is important. It is extremely important. It's so important that it's foundational. It's a cornerstone. It's what allows us to enjoy the type of prosperity and freedom and openness, and freedom from war. Civilized countries don't often go to war with each other, Mr. Chairman. There's peace that comes with civil society, and that's an important thing. If you want to chip away at the foundational stone with two minutes per speaker per clause, a draconian limit on freedom of speech....
I have to remind Mr. Cullen, who's chirping in once again, that this is not the trade committee, Mr. Chair, and this committee can set its own destiny.