第一位95后众议员！这位25岁残疾人，成了美国众议院史上最年轻的共和党议员！（附视频&演讲稿）

25岁的Madison Cawthorn，几年前因车祸导致残疾，现正在竞选北卡11区议员，如成功将会成为众议院史上最年轻的共和党议员。

另外整整4年前的今天，Colin Kaepernick被发现在NFL赛前演奏国歌时坐着抗议，过了几天变成了下跪。

今年夏天，当时还是24岁的麦迪逊·考索恩(Madison Cawthorn)在北卡罗莱纳州第11个国会选区击败了特朗普支持的候选人琳达·贝内特(Lynda Bennett)，赢得了共和党的决胜选举，成为接替现任白宫幕僚长、前众议员马克·梅多斯(Mark Meadows, R)的热门人选。

今天来分享一下这位年轻有为的共和党议员8月份在共和党大会上的演讲。

This is time of growing adversity for ourcountry. And I know something about adversity. At 18 years old, I was in ahorrific car accident that has left paralyzed in a way from waist down.Instantly, my hopes and dreams were seemly destroyed. I was given 1% chance ofsurviving. But thanks to powerful prayer, a very loving community and manyskillful doctors, I made it. It took me over a year to recover. My first publicouting in a wheelchair was to a professional baseball game. You know beforeaccident I was 6 ft 3. I stood out of crowd. But, as I wheeled through thestadium I thought I was invisible. At 20, I thought about giving up. However, Iknew I could still make a difference. My accident has given me new eyes to seeand new ears to hear. God protected my mind and my ability to speak. So, I saidto people who feel forgotten, ignored and invisible, “I see you, I hear you.”

At 20, I made a choice. And in 2020, ourcountry has to make a choice: We can give up American idea or we can worktogether to make our imperfect union more perfect. I choose to fight for thefuture, to seize the high ground and retake the shining city on the hill. Whilethe radical left want to dismantle, defund and destroy, republicans, under the PresidentTrump’s leadership, want to rebuild, restore and renew.

I just turn 25. Well, if I am elected inNovember, I will be the youngest man in the Congress in over 200 years. And ifyou think young people can’t change the world then I just don’t know theAmerican history. George Washington then was 21 when he received the firstmilitary commission. Abraham Lincoln, 22 when he ran for his first office. Andmy personal favorite, James Maddison was just 25 years old he signed theDeclaration of Independence.

In time of peril, young people stand up andsave this country, abroad and at home. We held the line, scaled the cliffs,cross the ocean, liberate the camps and crack the codes. Yet today, thepolitical forces want to usher us into digital dark ages, a time of informationwithout wisdom, a tribalism without truth. Naturally, leaders on left havenormalized emotion-based voting and radicalized the identity politics thatrejects Martin Luther King’s dream. MLK’s dream is our dream, for all Americansto be judged solely on their character. Millions of people risk their livesevery year to come here because they believe in the dream of MLK and theAmerican Dream.

Join us. As we are the party of freedom,double down and ensuring the American Dream for all people, we’re committed tobuilding a new town square. It will welcome all ideas and all people. Here weare free OF speech, not free FROM speech.

To liberals, I say, let’s have aconversation. Be a true liberal, listen to other ideas and let the best one toprevail. And to conservatives, I would say let’s define what we support and winthe argument in the area of healthcare and environment. And in this new townsquare you don’t have to apologize for your believes or coward to a mob. Youcan knee before God and stand for our flag.

The American idea my ancestor fought forduring the Revolutionary War is just as exciting and revolutionary today. Andthat was 250 years ago. I said to Americans who love our country, young or old:Be radical for freedom, be radical for liberty and be radical for our republicfor which I stand.

One nation under God with liberty andjustice for all.

Thank you and God bless America!