For Immediate Release: May 25, 2012
Communications Director: Stephanie L. Young o: 202.226.5312 c: 202.731.2621
MEDIA ADVISORY
The Congressional Black Caucus Hosts the Inaugural Faith Leaders Summit on Voting Rights
Attorney General Eric Holder to Give Keynote Address
Washington, DC – On Wednesday, May 30, 2012, the Congressional Black Caucus will hold their inaugural Faith Leaders Summit in conjunction with the Conference of National Black Churches during their Annual Consultation. Hundreds of our nation’s leading African American Church leaders will gather to discuss major voting rights issues facing our community. Attorney General Eric Holder will give the keynote address and voting rights experts will lead the day of discussion around the complexities surrounding new state voting laws.
“The attack on voting rights is not only coordinated, it is dangerous and it is the worst we’ve seen since Jim Crow. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called voting the ‘foundation stone for political action.’ The laws restricting access significantly chip away from that stone”, said Chairman Emanuel Cleaver. “Given the immense challenge before us, the CBC has decided to take this matter into our own hands and this time we are working with the Black Church, which has diligently served our community for over 200 years fighting for freedom, justice, and equality when African Americans had nowhere else to turn”.
41 years ago, the Congressional Black Caucus was founded “to positively influence the course of events pertinent to African Americans and others of similar experience and situation” and in years since, we have earned the moniker “the Conscience of the Congress” because of our unyielding commitment to our communities and our country. Due to the rising number of state governments across the country that have enacted an array of new laws making it harder to register and to vote, the Congressional Black Caucus has been called duty again. The argument of voter fraud in our nation lacks any real substantial evidence and it is beyond clear that these laws will do more to suppress the rights of voters than to safeguard our voting system. As our economy still struggles to recover and overall unemployment hovers around 8% and reaches into the double digits for African Americans we cannot idly stand by and watch as the rights are stripped from hurting people. As elected officials–whether local, state, or federal–it is our obligation to not only encourage our constituents to vote, but to ensure the voting process is easy.
The National Conference of Black Churches (CNBC) holds their “National Consultation” event annually. The CNBC is comprised of 9 denominations that represent congregations all over the United States, with an estimated reach of over 10 million. Their Membership includes 9 denominations: African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Church of God in Christ, Full Gospel Baptist Church International, National Baptist Convention Inc, International, The National Baptist Convention USA, Inc, The National Missionary Baptist Convention of America, and the Progressive National Convention, Inc. However, during the summit the event is open to all faiths and denominations. More details are included below.
ALL PRESS PLANNING TO ATTEND MUST RSVP AND CHECK IN ON THE DAY OF TO RECEIVE PRESS CREDENTIALS.
DETAILS:
WHAT: The CBC Faith Leaders Summit in conjunction with the Conference of National Black Churches Annual Consultation
WHO: Faith Leaders and the Congressional Black Caucus
WHEN: Wednesday, May 30, 2012 — 9am – 5pm
WHERE: The Renaissance Hotel, 999 9th Street NW, Washington, DC 2001
Click HERE FOR THE FULL AGENDA AND CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CNBC.
All Americans should ask your pastor to write a letter to Holder asking to be invited to this meeting…..then report back to their parishioners on the details and direction of Holders advise. Anything short of not being invited to Holders special meeting would result in open and blatant discrimination. Then “We the people….” can withhold our tax returns as sure as Holder would deny tax-exempt status to a church preaching a political agenda…..think about it.
Hello Lauren,
I Watch part of conference this morning on C-Span2. I was pleased to hear a new voice, that was focus and on point (Ms Judith Browne – D). Sorry I did not get her complete last name. Look forward to watching rest of conference.
Thank You,
Ms Joy Haddocks James
Race and Religon: How much progress has America made against Bigotry? By November,we should have some idea.Both Obama and Romney are Minorities,”said Nancy Wadsworth,co-editor of the Anthology”Faith and Race in American Political Life.”…Mormons are[1.7%] of the U.S. population,according to the Pew Research Center.Blacks are[12.6%]…”Americans like to obsess about ways that people are different,”said MS.Wadsworth,a political science professor at the University of Denver.
Race and Religon:..Voters of all types say that a candidate’s Race or Religious beliefs should not be caused for bias,”but Americans are really conflicted about this,and they talk out both sides of their mouth…The Constitution forbade a Religious Test for President.Still, the Religion of Presidential Candidates historically has been a major issue,though nearly all have been Protestant.”..Thomas Jefferson,who coined the phrase”Separation between Church and State,”was decried as godless…Nearly[160]years later,John F.Kennedy was Tarred as a Roman Catholic who would answer to the Pope instead of The American People…In[1787]the same Colonists who had demanded Equal Rights in their dealings with England wrote a Constitution That Reduced Blacks to 3/5 of a person…Nearly[80]years would pass before that Changed and Another Century before Blacks would be assured The Vote…President Obama remains the Sole Member of the most Exclusive Club in The World,Racial Minorities who were Nominated for President by a Major Party…”MS.Wadworth said that even after[3]years plus years of a Black President,Racial Bias remains”Super Loaded and Super Coded.”..MR.Romney has tried to push past Anti-Mormonism with Mixed Success.His Membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints has been an issue his entire Political Career…Evangelicals are among The Country’s Most Politically Conservative Voters,and They’re going to hold Their Nose and Vote for Romney…How much Progress has America Made Against Bigotry?