Leadership Conference on Civil Rights - Post Call Discussion

Hundreds of activists from across the country joined Senator Dick Durbin and prominent civil rights leaders on a National Conference Call to identify civil rights priorities for the 110th Congress. Advocates, Comminity Leaders and Students were able to question and express their own opinions to ensure that they help to shape the agenda from the start.

Many questions were addressed including "will education reform be a big issue in 2007, and will healthcare be a priority?." The general consensus at the meeting was that our Federal Government's role in enforcing our nation's civil rights has been inadequate in recent years. Another issue was how to curtail bigotry and a major issue was the war on terror. One point raised was the "war on terror" was like the "war on drugs", an exaggerated threat used by power-holders to manipulate the public to support.

The topic of poverty stricken people being herded into concentrated areas, mostly in out-lying, rural, black neighborhoods and bringing the middle-class down to low or no-income, low or no-education has to be further addressed. The economical and educational equalization, whether military or civilian, is part of every African American's civil rights.

Several issues were raised and discussed including the enforcement of our civil right laws, strengthening hate crime legislation and immigration reform. There were more ideas than there was time to discuss them . Durbin and others are concerned about the lack of time to answer all questions in particular the civil rights raised by the President's State of the Union remarks.