Transcripts For CSPAN Town Hall On African-American Voters A

Africanamerican vote. This is just under two hours. [applause] good morning. It is an honor to be here with this distinguished panel, with the leadership of the foundation. It is an honor and pleasure to be here with each and every one of you. We are about to hear a presentation, and exchange of ideas, about something so fundamental, the right to vote. I will be brief. Dr. King said one of the most significant steps we could take is a short walk to the voting booth. That is what we all have to do in the election. A few weeks ago we had the privilege of bestowing the congressional gold medal. It was so remarkable because it was so overdue, but also because of the very same time we were appealing to our colleagues to pass a bipartisan Voting Rights act to correct the shelby decision. That has still not happened but we must make it happen. In order to make it happen, we all must vote. As i said, it is a privilege to be here. To accept the invitation of the Congressional Black Caucus foundation. Another privilege i had more than year ago was standing on the steps with the Congressional Black Caucus, members of cbc on the steps of the Supreme Court. They were there calling upon the court to make the right decision. That very day we were meeting in the house of representatives to dedicate the statue of rosa parks. It seems are strange, dedicating a statute to rosa parks, people turn out in a bipartisan way to salute her, and yet we have to appeal to the court to do the right thing. When they dont, they sing the praises of dr. Martin luther king but dont pass the Voting Rights act. We have important work to do. We have important people doing it. The distinguished chair of the foundation has been working for children, for cities, for the american people. He is a great leader. Marcia fudge a very strong leader and fighter for opportunity for all in our country. Taking the lead on fighting for food stamps and the rest in a very tough battle, but who better than she to lead. Our ranking assistant leaders, a champion on the vote writing act. They are working so hard to get that pass. Our chama and chairman working very hard to make sure to set the record straight as some in congress would be consomme on the attack of president barack obama. Our Ranking Member of the Homeland Security committee, keep americans safe. Our distinct chair looking out for consumers and our Financial System so that it is fair to everyone. All this talk we have heard about science, technology, math, she is the chair of the science and technology committee. The Congressional Black Caucus has provided such tremendous leadership to our country. We will have a new following up when his important work for young people. This caucus is making a valuable contribution to our country, even some who are not chairs of the caucus, Emmanuel Cleaver and congresswoman clay, they were there in ferguson and they made us also proud as a represented us in a way that was appropriate and respectful of the very serious nature of what happened there. They, along with john lewis, the conscious of the congress, he was part of that. So much needs to be done. The word conjures up so much that needs to be done. Voting rights act, freeing people so they have the right to vote with respect to who they are. I thank jeff johnson for his leadership. So many people who are making today possible. As i said, it is an honor for me to be here to salute the members of the Congressional Black Caucus led by marcia fudge. How about those fellows that we met . How about that some of those publishers were named for donald payne, that beautiful lovely man and chairman stokes. The tradition goes on. Education, which is key to the fulfillment of the junk people, which is also necessary to keep america number one. I leave you with one thought, one way we hope to turn out a big vote in all communities and the vote in the Congressional Black Caucus Leadership Community is so important is what jeff said, keeping good jobs, jumpstarting the middle class, investing in education to keep america number one. That means we have to invest heavily in colleges as well as reduce the cost of loans. [applause] a very important part of it to the community is when women succeed, america succeeds. That is how we are going to turn out a big vote. Thank you for the honor of having a chance to say a few words. Good luck in your deliberation. Thank you very much. [applause] thank you congresswoman. She said it right. The panel we are getting ready to go into is going to cover ambitiously three key areas. One, the state of the africanamerican vote moving into 2014, the necessity to look at both voting and Law Enforcement reform as it relates to policy, where we are going and how the black vote of effects of us socioeconomically. That is a lot to cover in a short amount of time, but we have a Brilliant Panel that is going to do that. I am going to be introducing folks that are in the audience every now and again good you know how we are. We got to do shout outs. Congresswoman beatty said that i am no stranger to the Congressional Black Caucus. If i could take a point of personal privilege, it is not just for me about supporting the jobs to her of the Congressional Black Caucus, or getting on the road to be able to support different members in certain parts of the country. It is that before me, when i was a senior senior in high school, there was a woman by the name of Stephanie Tubbs jones, she came into my High School Government class and blew me away. I said to myself that i need to work for her. I asked my teacher if i could walk her to her car as she was leaving the classroom. I said to her at that time, prosecutor doug jones, you are going to hire me. Anybody that knows her knows that look, like what you talking about, i dont know you. She said, are you a lawyer . I said, no. Said, i only hire lawyers. You have a file room were those files appear cheese at yes. Are. She said, yes. You need somebody to get files or lawyers in a file room. She said youre funny. Come see me on monday. She hired me in the file room of the county Prosecutors Office in cleveland, ohio. That set up a trajectory for me to be where i am. We talk about honoring those that come before, and Stephanie Tubbs jones was one of the most powerful black women that we have seen in the halls of congress. On days like today, i remember her so much and want the letter of. It is my honor and privilege to introduce those are will lead us in our discussion today. Please hold your applause till the end. Wade henderson is president and ceo and the Leadership Conference education fund. A tireless civil rights leader, he is a member of the bar in colombia and the United States of in court. Elaine r. Jones was the first female president , a legal powerhouse who was elected to the American Bar Association board of governors in 1989. The first africanamerican to do so. President clinton presented her with a Eleanor Roosevelt human rights award. John lewis was elected to congress in 1986 and represents georgia. The civil rights leader was a a member of the march on washington. He also received the president ial medal of freedom. Barbara r. Arnwine president and executive director otherwise committee for civil rights. A graduate of Duke University law school. She continues to campaign for civil rights and sable justice issues. Civil justice issues. She specializes in housing and lending, community developing, Voting Rights, education, and environment of justice. Xavier becerra is a former Deputy Attorney general of the california apartment of justice who was first elected to the house of representatives in 1992. He is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus where he served as chaired in that congress. He is also a member of the executive committee of the congressional Asian Pacific american caucus. Last but certainly not least, a leader who i met while i was working in that file room in cleveland, ohio. [laughter] she was chief of staff at that time to energy is a nonbelievable Public Service from my home state, representing the 11th Congressional District in such an unbelievable way, she chairs the Congressional Black Caucus and is continuing on every single level to be an Unbelievable Freedom fighter, even as she is a powerful it is later. Ladies and gentlemen, representative marcia fudge. [applause] now, i have to ask an unbelievable favor. As we are a dressing these three major themes of the state of the black vote, the necessity to look at reform of voting and Law Enforcement policy, and how the voting is affecting american africanamerican socioeconomically. I need to remind you that this panel in today. I need to remind you to be sure any responses. We will have a great panel. I would like to start with representative lewis if i can. Congressman lewis, is there clearly an impact that recent legislation in particular, and Civil Supreme Court cases have had on Voting Rights and Voting Rights for africanamericans. What have the last two years done for the africanamerican electorate. More importantly, if there was one thing we all need to be doing moving into november, what is that one thing . More than anything else is the decision of the United States Supreme Court and local, state officials across america. Not just in the southern states. They have made a deliberate effort to take us back to another period. We must stand up and fight and push. We must go to the polls and vote like we never voted before. Our vote is precious. It is sacred. It controls everything that we do. Everything. As a minority, whether it be black, latino, asianamerican, native american, or whether we are right, we must understand that 50 years ago, this year, three young men that i knew gave their lives trying to make it possible for all our citizens to become dissidents in a democratic process. We want to respond to ferguson, you have to vote. It is powerful. We must do it. If not, we will go back. Many in this room have been consistent engaged to make sure that we are registered in the votes are educated, and making sure there is robust efforts. As we are looking at what happened with the Supreme Court decision, do we continue to fight for federal voter laws or do we more focus on state laws that we are losing in many cases all over the country . Is it at both and proposition question mark proposition . Is it due to lack a lack of resources, even when we has some federal protection . Let me say two things. First off, let me say thank you. He is a little modest. When he came to work in the Prosecutors Office, he was a worldclass track athlete. He was not only bright, he was doing all the right things, the things we want our young people to do. I thank you. As it relates to its not an either or. When we were kids, we would say i can walk into bubblegum at the same times. Let me say two things. First off, let me say thank you. He is a little modest. When he came to work in the Prosecutors Office, he was a worldclass track athlete. He was not only bright, he was doing all the right things, the things we want our young people to do. I thank you. For still being who you are. Its not an either or. When we were kids, we would say i can walk into bubblegum at the and chew bubblegum at the same time. We can. If we dont, we make a huge mistake. The reason we are in the shape we are in, is because of redistricting. We lost the state houses. If we had not lost the state houses, we would be in a better position today. That is the thing people need to understand. We know that we need to vote. And we know why we need to vote. Let me say a few things, if i may. Believe it or not, they are going to file articles of a pitchman against our president articles of impeachment against our president great if we dont bow, your street when i get the experience if you dont bow, we will have hungry german if you dont vote \ we have to understand that this election is about us. It is not about the people who are running. To congresswoman fudge is point, we can walk into gum at the same time. And chew gum at the same time. Even those of us who are inside the political bubble are looking around i hear conversation every day about the need to secure the seats in the house and potentially moves and seats forward. I hear about securing the senate and ensuring that immigrants stay on the front in their, for those earthling party politics. I dont hear the same level of fervor and enthusiasm about down ballot candidates that will drastically affect the quality of life in states all over the country. As we talk about walking and chewing gum at the same time, how can we ensure that we are doing the kind of work that leads people to the polls, that pushed for the kind of represented as we want in the house and senate, but not at the cost of poorly educating folks on those down ballot seats, many of whom still have an opportunity to win certain states . Let me say thank you for being here and allowing me to be with these great leaders here. To the point, i think that marcia fudge hit it on the money there. What we find that is after 2000 2008, when the black vote at their set historic numbers, republicans went on the offense and said, we have to stop this. They have been playing offense for the last four years. They have been going after that vote, not by trying to persuade, by not making a possible to vote. We have to stop playing defense. We are fighting the Supreme Court decision. We are fighting to change laws of state and federal levels. We should do is take the offense. I dont think youre going to take the offense only if you concentrate on the federal or local level. You have to do both. Jeff, i think the response here is we have to teach our young folks that voting is a right. It is not just a right, it is a right of passage. If you dont vote, you will to learn how to drive . It is a right of passage. You have to show me that you deserve to drive that car. You want to be a man . You want to be a leader question mark you would be a woman leading this country question mark you have to show me that you know the importance of voting. It is a right of passage for our young folks to vote. We have to teach them. I dont think it makes any difference if the City Council Seat or if its a congressional seat orchids for the president the United States. Our young folks have to understand the value of voting for that little town hall, City Council Person or the president United States. When we knew that do that, when these antivoters want to push us, we will be on the offense and we will win. Thank you. Barbara, i am concerned. I hear and agree, but as someone who has worked at the naacp, american way, even worked at the popculture side to engage young voters, i hear the language of voting being important, and i hear specifically during targeted periods, but if we are talking about offense. In many cases the enemy that we are fighting never takes a day off. When do we move beyond this notion that fighting for the vote starts and innings somewhere around the time campaigning starts. Whether it is our churches, civic organizations, our leadership, begin to have messages and movement that dont turn on and off. Utterly create a movement that is larger, more comprehensive, and more 360 than we have seen in several decades . Thank you for that question. I figured you would like that. [laughter] listen everyone, voting has to be 365 days a year. It cannot only be about showing up for an election, although that is key, the guys that is a you manifest it. If you dont give a gift on christmas, you know what happens. We know that for every one of us who knows that november 4 is the election day that for other people have no idea, not a clue. Not a clue. Our duty is to create the massive microphone to get the word out to every Single Person we know. My mother is 83 years old. She will be on the phone calling everybody in our family and asking them if they are registered, because registration is going to start cutting off for some states as early as october 7. It is very important that we get that word out. She is going to be on the phone calling all of my family saying, you better get ready. You have to get to those polls. We have to do that. We dont do that just by talking. I want to make sure that everybody here knows that we come here today to bring you tools to help you do that. The lawyers committee, the Leadership Conference, the naacp, all of us work together. The National Coalition for black civic dissipation plate we put out toolkits that every Community Group can use good we have a new when it just comes out. Another one for you voters. I want to make sure that those toolkits talk about not only registering the vote, what is going on the local communities, that they also talk about ma