aisle -- i'll come on to that later in my remarks. i want to say something about the nature of isil. as the prime minister said, isil is not simply another terrorist organization. we've seen, of course, its hostage taking of innocent british citizens -- >> [inaudible] >> i will in a moment. and it's not just british citizens isil is threatening. christians, yazidis, fellow muslims, sunni and shia from many different countries and backgrounds. anyone, mr. speaker, who does not prescribe to their deeply perverse ideology. ..anyone who disagrees with the. it is relevant to the decisions that we make today.

they separated men and boys from women and younger children. the men were driven away two different nearby locations where they were shot and killed. the women and children of the village working. did -- abducted and continue to be held by isil. .sil is murdering muslims to those who say that military action against them is somehow understandn islam, i anxiety, including communities in britain, but the truth is entirely different. it is muslims. themselves who are saying it -- leading british muslim scholars and recently wrote of isil -- "they are perpetrating the worst crimes against humanity...it is a war against all humanity." isil's ideology has nothing to do with the peaceful religion practised by billions of people across the world and by millions of our fellow citizens, who are appalled by their actions. by billions of people across the world and by millions of our fellow citizens who are appalled. >> he mentioned the hostages.

david was brought up and educated. [inaudible] what we are seeing about the remarkable life -- they celebrate his life in a short the opposition and the prime minister would join them and congratulate them. >> i think the honorable gentleman spoke of the quickly on this issue and tells us all we need to know about this organization that they would take hostage people who simply exists to trick you help the innocent victims of conflict all around the world. >> this time for the government motion. given what he has said about the

horrors of isil to come back against syria would he support that notion? >> i do want to deal with this very directly and just be very clear about this. we will consider further proposition if the paymaster chooses to come back to it. let me say three issues that concern me about iraq and a serious. first the question of legitimacy. there's a strong argument about the legal base for action under article 51. the point i've been making for the last few days is that in my view, when we are not talking about being invited by the democratic states, it would be better to seek a un security council resolution. this is the institution of the world and therefore it would be better to seek authorization.

the other two issues that are in play in relation to serious are on the question of ground forces because a member of the honorable members have made the point that we cannot defeat isil by air power alone. in the case of iraq it is the iraq he army that conducts the operation. i i put it no higher than this it is an outstanding question about who will perform that function in serious. and third, as the prime minister himself made reference to there isn't a big outstanding question about the overall outcome that we are seeking serious and minister said it is a clear strategy. it is on exactly the route map those are the particular issues that i raised and i wanted to make this progress as they are given mr. speaker if you will allow me. isil is not simply a murderous organization.

as the prime minister said it has the state of its own. a caliphate across the middle east according to the horrific norms and values and that is why i believe we cannot simply stand by and against the threat of isil. but as i said in reference to the honorable gentleman, we need to learn the lesson and we should be clear about this with the british people. a comprehensive strategy, humanitarian and political as well as military and crucially rooted in the region some of this work is on the way but i believe that much more needs to be done. but mr. speaker there is a reality that we must face up to to make this alliance work that is a need for military action as well to count her, to contain the threat of isil in iraq that is why we are meeting today. the second part of my remark to make the case of the military action by the uk to return to the criteria that i previously set out the criteria was long a

judge or the military action could be justified. first mr. speaker and the action we take must be just. they do establish just cause on humanitarian ground that i set out and on the ground of national interest. on this point, the international instability that would be created by undermining and potential overthrow of the democratic iraqi state would clearly have implications for the stability of the region, and therefore implications for us and our national interest. and it would make it more actually that iraq would become a haven on the training ground directed against the uk. military action must only be the last resort, and i believe this criteria is met. it's not an organization that could or should be negotiated with. third, there must be a legal base to provide legitimacy and legal directions. i support this motion today because we are responding to the

to the request from the democratic iraqi state and this is recognized in the un charter. >> would he not agree that in the case of iraq and someone that voted against the war in iraq on march 18, 2003, we bear particular responsibility for the subsequent events and therefore the particular responsibility toward the government and the people of iraq. >> i think my friend has an important point and i will come to this liter in my remarks. our intervention in iraq means we should not intervene in this case. there was actually a heightened responsibility because we did intervene in iraq and with all kinds of implications, the iraq he state that has emerged is partly our responsibility. [inaudible] >> does he agree that this government has an obligation to help the iraqi people in their hour of need and obligation

which this government did not create and that this government has to deal with class >> if i may say so the honorable gentleman did himself no credit. we must believe and this is important this is the hardest test of all before we take the step of committing our forces we should be clear about this. the aim is clear which is to reinforce the government of iraq and prevent isil at the invitation of the government and then introduced by using international military power in the kurdish push barbara campaign. mr. speaker, this is an important point. nobody should be in any doubt that this is a difficult mission and it will take time.

but there is already evidence that the u.s. action as having the is having the effect of holding back the isil. in the catastrophic consequences for the iraqi people, this is where there is a choice to act or not to act and both have implications and both have consequences. >> isil took those old and more of that i described earlier. i gave way to my honorable friend. >> it is the outcome. does he agree that i would have quite liked to hear more about turkey and in particular the turkish aptitude to arming the kurds. >> i think my honorable friend has an important point which is that it is incredibly important that we mobilize all countries in the region. turkey primarily among them because we need the whole lesson that we have here is.

it's no solution without engaging not just the people of iraq, that the neighborhood as well. i want to turn to the fifth criteria there must be broad support in the region further reasons of legitimacy because it must not be seen as the imperialism and effectiveness because the regional support is a sensual to the long-term success of the mission. at the end of august they made a statement calling for comprehensive measures to combat isil and we announced the regional coalition of bahrain, saudi arabia as well as other countries. this goes back to we must make sure that innocent civilians are protected coming and i know there are strict conditions in place to ensure proper targeting and to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties. mr. speaker having organized these conditions can just call, last resort, legal base, reasonable prospects, regional support and proportionality are i believe matt. and i will give way to the honorable justice.

the sections because quite clear that it has nothing to do with the organizations. the gentleman is absolutely right of this is not a class of civilization. the vast majority of the muslims all around the world paul isil and their activities. >> i congratulate him and the prime minister the entire houses behind the troops. but he spoke in very powerfully about this. we are very conscious of this. can we say more about what he would be giving to the opposition to ensure that the

muslim communities here recognize them and absolutely are protecting people back here in the united kingdom? >> i think that my friend makes an incredibly important point. i will play my part as i'm sure he will and my other honorable friend's from across this from across this house and setting n. explaining the basis of actions and to protect innocent muslims in iraq who are in under terrible threats by isil day by day and that is why there is an urgency to this case. >> thank you mr. speaker. the prime minister in a generational struggle last year the prime minister argued for action in serious. what would the position be today would it not be stronger and does this not show that in the space of the a year but consequences for unforeseen and the commitments should be open-ended.

>> i think it is incredibly important on this occasion and that the unity of the house we do everything we can to make that happen. it was about chemical weapons that are being dealt with by other channels. of course the situation remains very, very dire. i think we need the right made the right decision last summer but today this is about reporting this motion. >> i'm very grateful to my honorable friend. does he recall that the international community including this house was condemned for tolerating genocide in rwanda and then tolerating genocide in sudan. given the evidence particularly against the kurds in iraq the british people support the

motion between the house. >> i think my honorable friend speaks incredibly powerfully. and those examples are examples where many feel that there was a case for intervention which wasn't taken up into these decisions are always incredibly difficult. but we can help innocent people who are under threat of on the threat of persecution i think that he is right to do so. >> my honorable friend is absolutely right in supporting this notion. but once you call the rule perceived by people [inaudible] especially the concern among any people to show the same commitment and resources to ensure that the government had satisfactory conclusions. >> is right that we speak out on

these issues and the two state solutions that we need. i want to move on if i may. in the third part of my remarks i want to address this issue. some people accept the criteria put out because the western intervention always makes things worse. it would be a concern not just the people of the house but the people of the country. i understand the argument that i don't agree. intervention always has this not it would be more dangerous in my view not less dangerous. i saw unchecked as my honorable friend for the very powerfully, i saw him check more persecution of the innocent. and there is this point, mr. speaker, if we say to people that we would pass by on this one actually makes it harder for the other countries to play their part. people across this house have been saying that it's got to be done in the neighborhood. we've got to engage the region

that has nothing to do with us you're not going we are not going to intervene at this certainly means that we have less authority to say we want you to play your part as well. finally mr. speaker we should pride ourselves on the traditions of internationalism because that is when britain is at its best. not withdrawing from the concerns of the world. >> so, mr. speaker i. want to say something about the underlining reasons and i think that we should want it directly and that is the 2003 war in iraq. i understand why we would wonder if this is a repeat of that experience. in my view it is not worth setting out why. first as the prime ministers ministers at a comedy piece is about supporting a democratic state. it is not about overturning an existing regime and seeking to build a new one from the rubble and much harder undertaking. second, there is no debate about the legal base for action in iraq as there was in 2003.

third, there is no argument about whether the military as a last resort. nobody's saying let's negotiate. they are not people that you can negotiate with. fourth, there is broad international support. all 28 member states and the arab league providing support and taking part in the action. fifth, there is no question that kurdish ground troops being deployed. so i understand the weariness that there will be in the house house and in a country of 2003 but on those five grounds it is demonstrably not. does he not agree that it is our failure to reconstruct iraq which increases our responsibility to act responsible and an gauge with other partners in the region to create a more stable future than we have seen over the last ten

years? >> i completely agree with my honorable friend. the responsibility is to the people of iraq. >> mr. speaker and not going to give away again. mr. speaker, the late robin cook said in his resignation speech on the eve of the iraq war our interests are best protected not by unilateral action but by multilateral agreement and a world order governed by the rule. mr. speaker this is multilateral action prompted by legitimate democratic states. and the world order governed by rules if it is about anything must be about protecting a democratic state which is what the motion before us is about. ideally although this is difficult it is the right thing to do. there is no graver decision for the parliament into the country but and the country but protecting the national interests, security and the values for which we stand is why i would be supporting the motions this afternoon.

>> point of order. >> my constituents expect me to be able to get into the chamber. no such obligation -- will you find a safe place for the camera crews or that that he could film without getting in our way? like i'm grateful to the honorable gentleman. as far as i can see the camera crew isn't interfering with the business of the house. i'm grateful to the honorable gentleman for his point of order to which i have responded. order. can i point out to the house that no fewer than a 77 on seven of honorable and right honorable members are seeking to catch my eye and consequence to which the colleagues will understand my decision to impose with immediate effect a five-minute limit on backbencher speeches.

sir richard. >> mr. speaker, i congratulate the prime minister under these provisions for the constructive measured way they have introduced the debate today. this intervention is different in two respects. for the first time it is using social media as a tool. the internet is becoming increasingly apparent. we've all been shocked by this propaganda. for most of us the first that we heard about was through youtube. this is the world that we live in today. the second is the young age in radicalism of our opponents. albert einstein once said old men start war but the younger men fight and. not any longer.

the isil and al qaeda commanders are in their 30s and the old men are the refugees. >> my honorable friend makes a very important point. and one of those is social media. what does he think we should be doing to make sure that the social media is not being used and that it is stopped from getting that out there in the domain lacks >> i agree with my honorable friend and i think that he has answered his own intervention rate the government should be addressing that soft power is a rule of law and something that should be addressed seriously. mr. speaker, i was saying that our opponents are john and radical. it is the slow democracies of the west and the civilized world. but these democracies are our

strengths. this building, our electoral mandate they give them legitimacy that civil groups will never have and that is what we are ultimately undermining them. >> you make a very important point. i hope that we will endorse this today it is a soft urgent diplomatic record of the united kingdom relationship with many of the tribes are in the areas that isil has control over. it's important to recognize that leaves the social media and very strong media operations are effectively an opportunity for what has been a civil war and we must make sure that we can't negotiate with isil but we do negotiate and talk to the people in the commu the ermbin nim ph.e arasasas.ase t.hweerntwothwot

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haga isd th e worl et d rn d er s k e leale thtervti tht d i retyr humaniastais ing fld be tandageehat ar gree that it is artificial to divide the two problems. it's a theoretical map on the line now and there is no doubt isis has to be defeated in both countries. >> and given that one of the principles is to de a home base it is essential that we back american efforts in

theory otherwise would not defeat them. people suggest we can't get can't go to syria it is tying our hands behind our back. >> i agree president obama has been quite open that he's going to be his alliance and to launch attacks in both syria and iraq and it is quite unrealistic to proceed on any other. so the debate that i can read that divides the vast majority of people in this house into the vast majority of our constituents is where are we going and what is the long-term purpose and what is the strategy. how is our foreign policy and politics and diplomacy going to be better on this occasion than it's been for the last 15 years? it's not that we attack the

regime's. when we got rid of gadhaffi and we attack al qaeda in afghanistan and would have been if we had attacked the nuclear and chemical installations last year. i supported the two of those, libya and this eerie at last year and i was dubious about one of the others. that isn't the point. what happened was in all those cases the military deployment produced a situation at least as bad as it had been before and actually largely worse. we did not create extremist jihad is an or these fundamentalist pressures between made things worse and made it

easier for them to spread by some of the interventions. so we all agree we must not repeat that. we need to be sure and i congratulate my friend premaster on his speech where actually we spent a very great deal of time trying to reassure and feeling certainly i support this motion because the best allies are taking part. i but i still feel we are at the early stages of working out exactly where we are going and i do think that on the symbolic participation in the military are valuable to the allies but symbolically joining with them the main hope i have is that it gives us a positive influence on the diplomacy and the unfolding politics that have to take place to try to get together.

it is the widest possible participation in the powers of the region in order to get what we all want, the lasting stability and security in what at the moment is a very dangerous region of the world. i congratulate those responsible. americans no doubt for the arab states which makes a big difference from the previous occasions. the action to support other extremist islamic organizations. isis is the worst of the threats but it's not the only one and the enemies include al qaeda and other groups as well.

it's problematical because there is no sheer engagement and that takes us under the crucial matter of iran. a lot of what is taking place in this region is the proxy struggle of power between iran and the shiites and the saudi's and the sunnis and the provided the sectarian warfare which most sensible folks were long since dead. iran is a key influence because it is a close patron of a i saw in this area and that including the shiite militia for the force of the moment in the iraqi government. they've got to get the iranians

closer together to support the moderation to decide what stability replaces things which i'm delighted to see that it makes problems for turkey if turkey is a high progress. so for the first time i wish him well. no genius is going to solve this problem. >> thank you very much mr. speaker. before i make my contribution today, i want us all to take a moment if we can just to think about and pray for the hostages who are currently being held by isis and whose been murdered in the most perfect circumstances and not just today.

alan is a taxi driver. he is not my constituents that he lives very close to where i live at home. i know his wife and his family are being held in prayers as well as everybody in my city and i hope that everybody in the house. he went to see reality humanitarian mission to give aid to the men and women and children and babies in syria. he was there as an ambassador and i would make a personal plea today that whether it falls on the sunni grounds were not that they should release him and he should come home to his family and the people who love him. >> mr. speaker there will be a lot of sad today about military power, the airstrikes and about troops on the ground.

[inaudible] but i think we also need to be very careful about language because when we talk about humanitarian intervention, i mean military intervention also doesn't put risk to the purely humanitarian work. >> my honorable friend makes a good point and there is absolutely no doubt that he was there on a mission and there will be a bug said today that the reaction and i can make it clear at the outset that i support the motion but personally i think it is a minimalist notion and i have no doubt that in the future they will have to return to this issue. i agree with my honorable friend that in fact if we simply take action in iraq they no doubt will go back into serious and we will face very serious problems.

>> we may end up having to go to serious as well. if that happens how are we going to end sure that it doesn't have this debate of strengthening to see what it be better and will we continue to have a sophisticated strategy than just -- >> again my honorable friend makes and absolutely relevant point. we have seen sometimes the unintended consequences of action that we've taken and that is why the strategy about what we do and what the impact will be and how we build the coalitions and how we take that is absolutely essential. and i want to take this moment to think that the minister for all that he has done in building the alliances, building the couple should because i think that's a significantly different is that we are in today then we were in the years passed and i think the idea can take the work

of the middle east and completely wrong and the idea that it is on the ground who have a personal response body for the safety of their own region to take this action with our support and our backing it is that the right at the right place today and i know how difficult it is. i want to add my thanks to death. but it isn't military action, i want to talk about the causes of terrorism and i mentioned that many times in the house. i think that unless we deal with the root cause and the plaintiff ideology that is being promulgated by the extremist and that is very clear that we will be back here time and time and time again. and now is the moment that we would be serious at this agenda. it's from the european union going up to fight in iraq and

syria. the job of old rubble men and women. people can be radicalized in all kinds of environment. they can be radicalized increasingly on the internet and social media and indeed they can be radicalized sometimes in religious institutions but it's interesting the estimate from the home office at the moment is less than 2% of the radicalization being carried out in the institutions and it is actually happening in these spaces. >> the active change foundation not only set up in my name in the campaign for both the prime minister and the president of the united states but also working to do the kind of work she talked about that we should do more of. >> i wanted to come to the present strategy and in fact on

the first of september the minister said, and i'm dee lighted, we should be careful about the root threats of the ideology of the religious extremism and the worldview that has nothing to do with islam and i'm grateful for that. i'm also grateful for the statements of people in the country have made and i'm dismayed when we've seen this and we are now beginning to move from condemnation into a proper narrative about the fact that it's not justified by their religion but the religion but i think that we have a long way to go. and i would urge the prime minister to be more courageous to develop a few in the 21st century democracy where they are in the minority that is more relevant to everyday life but again protecting those young people. it's difficult work and you will be accused of trying to tell people what to believe in their religion which is no place for the democracy but it's urgent

and needs to be done. i would ask him and the secretary to come back to this house on how we are going to conduct the ideology. it's not doing the work that it can do and it needs to take the ideas from around the world from all of our partners in a practical way so that we can show people that this is not the future and i'm afraid i don't have time to spare. i just want to give two examples as to why this works and is so important. the case was a human rights lawyer in those old and she has been taken before the sharia law court. she was sentenced to public execution and murdered on monday.

she was a great human rights lawyer. that elevated and that is what this ideology is. it's medieval and it's about trafficking and then we have people in this country like the young man who said he was brainwashed. i have no idea. we have the proper count and narrative. >> i remember the speech made by robin cook in 2013 and the great admiration not the least of course because he resigned from the government because of his views and he then joined the rest of us who voted against his own government in the lobby that evening. but this is not 2013. 2003. i beg your pardon. so it is a timely different set of circumstances.

and of course an important feature of the circumstances is the fact that we would be responding to a request made by the government of syria. the government concerns to ensure iraq. the government of iraq whose very existence for which they are responsible is undoubtedly at stake and there is a legal basis in my view beyond any question that's been referred to by many of those that have spoken already for what we are being asked to endorse today in the house of commons. >> given that the airstrikes alone wouldn't achieve victory over isis who has the plans and

the determination to win on the ground attacks to go? >> i hope through president obama and senator of state john kerry have been putting together as a and illustration to the fact that five countries in the region have joined in support of the airstrikes that have been taken so far. if the honorable gentleman -- i'm afraid i must move on. the point i want to make is we are faced with circumstances in relation to which the very survival is at stake and it's

important that we exercise a degree of responsibility in this matter because of course although it isn't the cause of the circumstances and iraq at the moment, there is no doubt that the military that we joined join with the united states against saddam hussein has been a major contributor to the circumstances we now find ourselves in. let me deal with the question of serious. i am content for there to be a motion of the effect that we should take several actions in serious to exist a sound and legal basis indeed the very factors that justify intervention in iraq would be of equal weight in relations to syria and these of course are shortly the kind of barbarism that is being displayed and the fact that the regional stability is being heavily undermined what's remind ourselves some of

that stability has an impact in the countries for example like jordan a close ally and a necessary component were there ever to be a global settlement for peace in the middle east. it's also to be recognized that they have exercised the degree of responsibility and in doing so and in many cases they are taking our elements within their own country to which otherwise be opposed. how would any other country faced the decision in the event that the motion were not. when you have as it is being suggested that we need a united nations resolution before we could embark on anything of the kind proposed you have to accept the reality that the prospect of the united nations security council resolution is totally

remote. even putting one on the people to be a point of this exercise because of the attitude undoubtedly to be taken in russia and possibly also by china. what may i move on to a point which i think is -- the language that has been used so far has been about distractions. i am not sure that it's possible to destroy an ideology and i'm not possible to destroy the cold that we see now exercising such malign influence. but one thing that you most certainly can do, and that is through adult containment and deterrence. to do that you have to degrade the military capability and create circumstances in which any time to barbarism will of barbarism will be met by swift and effective action. and i think that we would be

better agreeing that we are likely to embark upon the process of destruction but that we can have an effective doctrine. there is no parallel between the iraq debate of 2003 so there is a parallel with kosovo because when kos about was an issue, the similar conversations not least of which was ethnic cleansing in the international community without a resolution finds itself able to deal with that. we don't have that luxury. >> it is so easy to despair in politics especially how often do we obsess about the small

differences from the biggest challenges to often we are interested by the internal workings and we start looking outwards. the eternal day from the world and in on ourselves. that's a mistake. our country is international in its outlook and all people matter what your neighbor and in our family matters. people in iraq matter. the conflict has innocent victims scared off out of their homes into women and men to take no part in violence but who will lose the most. they've executed executed to the disastrously effective campaign of violence that they have seen taken control of the iraqi cities and exploiting the fragile politics to terrorize the devastating showing that they have a serious stock of military equipment that they are proposed to use to attack. they must be stopped. >> the honorable lady is giving away.

in the us 20 years the united nations has moved and it is now a responsibility of the members to deal with the genocide when it occurs in the world. and that doesn't in my view requires security council resolution. we need to do something where people are threatened in this world. >> i think the honorable gentleman and i will say more about internationalism shortly. of course some people will say this is not our fight. for those who feel strongly it's to offer the despair and walk away and it's harder to set about dealing with the threat in the and the context that it's completed and where the risks are high. in response, i would say we all want peace. the only question is how. the uk shouldn't dictate the answer to this violence or carelessly interview but that doesn't mean turning your back

and answering the question should we do anything or nothing we have to ask ourselves what we can do. the only argument to the long-standing political problem in iraq and the region. should we do anything or nothing we have to ask ourselves what good we can do. if the middle east is to invite comparisons yet what we should learn from history the search, repetitions and convenience leading there is no case why the feature should necessarily be like the past and fact it is our job to make sure that the future is not like the past. and of those factors i have said isil is a growing force we can have on the iraqi government and innocent people. the iraqi government has asked

us to help. we have the capacity to do so. our government has made their own clear the leader of the opposition has said the right task. we in this house have scrutiny as best as we are able to do and make it more likely the success of the operation and a vital factor in the success of the operation would be cutting off the financial supply as my friend said earlier. there was a un security council resolution on this point on the 14th of august and it would be helpful to know what progress has been made so far but there are some other factors that matter. this isn't just a matter of security as vital as that is. there's also the question of politics and development. we need more than just a military response. require not just the absence of violence but that there needs to be met with the basic needs to keep the full rubble alive and all of those affected to see a way out of the conflict. in the past of the uk by the department of the development

but recently substantial storms in the development focused in iraq. this ended in 2012 when the program ended. however, this year there has been a budget for iraq of over 25 million. but only 4.3 million has been spent so far. so i would ask whether we need to increase efforts to make sure that money committed can be spent effectively and as soon. soon. and we also need to ask whether this is enough to separate by way of comparison we spend around 75 million in the similar sums in yemen. i want to make two brief points about the development. third the long-term needs. this budget is for the single emergency humanitarian assistance program to help amme p 65,000 ordinary iraqis who are in serious need. it will be used to provide emergency medicines, food and basic shelter, and to reunite families. at what point can we see more

longer term development assistance, rather than simply humanitarian assistance? instead of emergency aid, such longer term assistance would support the wider development needs of victims of the conflict. have the government discussed that possibility internationally? do ministers know how many children are losing out on their education as a result of the conflict? schools in the kurdish region are being used for shelter, which is the right thing to do, but it means that many children are losing out on their chances and hope for the future. in addition, what is the risk to wider health care needs? the iraqi government must be supported to maintain not simply the hard infrastructure that the country will need -- power, vil infrastrture of -- but the the vital infrastructure public services. will benefit students must work alongside military answers to isil. i'd like to note the minister is working working alongside the military in planning.

secondly -- >> she's frankly discourteous. all shall be heard with courtesy. >> thank you, mr. speaker. speculate, i want to ask about refugees. we were able to help a handful of the most wonderful refugees to take refuge here in our country and i'd like to ask if we can do more. this is the most colossal refugee crisis we have now another country we must live up to our obligations into our moral duty to help those who have done nothing to cause our innocent victim complex. i would finish, mr. speaker, by saying this. violence in iraq need our help in military assistance. our job is far bigger than that. we must also not tried limited door power is to win the peace. >> dr. liam fox. >> mr. speaker, it is very clear

postgrads ibrd perpetrated has been on our tv screens and newspapers threatening to destabilize the threat of the nonreligious war and there will be global exports is jihad. the question to act or not to act. we have to act economically and militarily all in concert. politically mawhinney full and greater regional support than we've had even up until now, a key player in the region. that's remember the strong nato ally. we also made it clear view for the regional power of exactly what they want to achieve in the region. the lesson we learned from iraq if anything is military but to reach, even where possible, is only the beginning of a much more difficult process. >> the honorable gentleman giving way.

does he not agree with me that countries including turkey need to be doing much more to disrupt the flow of isis from europe into iraq and syria in transit back to here? >> speaker, it is the duty of all those who wishes the international change to do everything possible within their powers to disrupt the flow of these movements. the second point, mr. speaker, is all complex or ideological in this conflict is no different. we were prior political and religious leaders in the region to be much more vocal about the fact that there's nothing to do with islam. this is a cruel, barbaric misogynistic creep here it is not religion. it's a political. we also need to make these messages very clear to those in britain, those young impressionable individuals who might be considering coming involved in such an enterprise.

those who already dared me to understand they are not welcome back in this country. the full course of the law will be a will be applied should they come back to this country and you cannot take a jihad gap here and come back to the united kingdom. the second thing we must do economically is the question of oil has been mentioned, but we also stop the international financial system and financial flows to isis. arab well-funded and we've got to subgroups in the region playing a double game. publicly decrying them, but providing the funding they require. >> is make an important point about the economic leaders that need to be deployed. wouldn't you agree with me there is a serious dichotomy with the coalition allies in the current arrangements of the middle east are also some of the funds of the export of the desired aspects, particularly in west

africa. >> are they offenders? they're also ideologically giving support to some of the groups like isil have been causing trouble the region. they cannot have it both ways. when it comes to military action i welcome the decision to use british air power. it's been obvious for some time that the forces on the ground to have a military solution because they didn't have sufficient air power. in applying british air power, we have to understand this is not just about healing commanding control or even supply lines of isil, but it will require close air support to be a successful counter offense by any ground forces in this conflict. we need to understand the risks that will pose for courses. however, i believe today not to include theory a -- isil operate

from syria. the attacks individuals, communities and iraqi state itself from syria. the legal case to attack isil based in syria and i'm afraid sooner or later we're going to have to do it. you'd be far better police said so explicitly today. mr. speaker, i won't take up any more time than required. >> the right old gentleman giving way. in the plainest area, does he agree with me that when isil is defeated and syria, we will need to fill the vacuum with the priests here in army to that the regime takeover. >> mr. speaker, no doubt that if a complex situation in syria. my point is simply if we want to defeat isil, we can't do without seeking men in fear for the

basis of which they operate there. otherwise we give ourselves an impossible task which will again until much later on. >> mr. speaker, we need to be clear in this country that we cannot disengage from the global threat that we face. what is very clear to my is that there are those out there who hate as ideologically for who we are, not what we do. we are the united states. we are bombing at isil and delivering humanitarian aid which does not differentiate between an american hostage in british hostage being beheaded. terrorist ideology respects no borders. they will undoubtedly be a cost of bactine, but the cost of not acting would be infinitely greater. >> a little time with some of the issues. clearly, we have needs.

we have opportunities and we have tasks to complete. the moment i understand the plan is we are just part of a process which is trying to first of all six the americans who describe it, finish the opposition. our contribution to the process that moment is to fix the enemy in the position they are banned and not allow them to advance into anymore and maybe do more than not if we can. in order to do that, that is part of a campaign. the languages overambitious in many regards about wars on terror eliminating and destroying. that needs to be better calibrated. but this is our part and what is not yet a fully formed strategy, but which is a developing campaign. we have needs the knowledge that. when it did make whatever contribution we can. and as the number of people i

said, that involves diplomatic activity as much as military activity and we need to do a lot more with that and a lot more in terms of financial activity and competing and disturbing the wrong process of the ideology and my honorable friend made a very important point early on and off comeback to that later. we need to invest in those processes because we have been to investing in those processes. so we have opportunities. we need to understand others have made progress. it is interesting to see a one-man jet pilot from the uae fly an f-16 in combat. other nations are making progress. do not deny when you are making success. now this doesn't solve everything, but it shows there is a different discussion going on in the region. three years ago i set up a defensive diplomacy group in this parliament because it was clear then the strategic focus had already moved in we were behind the game.

so don't mistake the fact that there is a possibility, on opportunity for more than that to develop. some sort of proper schmoll between iran and iraq and saudi arabia might be possible. it's dirty business. diplomacy always is. you sometimes have to speak to people you don't want to speak to in order to make progress. i stood out as 25 years as a union official. get over it. get on with it. [laughter] so you have to make progress and recognize success when you see it. so there are these tasks, but we have to invent the ability to do this. they'll fix the enemy for these countries on the ground to be able to be enabled for themselves. we have to do things for ourselves because we have dramatically disinvest it. we don't have drugs as spies.

they have intelligence on the ground. we had just invested in our intelligence domestically. it's a long-term process and in doing all those things, we need to make long-term investment. >> but i would just be -- is there in any way the nature of this motion. it is a reality, mr. speaker, i am also recognizing the fact that is the policy. there is no way you will make this change in the short term and you're not going to make it in a debate here with 140 characters. we have to have defense debates in this parliament on a break of a basis, a full day of discussion. you need to reinstitute them. this will be a long-term process and this will be the first discussion for the next 50 years and you need the structure in order to do that.

>> my honorable friend knows about these things. isn't it a fact this whole debate and all the buildup to this debate is actually in reality about the deployment of about six tornado aircraft in north iraq. if we are genuine and about being humanitarian year, would it be better to deploy about 60 fully laden cargo aircraft to deliver medical supplies, food and water to the affected areas? >> welcome of the truth is mr. speaker upas six jets in the air seems a lot more than six people. i'll play it back. we already are contributing with the telegenic coming humanitarian. but yes, this is long-term estimate and long-term commitment with expenditure on a whole range of places, including scrubbing our bases in syria -- sorry, cyprus and other places. we are doing our best to do this stuff. cannot just talk about the law for a moment?

the committee earlier ron and i surprised myself earlier on. the report was about military framework and personnel in future operations. we have domestic abilities with all that. the reason i went to rate this balusters seems to be a legality in syria. this is your next debate. it is not debate for today because worldly talking about operating in iraq, sorry. freudian slip. if there were plane to go down in iraq, search and rescue mission. so with this hot pursuit argument that is being made, if you have iraq defending itself and therefore it's legitimate to go into syria in order to do that and be supported by americans and others or do we elevate seven days vicariously legal legitimacy because we are

the support activity for that. where does this leave individual members of the military in terms of legal certainty? is this a discussion you'll have to have quite i understand the argument like kosovo, collecting offense, all of these different things. this name serious discussion and the only thing i think the people as they we could make all these decisions today is already done. it's all very certain. well, i don't think it is very certain and i don't think it's certain narrow supreme court. so just be careful about what you do. so that protection for the individuals is equally as important for the collection of the collective approach we're taking. i've offered a motion today. i'll tell you on the other side you need to get your act together because i don't get the general public understands this is one part of the broader developing campaign doubled to develop into something you might call a strategy. i think i understand it.

but what i also understand this we have to talk to others about what they should do. i would say to you, you need to address what you need to do. >> sir nicholas allen. >> i will be very brief. now i applaud the tone and measure of the private speech today. i concur with almost everything my right honorable friend, the member for rochester said, who has successfully shot all my proxies and i now want only to save face. in my time in this house, mr. speaker, the failures in our policy in the middle east has been under all governments very serious. i think the lesson that we have learned in the lesson that this government has learned me to be highlighted today in the diplomacy that has gone on, the habit-forming and the coalition

has been magnificent. it is a new afterward in bringing in our coalition partners in the saudi arabia, jourdan, bahrain and the others to take part. it is not the west bank. and we are in support of that after and i think it should be marked and marked well by the country that we are written support of an arab coalition. may i endorse a point made by the honorable gentleman and his excellent speech about the need for further and greater intelligence capabilities on the ground. i have not party to the decision. i know now correctly what we have bear, but whatever we have is not an answer. we do need an office operations to know much more than we do about the immense intricacy and complication of the tribal structure and the way it works.

chairman of the defense committee and as admiral speech sometime ago made his points very clearly indeed. it is all future operations of this type. i conclude, only mr. speaker, by saying i together with every other person in this house and in the country wish good luck and safe returns to our tornado pilot who i can assure what getting magnificent effort on our part. >> the threat that is caused by the barbarism by isis is not this via, sunnis, a clear and present threat to the people of the united kingdom. it is a clear and present threat to the entire territory of iraq and the governments of which has asked us to intervene by way of airstrikes and it is a clear and present right to regional

stability, international security and civilization in general. for those reasons, we are in a different place a year ago when this was just asked to consider military action to time in syria and for those reasons we have a democratic union party unlike last time will be supporting military action. a plea has gone out to the country, and sovereign nation of iraq faces a powerless time. it has submitted a request for assistance at this crucial juncture to assist in protecting its national integrity and the security of his people. fighting for freedom and democracy, for justice and human rights, can we as a nation turn our backs and reject such a plea. there is no? this time over the intervention in the circumstances then there's certainly no?

over the need for immediate intervention. the sheer brutality, the genocidal way of terror sweeping the region is truly terrifying. it is a sanity which continues to shock even the most hardened commentators than those with great experience. a northern ireland we have seen it firsthand and directly the impact of terrorism on families and communities. but this says on a different scale a medieval type of barbarism that people in the country want a response to. >> thank you. i take my right honorable friend for giving way. any decision to take action is not taken lightly by any member for right honorable member about this. the sacrifice are the dangers facing our servicemen and women. however, we cannot sit idly by and allowed the group of islamic

fanatics to terrorize and butcher innocent people in iraq. >> my honorable friend and clearly has the dangers are great for servicemen and women. who i want to pay tribute to absolute or their efforts in many conflicts and again they've been asked to do a job on behalf of the people of this country and the house coming together to do the job and we wish them well and we know they will display the courage and gallantry and effectiveness that they always do in these situations. >> the member said both the house last year to go into syria that in effect they would have been on the same side as isis and fighting their same battle. is that not lead us all to have a great deal of fortune that within one year circumstances can change rapidly with an incredibly volatile civil war

going on in that region quite >> i'm grateful for the intervention. he is right to say the situation may have led to the consequences that he outlined and that is why we voted against intervention in syria at that time and we will take our decisions whether a motion comes before this house on syria around the intervention of combat troops. we will take those decisions on their merits. we are taking this decision today on the merits of the circumstances in this house and we believe it is absolutely right and imperative that we gave the assistance that the iraqi government has asked for and it's legal and they will be according to a well thought out plan and will make an effective difference. that is the difference between now and last time. i can't give way because i've used up all the interventions. mr. speaker, the fact of the

matter is to stifle dissent about the barbarism and solid tree isil and it is well documented and people can see other tv screens and read about it, they're people who say why should the u.k. and why should we directly intervene in a situation like this for the reasons that have been outlined by many already. the fact of the matter is that transduced her at, just than the people of iraq that they present a clear threat to this country and the west and the region in general. and unless confronted now, we will be storing a much greater trouble for this country and for citizens in the future. we've seen the brutal murder of david hayes, the kidnapping and the threat and others who have been brutally terrorized and murdered. it is not just a factor that presents a threat to the u.k.

this organization has very taken direct action against the citizens of the united kingdom and that demands a response on the part of this country. we simply cannot allow the creation of consolidation covering large territories which should be the plan and direction of terrorism against this country on the worldwide scale. hundreds of people have earned a gone to the region as we know from this country and have engaged in terrorist act dignity and in war. we need to be very clear that as we engage on this action in this house today, but we also say to the people at the united kingdom that we are going to take decisive and clear action that is needed to prevent people from this country you have gone to the middle east in iraq and syria from returning back in becoming a major direct threat to the citizens of this united kingdom. it would simply want to take this action today and simply say we are not going to be able for

whatever reason to take action coming back to the united kingdom. that has to go hand-in-hand. the parliament were they to reject this request today, mr. speaker, was sent a disastrous signal that the united kingdom does not stand as friends, by its allies in times of trouble, that it is prepared to ignore the barbarism of isil. that is prepared to ignore its international responsibilities and not legations. intervention is justified because it is the basis and the request of the iraqi government. there is a clear and direct threat to the united kingdom through the murders of british citizens already. will be part of a coalition which includes sunni muslims. there is a clear path plan and we can make an effective difference for the better. the barbarism of isil authority targeted citizens and they must respond to that otherwise we will be failing our people.

we wish our air of men and women well and wish them godspeed. >> big data is the tool. it can be used while and it can be used poorly. there's many that can calm, inside in certain areas, many areas, but some veteran health care, and other kinds of research and underserved population and providing new insight. i think some of our more difficult to solve problems that we face in society. >> but are there risks from big data as well quite >> i think that is true. you can take previously separate pieces and assemble them into a profile that make it inside into a consumer. and the question for me if you have all these benefits and you

have risks. what do you do then? >> the congressional black caucus foundation held its conference last week. the former president of the naacp's legal defense and educational fund, elaine jones and zavier becerra and john

lewis talk about new voter i.d. laws and their impact on african-american voters. [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 a pleasure to be here with each and every one of you. we are about to hear a wonderful, wonderful presentation, an exchange of ideas about something so very fundamental, the right to go. so i will be brief. dr. king said one of the most significant steps we can take is the short walk to the voting news. and that is what we all have to

do in the election. a few weeks ago we had the privilege of bestower windex rational gold medal from reverend martin luther king junior and karen visconti. it was so remarkable because it was so overdue, but also because at the very same time we are appealing to our colleagues to pass a bipartisan voting rights act to correct the shelby decision. matt still hasn't hatpin. we must make it happen, but in order to make that happen, we all must go. it is a privilege to be here, to accept invitation and accept the caucus foundation. another privilege i had more than a year ago was standing on the steps of the congressional black caucus, the very distinguished chair, congresswoman marcia fudge and members of the cbc on the steps

of the supreme court. we were there calling upon the court to make the right decision. that very day we were meeting in the house of representatives to dedicate a statue of rosa parks. it just seems so strange. we are dedicating a statue of rosa parks. people turn out in a bipartisan way to salute her and we have to appeal to the court to the right. and when they don't, they come and sing the praise of martin luther king, that don't pass the voting rights act. so we have important work to do what we have important people doing it. the distinguished chair of the foundation, said zoo has been working for children, for children, for the american people. marcia fudge, a strong leader and fighter for opportunity for all in our country and taking the lead on fighting or food stamps and the vast in a very,

very tough battle, but who better than she to beat and so many others. our assistant leader, mr. clyburn, a champion on the voting rights act. he along with john conyers working hard to get that past. our chairman, mr. conyers been one of them. mr. cummings working very hard to be sure to set the record straight i thought congress would constantly be on the attack of president barack obama. bennie thompson, our ranking member, hopefully soon to be chair of the homeland security committee, keep america safe. maxine waters, distinguished chair financial services looking out for consumers and our financial system so it is fair to everyone.

under bernice johnson, all all the tablet heard of science, technology and not you choose to chair the science and technology committee. the congressional black caucus has provided such tremendous leadership to our country. we will have a new member. bobby scott will be chairman of the education. i say chairman optimistically, that he will be the top democrat on the education and labor committee, following up on his important work for young people and workers in our country. so this caucus is making a viable contribution to our country. even some who are not chairs of the caucus are committee, emanuel cleaver and congresswoman clay were there in ferguson and made us all so proud as they represented us in a way that was appropriate and respectful of the very serious nature of what happened there

and they along with john lewis and you'll be hearing from the conscience of the congress they called the black caucus, he is certainly very much a part of that. there's so much needs to be done in ferguson. say the word, conjures up so much that needs to be done. voting rights act, freeing people to have the right to vote with respect for who they are. so, i sanction for the leadership. so many people are making today possible. as i said, it's an honor for me to be here to salute the members of the congressional black caucus led by marcia fudge and the congress, chaka fattah with the foundation. and how about those fellows that we might and how about the fact that some of the fellowships were named for donald payne, for

donald keene, that beautiful, lovely man and for congressman stokes, chairman stokes, the distinguished leader. and so, the tradition goes on about education, which is key to the fulfillment of these young people, which is also necessary to keep america number one. and i will leave you with one thought. one way we hope to turn out a big vote in all communities and a vote of the congressional black caucus leadership community is so important is what jeff said about jobs, keeping good paying jobs here in america, investing in education to keep america number one and that means we have to invest heavily in black colleges as well as reduce the cost of loans. and the very important part of it to the community is one women

succeed, america succeeds. that is how we are going to turn out. thank you for the honor of having a chance to say a few words. good luck in your deliberations. we are all counting on you and i know the success of this conference will be the success of our country. thank you all very much. [applause] >> thank you, congresswoman. and she said it right. the panel we are getting ready to go into is going to cover ambitiously three key areas. one is the state of the african-american vote moving in 2014, the necessity to look at voting and law-enforcement reform as it relates to policy and also where we are going and how the black vote affects us socioeconomically. that's a lot to cover in a short amount of time, the way the brilliant panel that's going to do that.

i am going to be introducing folks that are in the audience every now and again. you know how we are. we've got to do shout outs. but congresswoman beattie said i am no stranger to the congressional black caucus. if i could take a point of personal privilege, i think it is important because it's not just then for me about supporting the jobs the congressional black caucus did or be on the road to support different members in certain parts of the country. it is before anybody knew me when i was a senior in high school, there was a woman who was county prosecutor by the name of stephanie tubbs jones. [applause] she came into my high school government class and blew me away. i said to myself, i need to work for her. i asked my teacher if i could walk her to her car she was leaving the classroom. i said to at that time prosecutor jones, you are going

to hire me and anybody that knows her knows that look, like what are you talking about? i don't know you. she said are you a lawyer? i said no. she said i only hire lawyers. come back to me after you go to law school. i said well, lawyers have files, right-click she said yes. i said you've got a file room where those files are. she said yes. i said you need somebody to get files for lawyers in that file room? she said you are funny. come see me on monday. she hired me and the file room of the county prosecutor's office in cleveland, ohio and not set up a trajectory for me to be where i can. so i felt as if necessary. we talked about honoring those that have come before and congresswoman stephanie tubbs jones was one of the most powerful black women that we've seen in the halls of congress and on days like today i

remember her so much and want to let her out. so it is my honor privilege to introduce those that will lead us in our discussion today. please hold your applause until the end. wade -- and the leadership conference education fund, a tireless civil rights leader and advocate come a member of the bar in the district of columbia and the united states supreme court. elaine jones was first to the president, director of the naacp legal defense fund come a little in a civil rights lawyer elected to the american bar association board of governors in a teen 89. the first african-american to do so. december of 2000, president clinton presented her with a human rights award. representative john lewis, elected to congress in 1986 and represents the fifth congressional district of georgia. civil rights leader was a freedom rider spoke at the 1963 march on washington in 2011 and

also received the presidential medal of freedom. barbara arnwine of the civil rights under law, graduate of duke university law school she continues to champion civil rights and racial justice issues nationally and internationally. she specializes in areas of housing and lending, committed development, employment, voting rights, education and environment of justice. representative xavier becerra is chairman of the house democratic caucus. he's a former deputy attorney general of the california department of justice and first elected to the u.s. house of representatives in 1992. is a member of the congressional hispanic caucus where he served as chair during the 105th congress. representative becerra is a member of the executive committee of the congressional asian pacific american caucus. last but certainly not least is a leader who whine that while i was working in that file room in cleveland, ohio.

she was staff at that time, but she is an unbelievable public servant for 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 legislator. ladies and gentlemen, representative marcia fudge. [applause] can you all please have a seat. now, i have to ask an unbelievable save her. as we are addressing these three major teams of the state of the black vote, of the necessity to

look at reform of voting online for a spin policy and how the vote is affecting african-americans socioeconomically, i need you love to be mindful that this panel ends today. and so, if you can't to be short-term prolific in your responses, we will have a great panel. i would like to start with representative lewis if i can. congressman lewis, there is clearly an impact that recent legislation in particular and civil rights -- and supreme court cases have had on coding right of voting rights for african-americans. what have the last two years in particular god to the african-american electorate and more importantly if there is one thing that all of this need to be doing moving into november, what if that one thing?

>> well, more than anything else, the decision of the united states supreme court and local state officials all across america, not just in the southern states have made a deliberate effort to take us back to another. and we must stand up and fight and push and vote like we never voted before. i have said in the past that it's almost controlling everything that we do, everything. as the minority, whether we be black, latino, asian-american, native american or whether we are way, we must understand 50 years ago this year, three young men did i nail, and a good man, and mickey sherman gave their lives trying to make it possible

for all of our citizens to become participants in the democratic process. we got to go out and vote. we want to respond to ferguson, we've got to vote. it is powerful and we must do it. if not, we're going to go backwards. >> even as we began this site and many in the sermon around the country have consistently been engaged in ensuring we are registered and folks are educated in making sure that there is robust gop v. congresswomen flash, there is a debate happening in our community 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 focused on state laws that we are losing in many cases all over the country. is it a boat and proposition is to move forward into a new space and time, is it an either/or

proposition due to lack of resources, limited resources and the fact we continue to get beat up on the state level even when we have some federal protection? >> let me say a few things. first, let me thank you as well as as well as to say to this audience that he is a little modest. when he came to work at the prosecutor's office, he was a world-class track athlete. so 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 bar. as it relates to -- it is not an either/or. when we were kids i could say i could walk and chew bubble gum at the same time your weekend. i think if we don't, we make a huge mistake. the reason is because of redistricting. we did that because we lost the state house. if we have not lost the state house, we may be in a much better position than we are today. the thing people need to understand is what is at stake

in this election. we all know why we need to go. let me just say these few things if i may. believe it or not, they are going to file articles of impeachment against our president. if we don't bow, mr. the front of your house is not going to get fixed. if we don't vote, will congress children across this country because -- we have to understand this election is about us. it is about the policies that we need to be supporting. if we don't vote, i just say you're selfish and sorry. tell the people to go out and vote. clap act >> congressman becerra, to congresswoman fudges point, even those of us inside the political bubbler looking around. i hear conversation every day

about the need to secure your and potentially move since the forward yet i hear about securing the senate and ensuring that democrats stay on the front and fair for those playing party politics. but they don't carry the same level of fervor and enthusiasm about down ballot candidates drastically going to affect 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 we are doing the kind of work that leads people to the polls that push for the kind of representatives with one in the house and senate, but not at the cost of poorly educated folks on those down ballot these, many of whom would have an opportunity to win in certain states. >> death, let me begin by saying thank you for being here and allowing me to be with the great leaders here. to the point, marsh a hit right on the money they are and i think congresswomen lewis gave us the proper perspective.

what we find after 2008 in 2012 when the black vote that historic numbers that republicans said we've got to stop this. so they've been playing office for the last four years and they've been going after that though not by trying to persuade you not to vote, by not making it possible for you to vote. so we've got to start playing defense. we are fighting the supreme court decision. we are fighting to change laws that state and federal levels. so what we should do is take the offense. i don't think he would take the offense only concentrate at the federal or local level. as marcia said, you've got to do both. i think the response here is we've got to teach our young folks that voting is a right. it's not just a right. it is a rite of passage. if you don't vote, you want to learn how to drive? it is a right of passage.

you've got to show me you deserve to drive that car. you want to be a man? you want to be a leader, woman or man leading this country? you've got to show me know the importance of voting. it's got to be a conviction that is a right of passage for young folks to vote. i don't think it makes difference if it's a city council seat or a congressional seat or president of the united states. our young folks have to understand the value of voting for that little town hall, city council person or for the president of the united states. it makes a difference how these anti-voters want to push a period we will be on the offense and we will win. >> thank you, congressman. barbara, i am concerned because i hear congressman becerra and i agree. but as someone who's worked at the naacp, the american way and a number of other organizations

at the national level and even the pop-culture 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 case the enemy many of us are fighting never takes a day off. when do we move eons this notion that fighting for the vote starts and ends somewhere around the time campaigning starts and whether it's our churches, civic organizations and leadership began to have messages and movements that don't turn on and off, that we engage funders so that funders aren't only funding during periods of time. how do we create a movement that is larger, more comprehensive and more 360 and frankly we have seen in several decades? >> thank you for that question.

>> i figured you'd like that. >> because listen, everyone. voting has to be 365 days a year. it cannot only be about showing up for an election, although that's good because that's how you manifest. if you don't give a gift on christmas, you know what happens. so the most important thing for people who write now is for everyone of us to know that us to know that november 4th is election day, the four 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. saying are you registered? because registration will start cutting off her son as early as the over sunland. so what is very important to get that word out and she's going to be on the phone on early voting and election day calling all my families saying you better get ready. got to get to those polls. the sea, we've got to do that. and we don't do that just by talking. i want to make sure that everybody here knows that we come here today to bring the tools to help you do that. the lawyer committee, leadership conference, the naacp, all of us, all of our organizations work together. national access that work on the for participation without toolkits that every community group can use.

we have a new one that just came out on so out on civic encasement this week in another for faith-based communities. but what i want to make sure a is that those toolkits do is they talk about not only registering people to vote on what's going on in the local communities, but they also talk about this issue, but making sure people stay engaged. the problem is the reason why so many people don't want to vote is they get disgusted with putting people in office who don't do what they were put in office to do. and they get angry when they see that they are not the school board level making sure children of the best education. they get upset when the mayor isn't holding the police force accountable. >> let me interject here. >> that's why we got to make sure people are held accountable and we are engaged in this process all the time. >> i think you may get great

point. thank you very much. [applause] wade, if you can build on that. again, we throw out the word accountability all the time. so why are we holding mayors accountable, school members accountable, why are building legislators accountable? in cities that have 2000 churches, very few members attend the city council meeting. in places with activist organizations, a lot of times they don't show up at the state legislature. and so, my question is how do we begin to better engage folks to do what i think our growth is talking about on a continuing basis? >> is a great question. i'm honored to be here in a part of this great conversation. below, bodine is the language of democracy. if you don't vote, you don't count, number one. number two, voting should be a nonpartisan issue. it's a national issue. but the truth is partisanship has particularly a corrosive

toxic has subverted the right to vote in democracy as we know it. i want to give just a brief history lesson and apply this issue is, okay? >> and after you do that, tolerate or how. >> i'm going to tell you how. when president obama was elected in 2008, he shattered every record about voter turnout and participation. in north carolina he had a huge turnout of african-americans. in virginia, indiana, it was mind blowing. but on the night he wanted to decimate election, robert draper, an author who created a book, don't ask us what we do, the u.s. house of representatives documented the dinner that took place in washington for paul ryan, kevin mccarthy, the current width of the house of representatives, newt gingrich and others came

together to talk about not just how to regain power, but how to subvert president obama's legislative agenda. that was on the night of his inaugural ball. in september 2009, and mr. congressman from south carolina by the name of joe wilson who was attending a joint session of the house and senate yelled out during a presidential address, you've lied, you lied. it was an attack on the presidency and it was an attack on president obama. he was rewarded with a nine-point victory in a war chest of untold proportions generated by what he did. in march of 2010, tea party at this came to town and state on congressman emanuel cleaver, raised racial epithets at john lewis and other members and argued that this is really a free exercise of their rights to

express their views. i mention all this for the following reason. this is a concerted effort to subvert the presidency. it began on the night of his first election. for black voters do respond in 2010 house we responded in 2008 cost us everything. we lost control of state houses. we lost control of our ability to set the state agenda and we are still paying the price. >> with all of that -- >> what we do? >> i would love if we could put up the slide that shows some of the black voter turnout invariants is between 20 times and 2012 and those will come out. but my concern is still about the house because a lot of times, really quickly, we talk about the electorate, what the electorate didn't do. but a lot of times i didn't see resources come i didn't see infrastructure, i didn't see

organizations in large part pushing to ensure the turnout would be at the same level. >> resources or advocacy of the black community organizing the electorate are scarce. they have not in devoted by the national party structure as they should be. so guys come on now, be real. we know that your vote is always sought at election time. but there is no infrastructure on the part of the national party to support organizing in the black community. now hey, i am not here to bestow one party or another. i insane or entry should determine how we cast our vote. in the event that we don't vote, we are ultimately harmed. so here's the connection. when you look at this stage but i fail to provide medicaid assistance under the generous provisions of the obamacare bill, states get her years of federal support. it is an inducement to have

state joined the medicaid debate. most of the people affected by medicaid or poor people, black people, white people, latinos. the states that deny them the right are largely in the south. the truth is we can't get health care and we desperately need it and our vote will determine whether that is carried out. >> let me do this. elaine, i would like for you to come in a deal with the how. i am curious about how because i think everything their way to product was poignant, but i am interested in for those of us that are in cincinnati or those in indianapolis are those in pittsburgh or oakland, wherever they may be, how do we begin to see 365 days engagement and a voter process that creates a culture of civic engagement, not just an activity of voting. yes, mamma.

>> we have to be half as good as our forefathers and four brothers. we just need to be half as good. they don't have college degrees, college graduations. high schools. but i tell you, when black men got the right to vote in 1870, black women didn't get it until 50 years later, in 1820. but in 1870, those brothers five years out of slavery, five years out of slavery with their holes in their hats and their callers wrap themselves around the poles for 25 years they didn't miss a vote. and they elected 24 or more black man to the congress.

they didn't need to be educated that we live in a democracy. they understood that. electing 24 black people, the powder that we have always understood, the promise and the strength of the black vote. in our hands, we have our own liberation. and we do not use it. [applause] that what we do, what's the organization? we got there voting and barack obama. we did that. we got out there because what we do, we vote for people. we don't vote for issues.

obama had the person in the issue combined so we came out. dude we move the african-american president on the federal level all connected. we don't educate ourselves as to what's going on in our community. ferguson, missouri as an abomination. this is 7% population and 6% -- [inaudible] [applause] so we have been fighting for the right to vote and to hold onto the vote ever since we first got it in 1870. it's nothing new. it's always been under attack. when at the supreme court decide they were going to review the voting rights act? three days after obama was elected in 2012.

>> okay. >> three days. the foundation still funny. alright, they don't fund it. the people to organize, all right, we don't organize. if our individuals to this themselves, educate. [applause] >> yeah, yeah, yeah. [applause] >> it is our duty to organize and educate others. everybody, the community meeting, the school board, black people should be known as the most politically active vote in this nation. when they look at us and were over 18 they should

automatically know that were going to vote. >> thank you so much. elaine, what i need to hear next time is more passion. you are not passionate enough. need a little more energy. [shouting] [cheers and applause] >> i loved it. congresswoman sledge, i know you have to transition, but i have a sticky question and i know normally do can deal with sticky questions. wade brought up something i think is important. that is that often times even democrats treat the african-american community like baseball fans who only watch the world series. they should show up in a sober. and so, how do we began because i think alain really don't but

the fact is himself internal issues we need to deal with if we are going to mobilize. but they're also the support issues from those who we support. .. self preservation is human nature. so when they finally realize that 45 percent of the vote of the democratic party is minority then they face tension. when they realize that they want to hold the senate and realize it in louisiana and they need our vote, and it

is 30 percent of the vote in louisiana. 30 percent of the people in louisiana are black people. in alabama, almost the same. in georgia, almost the same. in north carolina, almost the same. i was in arkansas on monday -- i mean sunday. only 15 percent, but in a close rate 15% as a lot of votes. >> listen -- >> if so now that they have realized that they need this like they have always needed us, come on out and support the democratic party. we can realize it really makes a difference. they have to come to us. you want us. we are players in this game. so right now that the fcc is getting ready to spend $60 million on the ground in seven states. guess who's going to get some of that money now? we are. >> i hope so. >> wonderful. >> the tnc supported our freedom sunday effort. we hit almost 3,000 churches last sunday to talk about

getting out the vote. i figured it is just important that you have to make people do what is right sometimes. we expect them to do what is right, but we expect them to take care of us because we were worth something, have some value. but sometimes you have to make them do. and now we are making them do it. >> yes. >> because if they don't, then they lose. i tell you what, my life will not change a lot personally, but what will change as my neighbors and their kids are when they cannot keep a roof over their head. we are saying to the democratic party, all houses of the democratic party, you better pay attention to us because if you don't, everybody loses. if we win, everybody wins. if we lose, everybody loses when black folks don't vote. [applause] >> yes. thank you. and at this time we are going to shift gears a little bit, and i want to

talk about what is on a lot of people's minds and the last 24 hours people were in the streets in ferguson. there is conversation right now about protesters blocking the st. louis cardinals game as they go into the playoffs. but there is also right now a video that was released of john crawford's shooting. in ohio in no walmart where it was said that he was -- the police stated he was a gun-wielding individual, but it was a gun that was sold in walmart that he was getting ready to buy. i think many of us have said because we heard about the video, there was no warning, the police did not identify themselves, he was shot from behind the first time, killed with the second shot. and so ferguson is an example of what is happening in cities all over the country that either no one catches on video or it does

not bubble to the surface. so i would like to, barbara, if you could time in first. and then actually, if i can pause for a second, congressman john lewis, if you could chime in for a second. clearly the policy as it relates to the militarization of local police, policies as it relates to the rules for excepted forethought, and more importantly, how do we create a policy that holds police accountable in substantive ways or superficial ways a we do not can tell you see people that sues someone and back on the street tomorrow are are on paid leave. >> well, i think it is important. think it is a must that we become organized all across america. the ability and the capacity to speak out. during the 60's we did not have a website. we did not know anything about the internet.

facebook? we had an old mimeograph machine. a non-violent revolution july revolution of values and ideas. many of our communities are just too darn quiet. we need to make some noise. >> yes. >> organize and organize. we have to use the vote. yes. , but we have to organize a disciplined campaign. we studied and prepare ourselves. >> that was my next question to you because i get concerned when i hear elders sometimes talk about the lack of engagement of young people, but there is not a real historical analysis of the fact that your generation gap trained and you could be on the front lines if you were not trained. and so --

>> freedom ride will train you. we will train before we've board a great town bus or trailer busted travel from washington d.c. to new orleans. >> and you were not using some sophisticated multimillion-dollar funded institute, so i am interested in knowing, how would those that are working with young people or college students that are interested in moving in to address the vote or to address issues of police brutality, what are some ways that we can actually do the training to help springboard consistent leaders, not just passionate leaders. >> i think that we need to improve a cadre of young people. smart, yes. but the average joes to be prepared to stand up and speak up and organize the unorganized and be prepared to mobilize. it was not just one good point.

even in ferguson and other places, we would have to use the vote. the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democratic society. we fail to use it and we will go backward. >> congressman xavier becerra, and then i will come back to you, barbara arnwine. elaine jones talk to us something important, in some cases people vote for the community of color first and issues second. i don't see cabinet incubators of looking for her young talent outside of the party system. i am not sure about the work that you were doing, but how do we began to -- and i don't mean just brilliant college students that are showing affected matriculation through undergraduate institutions. i am talking about unions. and connected to a political platform because they care about something. then we have the ability to pull the man. what are ways that we create candidate incubators and the electoral incubator's so that we're seeing a

different fetor pool of folks going into city council, school board, state alleged, and even mayors' races? >> one of the things we often hear is -- you take a look at someone's office and the people that he or she hires and they say, i trust them. i try to find a good person of minority background, but they are not out there or don't come to me. i am the chairman of the democratic caucus. the majority of my staff on the democratic caucus are people of color and women, and i had no trouble finding any of them, and they are as talented as anybody out there. >> that's right. [applause] >> and so you just have to push the envelope. you cannot let people get away with the excuse. i agree, but not completely with the notion that we vote based upon the person. i think that we vote based on our existential ability to survive. wind ferguson occurred, i think people said, that's me

when the civil rights movement as strong, people said, that's me. and that is when people came out. but then what happened was you had success. we saw that we got the civil-rights act passed. we saw that we get the voting rights act passed, and we said, we got what we were looking for. and we got complacent, and we sat. and we did not teach the next generation. and john lewis wrote to be ready for the next time because we knew there would be in next time, and it is coming up all the time. and ferguson was just one example. i think what we have to do is -- it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. so we have got to start young because it is tough to change bad habits. we have to teach our young folks never to have that bad habit. i would say one other thing. if we don't put some of our own money, our own skin in the game on voter registration, not just depend on whether the parties will do it for us, but our own money, we will never fully influence.

the party will only do it, as we said, every year there is an election. we need it every year so that when they get to be 18 you can go out and vote because it is a rite of passage. congresswoman. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. let me build on what how the year just said, and i am going to say it a little differently. i think when i listen to mr. mr. lewis and weighed and the lane and we sugar passion and talk about our history, let -- what happens is we get comfortable, but let me speak to some of the younger folks in the audience because what mr. lewis said was, they were trained. they were trained because they felt the conviction, and it affected them. so one message to your resolve is whether you are on the more mature and of this audience when you get that corner, corporate office you remember there is somebody that needs to be in the file room. and when you get there -- [applause]

-- with all of your credentials you have to remember that there is someone in your contemporary and that what i am saying is, you get the one person in the corporate office at the highest level, and they do not bring people along. and so then we emulates -- [applause] -- when our young folks come along, they emulate what our leaders in those positions are doing because we like all the attention on us. mr. lewis and everybody was marching, it was never about him. [applause] it was about the cause. when 22 black women, 101 years ago had the courage to convince the president of the united states to let them be the only women of color to march in the woman's suffrage march, it was not about them. it was about the cause. so i agree on the people, but it is always about the cause. so this moment, you are in

here for free. you will attend things late in the evening for free. so everything that you have for free, you then write a check back to the cause. >> all rights. >> the naacp, the caucus that you prefer. but there are no free rides. mr. lewis and all of his contemporaries they did not ask anybody to give them a bus ticket to get on the boss. when rosa parks created the modern civil rights movement for one year black vote did not get on a bus. could you imagine today if joyce beatty said to you, stand with this group and walk for a week what would happen? so we have to go old school. lastly, that is why we are doing this panel. we stand on the shoulders of some one. if you stand on the shoulders of some one. it is time for us to give a shoulder so that our young folks in stand. >> thank you.

[applause] >> so barbara, if i can -- because i think that there is -- if you ask somebody to walk with you for a week -- if i remember so much of what made the bus boycott so brilliant, it was, just part with one day. we are seeing in ferguson that i am pleased about is, we are seeing young and old people alike on the ground. they are not waiting for anybody to come back, not waiting for a national leader to come in, not waiting for somebody to tell them how to do with, and the continuity that we are starting to see. but how do we -- what are the shoes, if you will, on the policy side, as it relates to police brutality and helped turn the kneele? is civilian review boards, blocking federal funding? what other things that people should be looking for from a policy piece of when they're going to the polls the know what to look for a rally of waste and this at the local level? >> thank you so much. first of all, i want everyone to know that there

is a unified statement that has been put out by at least 15 civil-rights organizations on ferguson reforms, on police reforms nationwide. but i wanted to be very clear that this is not a letter talking about, we are poor and we are so annoyed and disgusted and angry. this is a letter that says, federal government, state government, local government , do these 14 things, and we won't be burying our children every single three days. do you know that in august alone police shot and killed over 102 people? i say that we need to understand that this is not a moment. it is about the movement. this is the work of our

generation. this is the work that we have to get down. so i want you to know that you can become a signatory to the statement. you can get copies of the statement. some of them are outside of this hall. they are also at this number 230 in the exhibit hall, and i want you to sign up. i want you to go to lawyers committee dot a word and become a signatory. but also, what i wanted to say is that all of the questions you have been asking, jeff, the beauty of the moment that we sit in, let's not mess where we are right now in this moment and where we are going in the future. i want to give a shout out to all of my younger brothers and sisters who created. i mean, let's talk about it.

>> here, here. >> i want to give a shot up to all of my brothers and sisters. black lives matter. [applause] i want to give a shout out to those brothers and sisters who have done it with no guns. they got no buses. they figured out how to get to new york -- from new york to ferguson. they got no buses and figured out how to get from florida to whatever. they have done it, and i want to be clear we have a use, a generation that is like all of the others that are using the talents. darnell more and carleen carothers and phillips and drew and all of these brothers and sisters who are standing up because they understand that this is not just an issue about black men. it is an issue about black boys. it is an issue about black

women and black girls. my god. two days after the shooting of mike brown police shot and killed in phoenix, ariz. michele cousteau who was 50 years old, mentally disabled , had a hammer in her hand, and they decided to sugar 20 times. the community was so disgusted the 300 people marched with her casket, and they took it to the city hall and put it in the middle of the lobby. let's be very clear that every where in this country, black people are rising. that we are standing up and saying, no more killings of our people. but we need, we need these systematic and institutional reforms. we need to dig deep and fight to make sure that that things happened that i am not sitting here on a panel next to you about the latest

people they shot and killed. no, my brothers and sisters, we can stop this by getting guidance, getting the funding taken away from departments that have histories and clearly are engaging in police brutality. we can change it. all of these places where there are cameras and the true story gets out, by having-court cameras on police cars, by forcing people to of the statistical about who is being shot and killed, making several changes of knowing who is employed combating community civilian review boards that are real, not just guides, and that are powerful that can subpoena and punch, that have the ability deaf community policing instead of broken windows that makes racial profiling illegal. these other things that we have to do. i stand here because you know that my family was invaded by a s.w.a.t. team.

they came into my home at 5:00 at night. you think ferguson had some military gear? please, they came in with night goggles. i kept saying, turn on the lights. you're going to kill some of my people. turn on the lights off, but they wanted to play with their night goggles, their shields, the rest of the stuff they did for my family, help us under armed guard for three hours while they executed a search warrant that they could not produce. these are the realities. we need to be very, very clear about the moment that we are in. i do not want us to ever forget to, jeff, that as black rights matters, hands up, if we created those organizations we can create the organizations you are talking about, but we need a 365 day review on what is going on politically at our local, state and federal level, we can hold people

accountable. we have the technology, the means. we just have to do the work. and i know in this audience, elaine, that seed that you talked about, they are right here. and they're going to take what they learned today and change it into a new america thank you. >> thank-you. [applause] >> what i want to do is ask one more question, but i hate when we have three minutes left and then we open the floor and only two people get to ask questions. so there is a mike in the middle that will be available for those that want to ask questions. we will get to as many as we can, which is why i want to open as quickly as possible. but as you begin to line up in the center aisle following this question @booktv this is for both ways in the lane, we wanted to talk about what is the socio-economic impact of voting on african-americans. so, wait, would like you to talk of some of the small ways that we are impacted

because there are some many. elaine, could you talk about something that representative xavier becerra talked about, which is how do we financially impact of the voting process and what we can do to play a more sophisticated game on fund-raising, donating to the kind of entities that we want and on playing a fund-raising role within parties if we so choose to play the role in that state. >> i guess i would say, look , voting obviously matters. here is a good example. eric holder, who is now the attorney general of the united states, would not be in office if it were not for barack obama. without eric holder in office, it is unlikely we would have gotten something called the fair sentencing act that reduced disparities between crack and powder cocaine, took off three years of drug sentences for many. if it were not for eric holder we would not have an attorney general arguing that people who were

convicted of felonies should be entitled to vote. if it were not poor eric holder we would not have a comprehensive effort to reduce sentencing disparities based upon mandatory minimums that have been generated. so elections matter, guys. and when eric holder is challenged by the house of representatives and thrown into a -- being censored now, that is something we should be concerned about. and when people talk about the potential to in beach president obama because he has carried our policies in the best interest of the country, understand, that is an attack on his record and the programs that he is pursuing. so when we don't have a jobs program that responds to the high level of unemployment in the african-american community because obstruction of the jobs program was seen as being in the interest of his political opponents, that is a consequence that we have

to deal with. when we are challenged about providing resources -- i mentioned medicate earlier, there are school costs, public education that are affected by elections. so there are a number of major and micro issues, guys, that are affected by the outcome of elections. so i am looking to use what we have. you know, ferguson has given us a moment that will help generate a movement. and, yes, i am delighted that groups like color and change and others are in the effort, but i am now looking for something that says, hands up, go vote. because there is -- [applause] hands up, go vote. their is a connection between what you do and the consequences that we are feeling on the ground. so when the president supports providing by the cameras for police officers as a way of helping to protect all of us by giving

us some of what happened, that is a positive. or when eric holder, who has responsibility for letting guidance from the department of justice that determines our race can be used in law enforcement, that is something that only he is capable of organizing in doing. and so i am saying, yes, we do have to educate ourselves, but i want to go back to something that the congresswoman said. their is a judge in this country, damon keith, a 92-year-old retired judge out of michigan. he is an incredible guy. he told me once, look, you walk across floors that you never scrubs. you walked through doors that you never opened. you have an obligation to do that for those who come behind you. that is why at 92 he is raising hell and the encouraging people to do what is necessary. so, yes, you did walk across floors you never scrapped. yes, you do what through

doors you never opened. and the key is using the power that we already have in our hands to determine the outcome of change we want to see. >> thank you so much. >> what was your question? >> my question was, how do we -- a round of applause is all right. [applause] how do we begin to play a more sophisticated financial game in the electoral politics? >> you know, i just go back to the principle, all politics is local. >> right. >> it is local. not national. because coming from our organization at a community level, we can go national. that is easy enough to do, and we are all in organized to do that. but we used to have -- and we have to get back to it -- in our community it used to be called voting crusade or their crusade for voters. and whether this committee

did was something like your home. what it would do is, come to the police department, who are these people? who is this official? public safety, you know, what role does the governor play? what role does the mayor play? public politics. -- when the local election comes we can have a direct connection between the person who is running and the composition of the police department and what their power is. in other words, it is an ongoing education process about what goes on and on. you keep informed locally, and then you come together. and you can even collect

your money locally. well, we like what so and so is saying and what so and so is saying about this. we are going to give this $500 to that campaign. just -- and it is where your power lies. and so that is how you do it and it also builds awareness. it builds -- we are not -- we are not -- we are engaged spasmodic lee, at the sonically, every once in awhile we can get that, but it is through -- one of my colleagues said, made is 365 a year being engaged. >> yes. >> knowing the power. we do not know our power. knowing the power of the vote. if somebody says it registered and you have got it, get with them. go check the registration to make sure the address is right. it is all in the details so that when they show up they

do not have a problem when it is time to vote. that is your power. look, your organization locally, you need your research group. you need your folks to think about the money. you need your community meetings. >> yes. >> you don't have to have them every week. once a month there ought to be a community meeting about what is going on here at home. and that is how, it is organization and structure. >> thank you so much. i want to make sure we get to as many questions as we can. there are three rules. those of you have been with me when i have moderated before know them. the first rule is as big question. >> please. >> the second rule is ask a question. the third rule is, we have confirmation on this. we have a breaking announcement that congressman nancy pelosi needs to make that is important. >> it is. [applause]

>> thank you. i do -- this has been spectacular, and i wanted thank congresswoman joyce beatty, a freshman member of congress for her in putting all of this together. [applause] >> and bishop, a senior member of congress, champions for putting this together. [applause] >> and i also want to acknowledge that while we are here this week the president has been at the united nations command that was passed to a point -- and that president made the official appointment of are really to be a house democrat representative at that united nations general assembly. [applause] i find this to be so exciting and wonderful. and that you associate myself with the comments that wade henderson made about the excellence of our great attorney general eric holder. i do want to say that the

congressional black caucus was instrumental in almost every one of the initiatives , crack cocaine disparity, chairwoman martha fudge knows that the leaders of that caucus made so much of what we talked about your possible. i did not want that to go missing. you talk about medicaid and the rest, charlie rangel and members of the congressional black caucus insisted that these strong part of the affordable care act. [applause] >> i want to salute the congressional black caucus on that. and then just to say -- and donald, we talked about your dad earlier. he joined us. don edwards has joined us. but the word is now that the attorney general will resign today and that he has served our country very, very well. >> what? >> well. >> the messages the attorney general will be submitting his resignation to the president. let us salute them once again for all of his great,

great work. >> well, that is so bad. why? >> that is devastating. that is devastating. >> that is so sad. >> thank you so much. >> and that is a shock. >> yes, that is bad. >> it is almost like we need to have another panel about that attorney general eric holder. i do want to make sure we honor those in line. i said the first two rules which were, ask a question. the third rule is, ask a question. you have 30 seconds to ask that question. at which time i will ask you to have a question. if you can direct it to one member of the panel, that would be helpful. if not, we will direct one member of the panel to answer it so we can get to as many questions as possible. yes, sir. if you cannot allow her to hold the mike because it is statistically proven that you talk 30% longer when the mike is in your hand. >> thank you.

yes, sir. prior to the march on washington there was a coalition of civil rights and social justice organizations, the naacp, the urban league, rainbow bush. how do we inculpate our young people's minds the value -- [inaudible conversations] -- voting is not our right. it is a responsibility to ourselves to my responsibility to the ones we love and live in the community with, the responsibility to the world. >> thank you so much. >> out of the organized? >> i have got your question. yes, sir. how do we organize coalitions, some of which already exist. and so harbor, if you would not mind talking about some of those coalitions that already exist. the crux of the question was about how we get young people indoctrinated in that, and you also know some of the young people doing that as well. >> exactly.

and the reality is is that the coalition around ferguson that we have put together, i did that from my sick bed. i was at home with an infection. i was due to be out of the country with wade henderson and some others to argue before the united nations about, you know, or voting rights and other types of criminal justice issues. and what i saw happen to mike brown i started getting calls. i knew that we could not just do nothing. and as a result i called tanya who is here in the audience, a brilliant public policy director. she was able to help meet convene as many civil rights organizations as we could get on the phone, and we talked. you know, we had all the

experts, and that is how we came up with a unified statement. we decided not to just do our own organizational thing, but that we needed a coalition if you are talking about movement, you cannot do it with just one organization. loudness requires everybody. that is why i am here speaking in soliciting your individual and organizational signature on that statement. because coalition building. what i love about all of the young people involved in hands up, don't shoot, the ferguson battle, the police reform battle is that they also are coalescing. and i love the way that they have been able to figure it out that, you know, this group will take the lead on having a march on this weekend, this saturday. the next group will do the next one. they come and support each other. that is what we have to do. so coalition is absolutely in our bones, but we have

got to make it happen. egos are a problem. organizational credit is a problem. you know, there are so many problems you have to overcome when you deal with coalitions, but i will tell you, they can be overcome. i fight with it every day, and i push people forward. and we get it done. we had a meeting with the white house to my meeting with the department of homeland security. we have done all this work through coalitions. so, jeff, i want to tell you that we get it, that the young people get it. the final word i want to say is that, there has never been a successful movement in america, never been a successful movement of african americans that was not intergenerational. it takes the elders, the gown, and the end between. >> thank you so much.

really quickly of want to make sure to your question, there are young people who just want to be listened to. a lot of times we're trying to get them to do something with the methodology they are not interested in. you show me a city, and i will show you young people that care. a lot of times we're so busy trying to tell them how, they already know how they want to do it. we just need to listen. then we need to support them as advisers connaught directors. they already have coalitions of their own. >> right. >> so sometimes it is just about creating the bridge. many of you know when the last 48 hours td jake suit can become more. kendrick lamar use the line of t d6 message and is on. i thought like it was an opportunity for and to say, let me talk to you about this copyright infringement, but let's have a conversation. because the use of that line was an honor. it was a positive song from a positive message.

they heard something in his voice. they used it. even though he may have not like the language or approach, too often we have old people who do not want to build the bridge and elders we cannot find help build it. thank you so much. yes, ma'am. >> my name is britney claybrook. i was a dream defender at florida a&m university where we stayed in the capital for 31 days and 30 nights trying to get a special hearing for stand your ground. one of the things that i noticed -- and this could either go to ms. elaine jones or ms. barbara arnwine because you have been touching on it -- what are some things we could do as young people to continue the attention from prominent or national figures? because we are still going to hearings. we are still being briefed on policy issues. we're still registering people to vote. what happens is because the cameras are no longer around or cnn is no longer on our

track, how do we continue to engage and garner support from the prominent figures who showed up, the naacp who showed up for us when, you know, all of the cameras are around us. >> restate the question for me. >> how do we, as young people, continue to garner the support from you also that it is no longer just young people at that time and that is so cute verses the long-term movement material that we need? >> thank you so much. >> let me just give you one, just one example. most people did not hear about some until 1965, but the student nonviolent coordinating committee went in 1962. >> that's right. >> to start building and build a movement. and so when doctor king in january 1965, it brought

more press attention. but the young people, the students -- look, he created a coalition. the march on washington was a coalition. it was a flip randolph, i young john lewis there at the table. so when people tell you to be quiet, speak up. speak out. and find a way to get in the way and make some noise. >> yes. >> thank you, congressman. i cannot do that right now. i have to get to the next question. yes, ma'am. >> yes. thank you. my name is denise jenkins was better democracy and freedom coalition. i am representing the 650,000 people who live in the nation's capital and have no say so over these life-and-death issues. we have no representation, no vote in the house, no

vote in the senate, although we pay the highest federal taxes in the country. we do everything that a citizen needs to do. >> so your question, ma'am? >> i want to thank the black caucus because they are leading and cosponsoring our legislation. there are meetings. i want to thank greg henderson because he testified at our first hearing. >> ma'am, i appreciate your appreciation, but i need you ask a question for me, please. >> my question is, how can the black caucus reach out to the other members of the house and the senate to get them on board with our legislation? >> thank you so much. [applause] >> wade henderson. >> it is a great question, ms. jenkins. thank you for asking it. i would only say this, d.c. deserves the vote. you know, we struggle to bring democracy to baghdad, afghanistan, and deny it right here at home on the

potomac. and it is outrageous when you think about that, but it is going to be up to d.c. residents themselves to raise our voices to make this a national issue. the black caucus has been incredible. they have advanced this agenda, but if we're going to make progress in getting other members of congress, you know, to support this bill we are going to have to, as congressman lewis said to make some noise, get in the way, make this an issue that people are forced to address. it is democracy plain and simple, and i think we can do that. we have the power in d.c. to make it happen. >> we also strengthen the back -- black caucus -- >> that's right -- >> when we vote for all those people. if they know that they have a group of black folks out there who are voting, i'm telling you, they're listening. >> man. >> they don't listen. >> thank you so much. >> ma'am, thank you so much really that answer right

there and come back to you on the next one. yes, sir. >> good morning. my name is arnold cain, and i am from this george county. what can we do to get more african-americans to get involved in city issues more in other words, what can we do to get involved in city issues? because when i went -- >> i appreciate the question. i will make sure to get them to answer. his black roots peace and get people in case of the local level and not just city politics, but i'm sure, across the board anyone that wants to take that. still ahead, elaine. >> people are moved by stories, by what our folks have done. 1966, looked white and had to be black.

in mississippi when on the radio and told black people, i will pay your pullback. you just come out and vote. next night the klan came and firebombed his house. he got his eight kids out the back door and his wife. three days later he died of smoke inhalation. and on his tombstone right now it does not have his -- >> if you don't vote you don't count. >> he is one of many of gave their lives. when need to have young folks come in and see our martyrs, and it -- modern-day murders, not 1870's, 1970's. up until the president. michael brown is playing in his grave now. we did not do our best at the polls. medicaid because we didn't -- >> okay. >> to vote. >> it is all connected. >> thank you so much.

in think you for your question, sir. yes, sir. >> i come from central america. i wanted to basically make a statement to you. thank you all very much. i am honored to be here amongst all of these phenomenal, a legacy owners of the african-american struggle. in central america we actually imitate you. we imitate what african americans have done throughout -- actually every african american, every african descendants around the world actually looks to you and your parents. you are our number. what we don't really know the power that we have in our hands through the votes. such a true statement. and i submit, i submit that my sphere of influence will

be influenced to get out and vote. >> here, here. >> not only register, but to get involved in every one of the votes in local areas. >> i gave you a room, brother. i give you room. [laughter] >> you said honduras. i like my have to give him a minute with a comment, but you can't have too. the point was a great one, and i appreciate that because it does say how many people watching us. and with all the resources we have at our disposal, we have an unbelievable opportunity be an example to those who often have less than we do to show what can happen. thank you for that comment, sir. yes, sir. >> congressman lewis, my name is general parker from illinois. i am a well-known activist back there and advocates strongly for education. three years ago iran for school board.

my election would have made a black majority. two days before the election the state's attorney had my name removed from the ballot. i found out that was done illegally. i found out that my voting rights were violated, and the people here just to vote for me. >> i need you to ask your question, brother. >> is coming right now. >> thank you. i found out that you were going to speak at the king day celebration in january and 50 years ago -- >> i need your question, brother, please. let's honor the people that are behind you. >> march with me to fight against stuff like that. what do i go back and tell my people who support me that you are condoning what there are people who violated my rights are doing to them? >> i don't quite understand the question.

>> you were chosen to speak at the king day celebration this january. >> i'm not so sure that i will be speaking. i get a lot of invitations from all around america. i am not sure that i will be speaking there. but you should come again. don't give up. don't give in. don't become better. continue to fight. stand-up. >> that's right. >> thank you. yes, sir. >> from the police foundation, an african-american on an operating committee operation and the pittsburgh area. my question is a around the military and voter empowerment act of 2009 which allows a uniformed military officers to now vote on line. and so we talk about trying to get young people engaged in the voting process, you have got to speak their

language. their language is online and the social media, stuff like that. moving forward into the future, successful in moving toward an online voter system. >> yes. >> thank you. >> it is a great question, brother. it is a great question. and, yes, the new military act you referred to is an important contribution to democracy, but we also have to make sure that we safeguard and protect the integrity of the vote. >> right. >> and we have to make sure that the machinery that we use is not used to subvert the very valid that we are trying to lift up. >> right. >> so i got you. there are places, and it is a positive thing. but i am going to say this, brother. i am on twitter. i am wade henderson for justice. the bottom line is, we're going to have to use the social media tools, but we also have to engage where people are. there are people who are not plugged in, and they need to

get out to the ballot. there are some who are, and they can have alternatives. but our job is to organize that community in the broadest sense and a link issues of importance to what they do. you know, you talked about economics -- jeff, this is my last point. palin is a surge, a storage in our communities. [applause] there are potential regulations that will be issued soon determined by the obama administration and, in part, created by a group called the consumer financial protection bureau that the caucus struggle to make happen. that is why we are getting progress. i'm saying, don't disconnect what is happening on the ground with the importance of of of the past. and that is how, i think, we use it. we use that anger to motivate people to come out and to make a difference in their own lives. >> and we should point out to people that one of the best voting reforms that has been happening in the

country is on line voter registration. >> right. >> if your state does not have it, you have got to fight for it because is radical in getting people to sign up and to register to vote, especially young people. so that is what we are seeing, the promise of on-line, you know, technology in voting. and don't forget, when sandy happen to all of a sudden new jersey figured out a way to do online voting. so we need to understand that there is potential, but we have got to make sure that the technology is available to everyone. thank you. >> and immediately following this panel, for those of you from maryland, virginia, in d.c., there is a voter registration right outside >> right. >> that's right. >> i like that. >> yes, sir. >> my name is gary morgan. my question is, how can we really not only take this time to change this movement

-- onion take this up originally to turn this movement into a moment, but what can we honestly do? why are we afraid to speak to the real issue, which i feel is racism and supremacy something to the effect that, what would the we do if we really realize that we could boycott. >> restate your question for me. >> i guess, we sit there, we tiptoe and dance around the real issue, the root of the issue which i feel is racism and white supremacy that and gets us all. >> so let me do this because we all know that within a week of being in office eric holder said that we were a nation of power as it relates to the issue of race. and so many of you who would like to take that on, but i would love for congressman lewis to lead that off. >> well, let me just say this, younger brother. i don't think any of us, not

one of us is going to deny that the stars of racism is still deeply embedded in every corner of american society. we are not going to run from that, and we are going to deal with it. we cannot deal with it alone you have got to use the vote you have got to organize and mobilize. you just cannot talk about it. you have got to do something about it. that is what another generation did. [applause] >> let me just add to that -- >> congressman, as you answer that, though, because i want to push back a bit because especially as we are dealing with younger and younger generations there is this notion we kept having to fight this notion oppose racial america. >> yes. >> that merited being pushed out into the public space. >> we are not there yet. >> i agree. you have a young regeneration that is so happy with where we are, does not have the historical context of where we have

been, and to his point, or even -- i have assigned to i started having to indoctrinate a little harder. any time we brought of stuff about black people he got nervous because he is in a school where everybody is tiptoeing through the tulips and holding hands and singing, my off and writing unicorns hon. but we know that as a young kid, they need to be able to see it for what it is without it weighing him down how do we begin to do that so when we have rough conversations we do not run from the racism conversation at the same time that we do not blame anything for it? >> let me just say that this town hall meeting and the 70-some workshops are because of your question. the congressional black caucus is very sensitive to that because that diversity has created a new problem for us with the younger folks who do not understand the history of what a

mr. lewis or elaine jones or others went through. let me say to the young people, congresswoman martha fudge is having a town hall forum tomorrow morning, and she is running that -- bringing the dream defenders so that young folks can be engaged in that. we have 70-some workshops, and we have african american members, black folks and the congressional black caucus who had planned this because they want you to understand that behind the scene -- this did not just happen, getting the contracts, making sure we have black folks who are engaged, the hotel that we are in because we understand racism exists. so we move members to be where there are black contractors. we have insisted on things because we know that racism prevails. and they also think it is our counterparts it wanted to put that post racial out there so that we, too, would get comfortable. to the young folks in the

audience, don't think that you don't have members of congress who belong to our try carcases who are not fighting for us. every day that congress woman market up -- martha fudge walks in the house of representatives i assure you there is an issue or show up to someone she is taking to task. their is a reason they call us the conscience of the congress. it is because we are black and we know racism is still available. >> thank you, and thank you for your question. let me do this because we're nearing the end. i cannot give everyone in line, but what i would like to do is get the last three of you to one right after the other concisely state your question and we will get the panelists to answer before we go to closing remarks. the next three -- and if others of you have questions, tweet them. if we are able to get to them, we will. those last three, if you could concisely stick your question. hi, my name is hero winston.

i work with a non-profit and and a volunteer, local government committee person. and i would like to know how we can engage individuals to be part of local government and other areas where your leaders actually do come from. how can we actually engage people who are the most affected who may not have access to technology. >> thank you so much. >> yes, sir. >> c. arthur press got, a student from ohio. i wanted to know what we could do the possibly have the proper respect for my country. >> that's all. okay. yes, sir. >> that is good. >> my name is right dale reese, a washington d.c. native. talk about the militarization of the police force. i want to know why, in june, the congressional black caucus vote 80 percent against the amendment,

transferring military arms and equipment to local and state police. >> thank you. we have those. ..

>> okay. not looking like that. i don't want to go to anything else. [laughter] >> i've heard so much of this on vitter about the black caucus voted against black caucus voted against because it is a dumb amendment. anytime you see that any time you say that you cannot give any police department any equipment goes to the extreme. i represent the city of cleveland and you think i'm going to to say my police department shouldn't get a bulletproof vests or helmets or radios but the grace of the amendment would not have allowed this to happen. everything is not ferguson's life would you vote for something that is so extreme that you hurt yourself? it just doesn't make any sense. ' yes we voted against it and i i'm glad we did because it was the right thing to do. [applause] thank you so much.

how do we get to those folks that are most affected by local policy to be engaged in the local process and in a robust way not just a superficial event kind of way. we have institutions that allow that every day and that's our that our public schools. every day our kids will come out ready to rent for this senior class president, treasurer, the school council we have to teach our kids every time there's an election coming they have to be excited as if it were christmas baking and take me to the pool because it is time to vote. we have to fill the church you need a new bus minibus we are going to raise money to buy a

new bus or another bus because that's what we find is an institution to do this and if we give the incentives to young folks to be the leader is not just to follow that lead with our guidance so they become the leaders real quick. >> i am excited about this one and all of you have a chance to address these in your remarks but i'm excited about you answering the question how do we get there to to respect black people. >> it's a great question because you don't really have to like me [applause] but find out as long as i live in this constitutional democracy and i have a vote and i have a people and we have common interests and we are working together and we will be counted in this process, you're going to

respect me. now you don't have to respect me as much because of ferguson and you can desire the life of my black son and brother and you do it regularly but what would get us but respect his folks who disengage and don't have all that education that we have that are effective everyday. you start talking about criminal justice that are all affected. you start talking about criminal justice at home and what we can do as a community to change this goes to an issue that speaks to them and i bet you they will

come out and tell us what their issues are and how they think it can happen but we have to show some solidarity and community. we will give it to each other. >> what we would like to do before we go to closing remarks as recognized has recognized the other members who are here with us. >> thank you very much. from new jersey. [applause] robin kelly from illinois. [applause] of course you've met our cochair from columbus ohio. [applause] barbara lee from california. [applause] are there any members of the

old? [applause] thank you so much and before you all do that a plaintiff personal privilege. there are two others in the room that needs to be acknowledged for their unbelievable service and those are my children they are angry with me for pointing all of this attention to them. i love you both so much. everything i do is for you all. well you all stand up just for a minute and allow everybody to see what i am so proud of. [applause] my 15-year-old is taller then me and it's a problem. i might have to become a member of the nra.

i need you all to be about to give closing remarks in two minutes. i will be respectfully ridiculously interruptive after two minutes. and so, if we could start with wade and end with the congresswoman. >> to the audience a great and important program. let me say again this is all about the vote in our power and i think that we've underscored that. but i want to talk to the brother that raised this issue. the preschool enrollment yet 46% of those who are expelled from preschool now i'm telling you guys the bias is out there and it's real but if you do it you

will need a multiracial coalition. you will need a coalition because only in the coalition is their strength. and beyond what we can produce ourselves. we also have to recognize that every issue has an interest. it's for the issue of the communities and we need to be a part of these debates i would say that we have the power hands up and we are looking to see these events in november because if we don't do that this effort would have been for not and an interesting conversation that if we don't turn it into a real show of power and force than we are not anywhere and thank you for the opportunity to be here.

we had the right to vote. women have had it for 94 years since 1920. voter suppression is nothing new. we've had the right to vote on paper for that amount of time. that is three quick periods of the voting repression. they joke us out a drug is out of congress in 1901 the second period was the voting rights act of 65 for the 50s and the 60s for the voting rights act

to enforce the constitutional right we are in it so others know we have to know it and protect it and despite what they do, we've got to find a way to get to the polls and make the vote count. the moderator in this group. i don't want to say much about the vote i think all that i said all i need to say. but i think it's important for us and especially young people to understand our history, to understand the distance and the progress we have made as a people and as a nation. we are not there yet. they have not yet created the community. but in the process of moving, we

must learn to be kind to each other and respect the dignity and the work of every human being in this country on this piece of real estate we have to learn to live together as brothers and sisters. it's designed matter if we are black or white, latino, asian american or native american we are not going anyplace. we are going to be here. the country is changing. as in so many of our brothers and sisters are living in fear. they fear the unknown but you must understand that our struggle is not a struggle that last monday, one week, one month or one year or one lifetime but you must do what you must do and pay your dues like our forefathers had the ancestor. thank you. [applause]

i want to give a few resources for people to use and help them to become voting rights champions all of the country. i mentioned the toolkits on the website and the lawyers committee.org. we also just put out a mobile lab for your smartphone where you can call anybody in the country and they argue registered to vote and say i don't know, i think so, whatever. you can actually look it up for them and tell them if they are registered. you can tell them where to go register, what the rules are in state and you can also use the app to tell them how to register a line to do the national voter registration form. it has all that information. get that app right now by texting minus 0975.

that's 90979. if you go to the lawyers committee.org you'll find that information. the other resource we have for you right now is you can call our hotline. we have legal volunteers available to answer your questions. if you don't know if it is possible for somebody as an ex- felons to vote in your state, if you don't know what the rules are about voting in your state and your curious about voter id if it applies, etc., call 1-866-our-vote. we have people to give you the information. because ultimately somebody said it's about resources. and these are resources that help you to be a great voting

rights champion. i hope that you will find the statement. i hope that you will be there. i am thrilled at this moment. i am not negative at all. change is coming. look for me in the whirlwind. all right. >> adjusts to repeat that, 90975. that is text 90975. thank you so much. stick with me begin by thanking all of the members of the black caucus from inviting me here to be here as well. we've heard the words for a long time. when they use the word then we know what comes.

but has it ever been different cliques have you ever heard a different word x. and today we had a great conversation about all the things we need to do. about a month ago all of us be lead in the community did something great with a draft because the president was going to do something congress was not because republicans kept blocking the reform of the immigration system, but it did come. there is deep disappointment and as it was as if this isn't just an issue for the latino community. there is a deep disappointment. but there is now a movement to tell people you should not go vote because people did not go through the way that you wanted them to. but me tell you that is a dangerous thing. every month for the next 20 years, 50,000 latinos a month will turn 18. if we are smart, we see the power that is right here in our

hands. so some of us are beginning to do something little different in congress. we no longer talks about the congressional black caucus, the spanish caucus. we talk about how we are working together. [applause] my message is we can't be on the defensive and just react when ferguson comes around. we have to be the offensive. nancy pelosi who has stayed throughout the entire session and a leader that sticks around for two hours we can have all of the will power that he wanted you don't skin in skin and again, if you don't put money on the table that is going to take a lot longer. so my final message is this. we need to own the voter registration. we need to own the voter registration. no one else would do it for us. then we decide how it gets done

for us. don't let them do it, let us do it. we need to own the voter registration. thank you. [applause] >> i want to thank everyone for coming especially this panel and jeff. 50 years after the civil rights act civil rights act we are still begging people to vote. i really do not understand it but let me just say to you there are two things i do want you to talk about. i hope that you'll spend as much time with your local elected officials as i guarantee that most people in this room have not done that with your school board and city council then you won't be calling me talking to somebody to pick up your trash. you need to call the city council first for that and i see it that way because i need you to understand that we all have a role to play into the congressional black caucus cannot do it all by ourselves. everybody has to do their part. we are a very resilient people.

we've come through more than any other race of people on this earth and if you need to tell me we cannot stand up and fight for ourselves, i don't know what to say to you. i will say but i will say these words to you. the black caucus fight for you everyday even when you won't fight for your self the fight for you. whether it is food stamps or housing we fight for you every you every day so my message to you is to contain your complaining. [applause] we talk about how we are christians and all that. you need to take your eyes off of your circumstance and look to the future because today is not where we are going. today may be a bad day. maybe they don't respect us today but take your eyes off the circumstance. [applause] and if you're not a christian just look to the future but stop

complaining about today and make tomorrow better. [applause] if we could do this very quickly anybody in the audience that is under the age of 21 will you please stand? if you are under 25 please stand. [applause] if you're under 30 please stand. let's be very clear it was said earlier that there had never been a movement without young people. and i have to give a caviar. there's never been a movement that hasn't been led by young people. and as the come is a sensual that all of us in the room that are not standing up, look at these leaders because this is bears and if we fail to support

them and help them to be trained and lift up their issues, if we fail to listen to their voice and to elevate their voice then we will kill our own legacy. because whether we agree with how these people do it or not is not the issue. it's that we support them even in the face of that disagreement when they are operating in the call that god had for them to lead our committee to the next level and so for all those standing i salute you and the work that you you're doing it at the methodology that you are using. i applaud your intellect and willingness to do it different even in the face of haters bless you all and we are here for you. let's give this panel a round of applause. congressman. [applause]

congressman lewis. can i get some of that energy x. thank you all so much and have a great conference. [applause] [inaudible conversations]

big date is the will and it two and it can be used well and poorly. there are many benefits that can come from the benefits that will bring new insight in certain areas or many areas but some that are top-of-the-line for me are in healthcare and other kinds of research and reaching underserved populations and providing new insights i think in some of our more difficult to solve problems that we face as a society. are there risks in the big data as well i think that's true. you can take pieces of the previously and assemble them into a profile that they gave sensitive insight into a consumer and the question for me is we have all of these benefits and we have some risks. what do you do then? >> tonight at eight eastern on c-span2.

a guy in a wheelchair can move faster than traffic on some roads and my plan adds billions

for new road constructions without raising taxes, fees or tools. we pay for it by ensuring that money dedicated for the roads will be spent only on roads. no more taking highway funds for the legislature to pay for their projects. elect me and i will get texas moving. >> in a texas courtroom greg abbott made the case against our children. he fought for $500 billion in cuts aid to his inside buddies and insight bodies and now he's proposing giving standardized tests to 4-year-old. she will cut bureaucratic waste and use education to build an economy for all hard-working texans. you decide who best protects us. >> wendy davis is involved in scandal again. she used her influence on

taxpayer-funded contracts and then voted on bills that helped the old law firm. she profited from her day job by voting and testing arms in the senate. she crossed from potential. now the legal work is part of an fbi investigation. >> it is was a texas surgeon performing operations are reportedly using cocaine. two patients died and others were paralyzed. doctors spoke out at the hospital did nothing to stop it. families sued the hospital and weeks after accepting a quarter million dollar campaign competition from the hospital chairman greg abbott got involved using his office to go to court against the victims. another insider not working for you. >> a recent polls list the race as leaning republican.

you can watch the final debate in the race life tuesday at 9 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> the campaign 2014 coverage continues on c-span. and the state attorney general republican greg abbott and life tuesday night at eight eastern the oklahoma governors debate between the state representative and the incumbent governor republican mary fallin. also at eight on c-span to watch the nebraska governor debate between democrat and republican pete. campaign 2014 more then 100 debates for the control of congress >> next a look at education policy. last week the center for american progress held a discussion on the common core state standards initiative. the ranking member of the house

education committee george miller spoke about the challenges in implementing the standards and why he thinks it's beneficial for states to comply. this is one hour and ten minutes. >> it is an honor for me to welcome to be a very distinguished panel of guests to discuss one of the hottest topics in education policy today the common core. as many of you know the common core helps mac out of the knowledge and skills in english and math that students should know in order to be ready for entry level college courses and good paying jobs. the standards demanded of learners become problem solvers and good communicators. they demand that teachers engage in the learning and collaborative learning. these standards were developed to replace the memorization of the approach that has become all too common in our schools and recent times. we believe the common core represents a significant step to providing all of our children with a world-class education and

a fair shot in life. this couldn't come at a more important time as the stakes have never been higher. 60 years after brown v. board of education the country is still marred by an unbearably large race and class-based achievement gap. too many students drop out of high school and of the many that do graduate of the knowledge and skills necessary to be ready for college and careers. as a result women one in four college students need remediation. jobs go unfilled and a 75% of high school graduates are not eligible to enlist in our military and the nation slips and international standings. teachers, schools and district leaders across the country have been hard at work for four years developing strategies and plans to effectively translate the standards into tailored and targeted instructions for their own students.

but as this work was underway, at political debate erupted in misinformation that and misinformation that continues to mislead parents about the standards. two years ago the conversation above the common core began to shift from discussions about implementation and instructional practice to exaggerated accusations claiming the standards were a federally mandated curriculum that was not research or evidence-based. these arguments are certainly false but extremists continue to push these are political games. as a result many americans who do support higher expectations and standards that prepare students for college and career were misled. today they are releasing three products that intend that the standards are not research-based and clarify the public understanding of the standards. first we are releasing a paper that lays out how the common core supports the six evidence

best practices although it is a silver bullet the evidence strongly suggests with proper implementation and resources students will receive a higher quality education. second we pulled the parents with children under the age of 18 on their beliefs about common core. we found most people hold false impressions of the standards for example 49% believe it was an initiative of the federal government. conversely when you describe what common core actually is the vast majority supports the characteristics enthusiastically finally we examine trends related to public interest and media attention to delve into the relationship between public opinion about the common core into the increasingly political nature of the public discourse around it. we found a public attention response to rather than motivates the standards. these findings are consistent with polls revealing that

support for the common core remains steady and high when you drop the label of common core. we know that teachers and districts face challenges in implementing the common core which is why in june the center for american progress offered him and limitation roadmap that container conditions for contained recognitions for the states and districts to address some of the most significant issues. we welcome a constructive dialogue about implementation challenges and are actively seeking solutions to help teachers, schools, districts and states continue down this path. today our panel will talk about how to manufacture confusion about the origins of the common core and how it's throwing obstacles in the path of the civil rights leaders have called a critical piece in the continuing fight for equity and excellence in education. our panel brings unique perspectives from different levels of government and the business community to military families and educators. joining us today will be

congressman george miller a longtime champion for children and education into congress and current ranking member of the house committee on education and the workforce. major general marks marks a retired army officer and business leader. the state superintendent for the state of maryland and assistant principal from maryland elementary school in rockville maryland. moderating the panel will be libby nelson who covers education for fox but before we invite the panel to join us on the stage i would like to introduce the managing director to quickly present on the findings. >> thank you. good morning. i am not going to to spend too much time on the survey but just go over a few of the key findings and also the level of

awareness and engagement on the common core and there's also a memo i am not sure if it's out there but it's available for you to take a look as we walk through the findings in a little bit more detail. so first we did a survey of 800 parents. now we defined pairings pretty broadly because the families all that different as i'm sure most of you know so it includes noncustodial parents and legal guardians, grandparents, foster parents, step parents. anyone who has either a custodial great relationship with a child under 18. now most people -- and this may be surprising to some actually quite a few parents, most parents say that they have heard at least something about common core so we asked how much have you heard not explaining what it is but simply asking people how much have you heard. and nearly three fourths said i've heard not much a something

or unlocked. the events at how we then said how well do you think you understand it? most of the people that say they've heard something feel at least a little bit -- they understand it pretty well. so almost half of parents overall say that they have heard something about common core and feel they have an understanding of it so it is pretty widespread. despite that, this is probably not much of a surprise that many parents believe a variety of the common core myths. so the red bar is the percentage that says i think this is true and the people that say i think this is false and a gray circle says i'm not sure. i don't know. here are some things people have said about the common core.

do you think this is true or false and a lot of things that rise to the top focus on the issue of federal involvement in the teacher flexibility. those are the pieces that parents say yes i think this is true. this is a federal government initiative. it has teacher independence and flexibility and is a shared curriculum. they are pretty sure that it's not false because the numbers are quite low despite the fact that they are false as we know. so there are a lot of misperceptions and again this is not -- to folks that know about the common core and understand it the most are most likely to have these misperceptions. yet when the wiki couple a lot of the goals and characteristics from the name they are

incredibly popular so we asked a whole series of measures and we said here's some proposals and things people say that we could do to improve education standards, do you favor or oppose them and not saying any mention of the common core and this is overwhelming support. you don't see a lot of 91, 90% proposals were measures that these are incredibly popular and about white text if you can see it so it is meant to favor, strong or somewhat favor and then the white percentage is strongly favored. so focusing on the teacher flexibility making the standards more rigorous to prepare kids for school. making sure that teachers can adjust to what happens in the classroom but again all of them are popular. reforming testing so if you have multiple choice, less memorization and skill building

all of these things are incredibly popular. how does this fit into the broadview education clicks a little context for local schools fare better so how would you rate your school in the country overall versus the school in your community? people gave us the order you so the 60% rate the public school as c. or below. i don't think that is from back in the day. i think that demonstrates the concern about the direction of our public schools. at least the good news is people write their own homeschool pretty well you have a majority say my own local school is actually doing quite well. to drill down a little bit in terms of messengers and spokespeople who are trusted

figures and leaders on this if you you see is again probably not surprising even to the folks here in washington that local messengers are far more trustworthy than political or outside of messengers so we color-coded them and put a fine to drill down on that point highlighting the differences there but the public school teachers of the principles teachers union, members of congress parties. if you try to break this out by party and look at democrats maybe they trust the republican party coming even partisans trust their own local teachers and officials more than they trust their own parties so there is a preference for this to be communicated in terms of ground up person-to-person contact.

so that is dipping my toe into the survey results and you can read more of which we are releasing now and i would welcome the rest of the panel appear to table so that we can have our discussion >> good morning. thank you all for being here today. please turn off your cell phone if you have indoor at least on vibrate and we are going to go ahead and get started. one of the things that is interesting to me is we don't often bring together who were at such different levels and such different areas of expertise. but i'm hoping to start off the discussion of each of you can say a little bit about where

from your point of view your or your seat and whatever part of common core implementation is going on how you think it is played out what you're hearing from the parents and constituents or both of the above. let's start with the schools. >> i will say i'm excited about the work that's happening and i will say that there's a lot of news coverage of it which we haven't seen in the past and i think that has caused a stronger relationship between the pta and the school. i am at the local level and i would hope that the school committee has a tremendous amount of trust in the folks working there but when you look at it this is a great opportunity for the teaching profession as a whole to become very clear about what it is that we are teaching to the student and why and i think that causes anxiety and the general public

but i don't necessarily have to deal with the same pushback so i think the implementation has been ongoing and it's gotten better as it's gone along and it's not perfect out of the gate but it's gotten a lot better. >> so you are hearing that it's going well -- >> [inaudible] >> okay my microphone is not on? can you hear me now? now it's on? what makes me pleased us to hear at just to hear at the local level that it's going well as that is what keeps me at night. up at night. at the state level we bring the standards in and work

collaboratively with our folks in the field but at the end of the day they have to implement and resignation of most about the presentation is i learned that the messenger matters. i'm the state superintendent and i can be viewed as a democrat. i'm supposed to say this is the best thing for our students and i'm supposed to say that we are headed in the right direction. but the parents who send their students every day and walk in the school roof of a leader and teacher but it's going to happen anyway that is meaningful for your child and the state and nation baby leave it. we've been fortunate in maryland that we have had a lot of support from the business community and the state pta. i travel traveled the state with them throughout the last two years and actually heard directly from parents and members about their concerns were and that helped me very

much working with the local jurisdiction to ensure that we are targeting our support about making sure that we build the capacity where the capacity is needed. >> i find that people are very supportive. when i talk to superintendents and classroom teachers or students have gone through the assessments they seem to like it and they are weary of it. from the teacher's point of view the utilization of baby leave the common core isn't there yet for them as teachers. many of them are working on that the students thought they liked it. the technology isn't as good in the wealthy districts as it could have been so it is a simple matter but overall i

would say they seem to and race it and it's not the controversy that you see in the national press which is a hijacking for the purposes on the ground they wish they had more time to spend with other teachers on-site so they could work together as we envision this might happen after a couple of years. they are excited about the proposal that they would hopefully have time to bring the collaborative parts of it together and learn from one another and plan with one another. so we are moving up and out and moving it forward with some concerns that it's a little too rapid. >> i was an army brat and then i subjected my kids to the life of moving around so i come at this from the politics of local which

is what the survey identified and in the two views if we can establish we can end the race. in common core you avoided avoid the challenges my girls lived through. the gpa changed at the time they showed up, dad was gone and mom had to get into conversation of how this was going to affect the girls and the outcome is fine. they are paying taxes and married and having babies. they also but i also have the family members that are educators out in colorado and the universal challenge is they are at the point-of-sale, these are educators not administrators they don't like, and core and the reason they don't like it is the state administrators can

superintendents say implement it and have a nice day from their perspective in other words their view is at the very highest echelons within that state, precious effort might get into the preparations of the locals will districts but nothing was done at the state level from their perspective. typically let's get ourselves wind up so we can get to this payday if we meet the standards accordingly surveyed with a narcissistic view of those administrator and to those in government looking at common core as an opportunity to pay the estate back. these are people that i love. so, i think that there is great progress and as the survey

indicated who wouldn't want a standard that phrase is everyone in the pool. these are the politics that gets back down to the 30s so that's my opinion i'm very enthusiastic about making this move forward. >> a disproportionate number of people who say they understand and have heard of common core that information from in person content so while there's a lot of focus on the focus, for a lot of parents they are getting that information from the individual one-on-one concept that is important to remember. >> i was talking to a friend that was a political reporter and she said i barely remember what it is it's just a thing people yell about.

it's been controversial in the last year and a half to two years. i'm curious how you think this broke out when it did after the relatively quiet first couple of years after the standards were adopted. is it just me or hitting the point of the total implementation or are there other factors at play as well. they are attacking obamacare for the years and that is on the way now. the public acceptance is going up and we've gone past the horrible implementation which makes you think about common core and are you doing this implementation right. and are we seeking to raise money for the same people to defeat obamacare when they find out family, friends, neighbors, workers got coverage because of this that's changed so this is a

political decision and that's what i find interesting is that the national level if it is as hot as we think it is, the more my colleagues would be coming to me and asking me about this and this and the staff would be going to our staff that isn't happening because they are talking to the schools and the school's are supportive. their careers are on the line. how are these children doing under these difficult standards. one has to do with what's going on underground with the pressure and the governors responding to that pressure in different ways. >> when we talk about local control, that does matter. and in that vein we have to make sure that we help people disaggregated the adoption of

the standards versus the development of the curriculum. because a lot of times when people are talking about the common core standards, what they are really talking about is the curriculum. when the state sets the framework for the standards and by the way the framework for the standard is the guy plan for the skills that one must know and be able to do to master the standard. the teachers from the classroom and leaders from the schools none of this work was done in a vacuum area to the conversations i've had is i traveled the state is you are telling us that we have to teach this piece of literature or we have to have this kind of science curriculum and we have to help them understand that you still have the right to choose those things at the local level so whatever your community decides it is the best vehicle by which to impart

the standards so having them understand that you still have control over what is taught in the schools and to the students as long as they follow the standard framework has been a very interesting conversation and people are starting to understand that. >> what does your research tell us as far as why this is broken out as a controversy? >> again the common theme that is emerging as the need to make sure folks on the ground are speaking about this and been a consistent way because they are the most trusted and concerned about the federal involvement is real. it's not simply a partisan concern. we asked how do you feel the federal involvement is involved or not involved enough with the right amount of education and republicans haven't said much but the democrats were divided between too much and the right amount. so this is a concern that transcends somewhat across party

lines and is something we need technology and keep in mind if i think that is part of how the political conversation about it shifted. >> pairings that are not in favor challenges wcommon core i think for the most part that constituency does this as an insurgency. the counterinsurgency has to get back over time and that's what you see right now. there will be a pure code that you have this kind of conflict and then there would be a measure of decrease. then you can have a logical conversation about how. those that are in power have the encountered have the power to decide how it will be established. we can establish the standards

and how they are necessary to make the appropriate measure to positions in terms of how to get it done. >> one thing i hear frequently as they like the standards themselves and they believe in the standards. they are very nervous for how the adoption standards have dovetailed with the changes to the evaluation. there are some decisions being made. so the foundation has a pause on that and i'm wondering where each of you stand on evaluating teachers on the common core test and when it would be appropriate for those.

the curriculum is what teachers do and the evaluations are based on how they are doing with what they are doing. and there has been a common theme knocking about the implementation. co. implementation of the curriculum standards. we have to get that right and put teachers in the drivers seat of that and that is the nice kind of explosion and leadership that you're seeing. so it is less of a title that we are batting around but it's an act of doing something. and this is some of the organizations that are out there to actually take them on to the profession. with that being said and i think we are getting better with the trust. time and money may take time and once something becomes politicized in the debate i understand about whether or not we should be investing in this thing that is being debated. i think there's been a tremendous ability for folks

brand-new in the administration but folks in the classroom and folks in the administration to actually remove themselves from the political debate and they don't have parents running to the telling me what they heard on fox news the previous night and how it is going to impact the education and i really wish the paradigm would shift to focus on just the amazing things happening in classrooms. based upon the teacher leadership and the development of the stations of the proficiency and the new approach of teaching and learning that is happening, but we don't have quite as big a microphone. i'm glad to hear that they tend to trust us a little bit more. >> is there an effort to push the evaluation of teachers as a sequential step after the implantation of the curriculum? in other words to push that down the road would increase the amount of time and do that mac is to. >> i think what has happened is that we lost the substance of the evaluation and that we

always have multiple indicators and we moved away from the understanding that we would have multiple indicators focusing on just the one state assessment. and in maryland a maryland state assessment is only 20% of the entire assessment. so, the professional practice, this is 50%. with the teachers do, how do they sit and talk with their evaluators about the professional practice, what they would seek when they come into their classrooms, the kind of my tricks that they create on their own. so what we have implemented statewide is to the point that was made here. those are developed by the teachers using multiple data sources to target which students need what kind of intervention. so, to your point, we are going forward with the evaluations and we have a pause on the use of

the state assessment because we are all getting to implement new assessments aligned with the standards and we've got to build a baseline anyway. we've got to set the standard for the proficiency benchmark before we can use them if we are still using the quantitative measures to develop the student learning objectives and the teachers are pleased with that because we are not talking about the student learning objectives as a quantitative measure. we are talking about them as the way to understand how students are performing over time and how effective are we being in the instruction. >> the teachers failed and the students failed. on top aides never been designed to tell us any of those things and there was a tragic national mistake in terms of what happened.

the disparity of english learners that's very important that we shouldn't repeat the first mistake because this is a rollout that is going to be rolled out in many different ways across the states and even across the nation. and i think you have to give teachers the opportunity to be fully developed in the presentation of the new material. otherwise you are shortchanging the kids. but if they are fully developing this and they can start to see how they would have been pulled their presentations or involvement were involvement or student involvement or parent involvement then they might have something to evaluate to take the score to the hard-line evaluation as an injustice to everybody in the system including the parents and employers and everybody else that wants to know because it did and what they were going to be college or career ready when they graduate high school. that is the test to try to stand that out in the first six

months. either we keep them one of the great mistakes. >> .. and you don't just hand it teacher their new binder and say, go forward, good luck. their is a tremendous amount of training that teachers need. the way they have been instructed on how to teach. it is about looking and individual students, what their needs are.

and i think it was mentioned earlier, the ability to tie the specific intervention or support for students has become much more clear and easier to do. that is with an understanding that this isn't about you will add a little bit of this and this. it is actually on during the development of learning and saying, i, as a teacher can adjust my practice accordingly to make sure i'm getting more achievement and my students. >> i absolutely want to come back to common core math. their is a lot of public confusion. we were having an interesting discussion backstage. i am wondering if your research showed anything about the role of evaluations and suddenly we saw the importance of teachers in terms of communicating how they feel about common core. did the poll results find anything to bring to bear on that? >> you know, we did not came out the next step. but i do think -- i mean, the poll surveyed as clearly show that people are

concerned, that parents are concerned about the common core being used as, i guess, to blunt an instrument. i think that seems like the concern given worries about teacher flexibility in particular. so that was really salient. people want to make sure that teachers had the independence. we did not look at how the next up and there were tied together in that way. >> i can say to follow up on the congressman's point, once the teachers realize that everybody took a step back and said, you're absolutely right the, you need time to actually unpacked this. we were talking about what that means. if you need more time -- 50 percent said that they would work with content experts so that they continue to become more comfortable with the actual standards themselves as they build the curriculum. 50 percent said that they would actually do research

to find materials and resources that they need for themselves as students and their parents. 76 percent said, we need time to collaborative work with our peers to build out lesson plans. so when our teachers talk about time, it is not that they do not own the work and are not engaged in getting the work done. they want to do it well, and they need time to make sure that they understand what is being asked of them to do with the students and what students will be expected to know when be able to do. >> so what am i missing here ? if there is that amount of flexibility in the implementation, why aren't we just doing it? why aren't they saying, okay we will slow the train down. let's not act like a bunch of dummies and set these kids up for success so that we have positive outcomes. teachers could train the trainers. i like what you said, which is there will be a lot of collaboration among

educators. >> we will be engaging. >> in every state. >> if i could just piggyback on something that was said earlier, that is what is happening. this house. that is not being reported broadly in the media, but it is what is happening in our state and other states. understand that we all get it. we all want to be successful because it matters to our children and their development. we are taking the time to give them the time to collaborate and get this done well. it is happening. >> i listen to teachers and two things come across. you know, this is where i would say, you want some kind of smart boss. they believe this is

important and different than everything they have been handed, new textbook every third year or whenever. this is very different, and this is their chance to exploit the reasons that they went into teaching because of the manner in which they can address and develop the curriculum. this is the first chance that they have really been told, you are going develop this curriculum for this class on these different subjects. in the past in many, many, too many schools they have been told, you know, october 30 will be on page 123. on october 9th you will be on 127. and it is programmed. that starts to happen in '94, instead of using the talent and ingenuity of the classroom and the collaborative skills in the school, schools will start to get nervous.

well, if you got through the years work in a mediocre fashion you will have mediocre students. let's slow it down and get through it in a first-class fashion and with all the cooperation that we can muster in the education community. i mean outside the school, to. >> just for a second. [laughter] >> their is a bit of a policy angle to the extent with which things can be paused because states to the greek for no child left behind waivers. they have to adopt different methods. to adopt assessments that align with those standards. so these are promises that the states made. while we are seeing somewhat of a slowdown in somewhat of a federal endorsement of a slowdown, there are prior commitments that have been made that at some point have to be carried through. there are commitments that have been made that are being carried out.

my prior thinking as to why we are not being a nationwide, full-scale. >> coming back and saying, now that we are here there is another way to address this. in some cases there asking for permission. some states just pushed down the plunger and blew themselves up. others are coming in and saying, with the assurances that we gave you a more and more welcoming process as opposed to some of the signal that this was a bad investment by the federal government. >> in addition to policy matters, the bottom line is, these are there rights standards for our students so that they are globally competitive. as we all know, our students no longer compete with the state next door, the child next door, down the street. we are global environment, and they have to be able to compete. we want to be deliberate,

but we need to get these standards in place and planted because it is the best path forward for our children. so we have to integrate policy with the right thing to do. >> one little point in the survey, just to touch on that. most parents feel that public schools in their united states rank lower than most countries or in the middle compared to most countries. >> i want to make sure we have time to talk about math, so let's talk about math. [laughter] >> the common core math and confusing worksheets coming home with kids and bad math problems that are viral. i am hoping that one or both of the educators here can't explain why math works the way it does and why it looks different from the way that most of us learned it and certainly the way that most parents learned it. >> the fact that the

facebook and twitter now exist has changed the dynamic of my family functions because there is, do you seize this common core math problem with the kids were doing this and this and came up with the answer but it took four pages of text to explain. i think that the -- to answer your question about why the change, it is a change in value. initially we had a lot of curriculum and instruction that valued the answer over the process. and so dr. lillian lowery was talking about two plus two is five. still -- two plus two is still for, but we are looking at how the student got from a two plus two to five so that we can address the misconceptions that have at the classroom level so that i am able to work with them were my teachers are able to work with them to better instill an understanding of how numbers work. for years and years and years educators have been saying about mathematics that students, if they gets through the great, do not actually understand basic

number since, have a sense a high number works within the scale of mathematics. we are seeing a significant change where very heavy, very early on in basic concepts of what numbers are, how they operated, and transition around third grade to an understanding of fractions. you know, when you divide to fractions you multiplied. we were competing. i want to ask for a show of hands how many people understand what is going on in that particular scenario, but we were able to get the answer. and so at the elementary level, i look to high-school and college and then thinking that what we value is as smart thinker that is process oriented rather than someone who is able to come up with the answer. we change the way we approach teaching and learning to make sure we are honoring that element of it. >> why do we invert and multiplied? >> it has to do with the denominator, the number of

parts from multiplying the number of parts. [laughter] >> i will give you an example. i have someone call me, and his daughter was in eighth grade algebra. to the point being made here , teachers give students algorithms. this is the way they use all for this problem. remember this formula. these are the steps that you take, and a discussion. his daughter was getting all of the answers right. she was getting all the answers right, but because she used a logistical process that was different than the one that the teacher had given her to use she was getting the problem wrong. i could not support that. what do i say to someone? we are trying to create mathematical thinkers and think of new ways to solve the answer. does not have to be growth

meant -- them rope memorization lockstep because i said it has to be this way. the children are having some much fun with it, going into classrooms and seeing them use all kind of manipulative , many different paths to the right answer really does get to that number sense, that mathematical sense where they understand the math behind the process. >> in a message that is maybe not the topic of this panel, but facebook post all the math problems, can go viral and solidify opinion, it in the absence of having a lot of detailed facts. that is just a good reminder does not mean that, you know, the people look on facebook and have their minds influenced our, you know, not smart or paying attention. they are paying attention, but that is something that is easily remembered and can really calcify.

>> get away from math and go back to the question of public opinion. midterm elections are coming up. approaching implementation of the common core. is there a point that you foresee when we will have a tipping point in the controversy will die down? if so, what will it take to get to that point? >> well, i think it will be a shared experience of people with any particular state or district with respect to the education of their children and how well the changes being transmitted to parents in the community. right now i think you have this political overlay that works at the national level and then a few states where people have other ideas about their political future, so they want to buy in this and have reserved parking in a presidential race or something. that is all interesting but has nothing to do with the students. very good for them short term but has nothing to do

with the students of that state. i think that you have -- again, i go back to health care where there's all this national trauma. people have enrolled and share their story and have their own experience, things have calmed down and we see that they are looking for those who missed out in open enrollment a year ago looking forward to the opportunity to enroll and have their children and roll or someone they know and roll, what have you. people have to have this experience, they have to be able to read documents teachers. and so the politics will keep firing back and forth at one another. that will not stop until god knows, but on the ground i believe there is going to continue to be positive evidence of embarrassment by both teachers and students because i talked to a lot of students. i hideout from the adults. and they are enthusiastic.

they are explorers at this moment because this is not what they were doing last year. and so they are exploring and finding interesting. we will see how that goes. >> kids against the adults with a lot of money. >> i had to speak about education a couple weeks ago. i looked up out of curiosity which topped year's senate races were talking about education. and basically i think it is just one race where that is on the air where they are putting money on the air, north carolina, which will talk about in just a second. you've looked at the web sites, for about the ads on the web sites, most of them do not even have education on their issues. some republicans talked about common core, not college affordability or anything else. just common core. that is there education platform, i'm against it. and then angeles versus k hagen is a race focused on

education because there are big funding cuts. and you have the other day a story in the new york times, jeb bush came to support. i am for common core. and he said, i am not with this guy. this is a guy who considered -- a guy who is considered the underground in a battleground purple state wanting to distance himself from a centrist position from a centrist leader in the party. >> just one comment. that is, in those states where there is this political strike and pushed back, teachers have come out in support of common core. they have gone with state leaders in support of common core and have begun to become comfortable with the standards and believe it is the right direction to move, are confident this is in the best interest of students. and they spend a lot of time on this. that is very affirming that the teachers in the field

are pushing back. >> this is all about student outcomes. if there are positive student outcomes, i think that is the discussion. and we don't need to spend this much time discussing the teachers. need to discuss the students, the learners. if they do well the teachers get the accolade or a pat on the back. think we would all agree that is what we want. that type of advancement and recognition that the learner is, in fact, learning and advancing. we are all educated. we're all teachers. we can step back and say, we can take great pride in that. it is not about us. it is about them. >> audience questions. there will be microphones going around. if everyone could give your name and organization your from and also please keep the questions brief.

>> hi. jeff with science magazine. i had a question about science standards, next generation science standards. i put this specifically to the maryland educators because maryland was one of the early adopters. do you think that there are any lessons that the advocates of next generation science standards can learn from the common core experience to keep their effort going forward? they are in a different situation because they are not directly tied to know child left behind, but otherwise the principles of the same and the idea but yet we have sensitive issues within the science standards regarding evolution, climate change, and other issues. i wonder, from your perspective in maryland how you see that going forward and are there things that you can apply based upon what you have learned from

common core? >> i think congressman miller was spot on with, make sure that we take time to educate people before we roll it out in the classroom. so one of the things we decided in maryland is that we would not formally say that the standards had to be implemented until 17, 18 because we wanted to get through the common core, math, english, language arts. if that was at the form of prostate level. i will tell you, there are districts in our states that are high performing districts that have already begun on some level of employment the standard, but i think congressman miller was absolutely right. we have to make sure that we take time to first educated teachers, get them grounded, start working at the local level in schools with parents helping them understand what these standards are and are not, flexibility local schools

and jurisdictions do and do not have and just be sure that we have the materials and support that we need to have in the hands of the teachers and students before we start, you know, kind of jumping up and down and beating our just. go-slow to go fast on this one. [inaudible question] >> this same kind of public opposition once it is actually showing up in the classroom and parents start to realize what is going on. >> it has been my experience that there will always be opposition have some level somewhere. it is just, if we can get the facts straight and have a coach and message so that when an opposition, as we can discern fact from fiction and make sure that people understand what we're doing and why we are doing it. >> i was going to say, i think you may have figured out the key lesson here is,

don't go first. let common core be rolled out. i don't think you will see as much pushed back or controversy because there is such an alignment. a the keys here are the alignment of all the different areas of education with the way that we are working, the structure on design and effect. we have actually aligned their programming and curriculum to common core. they got it right. for example, the support of students in the general -- general curriculum. all of these things are coming together. again, i think we're talking about not necessarily swaping content but practice and what we value as a society, you know, we want logical thinkers that understand strong argument, how to do research, right effectively, speak effectively. you're seeing already those

connections. i do not think that you will see that type of pushed back there will always be some, but you are coming along after common core. >> i would agree. i don't have much to say after that. we won't have much to ask. [laughter] >> well, on that note, breath slowly, national education association. i appreciate all of your comments. we have teachers on the ground that are working to develop the assessments based upon the standards, and they are very excited about it. and it gives them ownership, and that is important for the teachers. talking about congress -- this one is for you, carmine asman miller -- any thoughts on where we will go with every authorization? was at the bill signing ceremony way back when. would like to see if that is even on the radar or if it

will get piecemeal as we discussed accountability and waivers. >> i would give the congress a timeout right now and let them observe how this unfolds. i think that this is so far removed from our historical role and what we sort of are asked to do. we ought to take a timeout. and i do not think much will happen in the next two years. ever presidential election coming up that i believe will be a clearer fire. think about this. not in terms of notes have left behind, but think about this as part of the future. you know, for 40 years i have listened to people in conferences and committee testimony telling us that we have not all wrong in this country, the wrong sequences , we did not build

on all of the things that common core is trying to correct. the congress, we don't do that, and we shouldn't. we should not. and that is why you have common core come from the governors and the states because that is not the role of congress, you know, for curriculum's and the rest of that. so i think the congress would do well to take some time to think about what is the federal role in the future? we know our position in ensuring and trying to ensure equity of opportunity and resources. the fundamental role for us. and that is not going to change or should not change obviously given the constitution. but when we get beyond that, i think we have to also recognize that this is now a new time with a different set of parents and different experiences that are very different. you ask teachers and members of congress to design a school of the future, they designed the school they went to. most parents design the

school they went to. yes, except when i said i don't do it, i'm out, that is the fastest reaction of most american citizens to any discussion on mathematics. my tell you how comfortable they are with their education in mathematics that they think somebody else got right and are being told by professionals that we have not gotten it right if we're going to compete nationally and have the skills they need to go to work in america in the future. so i think this is kind of a good time to take a deep breath. we are never very capable of doing that. >> seems like a safe bet. >> i am the director of teacher education at the american association of state colleges and universities. side note, we just came back from chicago where we had 11 state teams have k-12 and teacher educators and ask

you, a partnership around implementation of the common core. it is a topic we are interested in support. on like health care that ran into the fiasco unintentionally with the website, it is anticipated that if common core is implemented successfully because the standards are different and higher there will be a transition where many parents and students at the 11th and 12th grade will find that there is this gap in what they thought they were going to be able to do and how higher education will be involved in that has yet to be determined. but what about the political will to stay the course in that transition where the good outcomes for students that were spoken of will not be real obvious, at least not at first? >> that is one of the conversations that we are having in our state with

parents and when we speak to our external partners and supporters. it is that, comparing a new assessment with new, more rigorous standards to an old set of standards that we know were not progressive and as problem-based in experience for students as the new ones are. it would be like comparing apples to oranges. let's talk about resetting the standard. so when we give the assessment for the first time, we are starting there. how do hours children generally performed on the test the first time, that is the baseline. and we will move from there. if we can do exactly what you said, help parents understand that these are the right standards, show that art teachers and leaders are confident that this will get the students where they need to be as far as being ready for college and career and that we are starting where we start

freshly to go professionally fourth, that will help. but it is going to be -- you know, children seem to be performing very well, 89 percent. we have to help them understand that is because we did not challenge their thinking as much as we should have. so it is going to be huge because i can say that logically as i sit here. the percentage goes on to parents. they're going to say, what just happened. it is a matter of getting our cells together and grounding our common sense fact. >> i was going to say, i think that it is critical. if you take a look at any of the staple items and compare it with that type of assessment that we are providing to students before, there is a huge value statement in there.

you look at what was in third grade and what will be on park. it says that, to the general public and it as an educator we will take your child and give them to what part is being able -- is asking them to be able to do. previous assessments are trying to get them to that level, multiple choice, very simple answer. we will ask him to the problem solvers and collaborators and communicators. once you start to look at, again, will there be a drop or just a matter of not talking about the same thing anymore, really looking at emphasizing that students can and will be successful because they can and will be successful with the type of teaching and learning. >> thank you so much for this opportunity to be here. i am valerie wilson, the democratic nominee for state schools superintendent in georgia. my question is for the superintendent. we educators concern was

common for while they are very -- ms. wilson said it stay the course, the concern has been around implementation and prepared this for the implementation. think a heard you say earlier that there was -- you kind of suspended state assessment. what they're saying to me when it is tied to the evaluation peace is, it is too much too soon and just the demands are too great. did i hear you say if you had -- use suspended state assessments? if i did, how do you marry that with the policy decision, like in our state our legislature has made that law with the entire peace around evaluation. how have you married that, if, in fact, you did suspend the state assessments? >> let me be clear that we

did not suspend the state assessment. >> abcaeight. >> absolutely have to take state assessment. absolutely. that is federal law, and we have to follow federal law if we want to be funded to help the most vulnerable children. what we did do was walk away from the 20% state assessment on the evaluation and use it to inform rather than as a consequence. so 50 percent of professional practice, that is what most of us are used to doing, probably not really well. we are getting better. the 30 percent is a student learning objectives, the quantitative measures being developed by teachers with their evaluators based upon data it -- state assessment data and other indicators of success. so we will, for two years, because number one we don't give the new assessments for the first time until this year. we set the base line and have a growth measure where

we cannot talk about growth until we get it at least a second time. so in 2016 and 17 we will start using the state assessments with consequences rather than to inform, but all the students will take the state assessment, and we will use the data to determine the path forward. >> thank you. >> thank you very much. i am from norway. i am conducting surveys in japan and europe. my question is -- and also, on the city european commission project. we face the same problem. what i learned last week in europe, in france, they believe less in what we would call a french common core, not because common core is bad, but the implementation socially speaking in particular, it

is almost impossible. so we need more of a social equalizer. my question is the following, why not to have a project with european commission, with japan to look into common core beyond saying it is good or bad. and what is really common core for more than education? i am convinced that the european commission, the new european commission would be open as well as japan. this is a very big issue in particular in europe as a social equalizer. >> let me tell you from my perspective, having spent my life in coalition formation, it is important that we all have a similar understanding of what we're trying to chief. that starts with a qualified individual standing alongside someone else in order to accomplish a task.

the output, again, the outcome is extremely critical. i don't know the implementation and the difficulties with that, but i can tell you i am a beneficiary of a lot of what has taken place, our priority in that very regard >> the development of the common core, the institutions responsible for the development spend a lot of time looking models of success, you know, why some countries did better in mathematics and others, some countries did better in overall education, some better in transition the technical education. i don't know if we would bring to the party right now in a couple years it would be a different discussion, but right now we are so busy remodeling the house that we have no time to help anybody else. and i think that we would do well to see that we get the best implementation that we can and then start to see how the students five or do not thrive in the system according to what our expectations are.

how lot of studies and a lot of cooperation was looked at in the development over the last many years. >> thank you all for a great discussion and being here. if you have further questions, feel free to follow up with me. we will be around for a little bit longer. i cannot speak for anyone else. >> thank you. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

>> tonight on the communicators federal trade commissioner maureen on net neutrality, privacy, and data security. >> big day is a tool and can be used well and poorly. there are many benefits that can come from big dated, consumer benefits, and sites in certain areas, many but some that are top of mind for me are in health care and other kinds of research in recent -- reaching underserved population and providing new insights and some of mark difficult to solve problems that we face as a society. are there risks from the data as well? at think that is true. you can take pieces previously separate in education and assemble them into a profile that may give insights into a consumer. the question for me is, you have these benefits and some risks. what do you do then? >> tonight at 8:00 eastern.

>> last week c-span covered a debate between canada's for nebraska's second congressional district, republican incumbent lee terry and democrats brad ashford. they met in omaha in what is being called a tossup race. here is some of their debate . >> hindsight is 2020. and what one could say, i think, is have we lost troops on the borders with syria we could have maintained some training mission and some support mission on the border with syria theoretically and in other parts. that train has left the station at this point, and i do not see -- are really do not see us coming back with that kind of force now or in the future. >> moderator: mr. lee terry. >> terry: i agree that

hindsight is 20 / 20. the reality that the laissez-faire foreign policy of the president's not helping with the establishment and the government and pulling people and military out too quickly so that they were not trained when the government started, in essence, punishing segments of society and then they left to join isil, we should have been much more involved in that to prevented from happening. if we were more active, we may not have had isil. i want to say that i support the president on his stripes think it was the right thing to do. we have to do it. it is in our national security interest, but we have got to make sure that this government and military , they are the ones, and the kurds should be armed as well. they are good fighters. i think that the boots on the ground in iraq should remain iraqi boots. >> moderator: okay. you did recently voted against arming the syrian

rebel spirit can you explain your position on that? >> ashford: thank you for letting me do that. was the only one in our region that did that. and that was to arm the free syrian army and train them. and i think just too many instances where we train a group of people and then as we are training and they turn their weapons of mass. and syria is one of those places where it is difficult to find just because they are fighting assad does not mean that they are our friends. i worry that they would turn on the united states whenever they would get the chance and we would have trenton to do that. >> moderator: thank you. mr. brad ashford, do you agree? >> ashford: here is what i think about this. it is impossible for me to know because i did not see, was not briefed. i do not know about the intricacies of that since

the congressional decision thought i'd do believe is -- and that ought to understand this. maybe it can be explained how congress could have left washington after four days coming back from the summer vacation and had a vote on training syrian moderate rebels without a thorough discussion and debate about where that was going to go. and i think those questions need to be asked, and i think the authority needs to be discussed and debated, what authority we have been making this move. i would say, stay in washington, debate for a couple of days. only four days of congressional meetings after the summer recess. it should have been thoroughly debated, at least over the weekend after that vote. >> moderator: mr. lee terry, you get a chance to respond. >> terry: and there were several days of discussion. the process was that the president asked for congress to make the authority. the president said he wanted in the continuing resolution, and we had a deadline because of the continuing resolution. that is the answer.

>> that was some of the debate held last week in omaha. the political report calls this race a tossup. you can watch the entire debate and dozens of others from across the u.s. at our website, c-span.org. >> last week the congressional black caucus held its annual legislative conference in washington d.c. this panel focused on policing practices, the shooting deaths of young black man and what their rights of citizens are when pulled over. this is an hour and 20 minutes. [inaudible conversations] >> good afternoon, everyone. good afternoon. all right. just checking. my name is joshua harris.

on behalf of alpha phi alpha, the dream defenders and that national association of black voters elect, thank you for attending. we will go ahead and get things started. this will be a great conversation, and something that needs to happen in our communities. and i am excited. you excited? all right. good. good. good. the first person i will introduce here, he was elected to the u.s. house of representatives fourth congressional district in 2012, representative steven horsford is the first african american to serve in nevada's federal delegation. he represents one of the most diverse districts in the country which is approximately 50,000 square miles. prior to coming to washington d.c. congressman steven horsford served in the state senate, and in 2008 became nevadas in august and first african-american state senate majority leader. representative steven horsford servers on the financial services committee and the committee on

oversight and government reform. please join me in welcoming someone i have the pleasure of calling my fraternity brother, congressman steven horsford. [applause] >> good afternoon. good afternoon. >> good afternoon. >> and now we were out late now. we are here now. it is great to be here. thank you, josh and the brothers of alpha phi alpha fraternity incorporated for hosting this very important forum and discussion on knowing your rights in the criminal justice system. i am so pleased to have this dynamic panel and fellow fraternity brother moderating this battle as well. would like to just give a couple of opening remarks because everyone knows that we are here, in large part, because of an event that occurred on august 9th in

the ferguson, missouri when a young, unarmed boy who had just graduated high school and who literally was weeks away from enrolling in college had his life taken from them in an unnecessary event and tragic event. i had the honor of attending michael brown's funeral at the request of one of my colleagues, congressman lacey clay, who represents that area. i intended to pay my respects to the family and to the community but also to be part of this national conversation about what we can do to improve the community police relationship and what each one of us can do to make sure that we know our rights. that is with this panel is all about. during the funeral one of

the young man who spoke on behalf of michael brown, he was a friend of his, said that michael brown wanted the world to know his name. and so out of this tragic and unfortunate, and unnecessary events and the circumstances following that tragic event, the fact that we had naturally law enforcement agencies in ferguson having the militarizing force in a community and turn the equipment's against citizens who were expressing their first amendment right to protest, we have to use that tragic event as an opportunity now to have this large a discussion, and that is what this panel is all about today. i also want to ask for your help and support because

there are members of congress who are working hard and have been working hard to try to address these issues well before the michael brown event in ferguson, before even trayvon martin. i sponsored the universal respect act, which is one opportunity for us to enact meaningful change. it is a bill that would require a comprehensive review of law enforcement policies across the country in order to eliminate procedures that result in racial profiling. the legislation would amend the homeland security act to require that recipients of federal law enforcement grants and training facilities do not engage in racial profiling. and if they cannot prove that, then they would be at risk of receiving funds from the department of homeland

security. this is a companion bill to congressman conyers in racial profiling act bill that does a similar thing with the department of justice. but we need your help. we need you to push other members of congress to support this legislation. every member of the congressional black caucus supports these measures. many of our other colleagues do as well, but we need others to contact your local congressional member and to ask them to sign on to these bills and to help bring them to a vote in the house. because the only way that we are going to change these dynamics is by having lost that support those changes. so as we continue to mourn the loss of michael brown and others who are tragically taken away from us we must use our energy and our grass roots organization to call for

change. these types of local discussions, such as the one we are having today, is where of real solutions can be formed been shaped by the community, and it is vitally important that we, as american citizens, no our rights, know that we are protected by the constitution and fight for our dignity against brutal action by certain law enforcement agencies. and i want to say this, more than 90 percent of law enforcement officers and agencies do their jobs respectfully and professionally. but there are those instances where officers are not following the standards, and they need to be held accountable. and so while we support those men and women who serve and protect us, we also want to hold those accountable who are not doing their jobs in the manner in which they are

called upon. and so i want to, again, think the brothers of alpha phi alpha fraternity for this panel and for the discussion that we're going to hear next. thank you for bringing your voice to these issues, and each one of you bring your own perspective. so thank you very much for participating and for all of you being here today. have a great a else see everybody. [applause] >> and now we will get this conversation started. i would like to introduce someone who you all may know. he is an actor, and author of two books -- five, i'm sorry five books. my apologies. the most important thing is that this brother is truly invested in his community and as a passion for impelling young people. he wants to inspire them to manifest their destiny. he is bringing his

foundation here to the d.c. area from los angeles to help expand upon that. if you all would join me in welcoming another person i have the pleasure of calling my fraternity brother, mr. hill harper. [applause] >> a, everybody. this is a very important panel, and i know that it is a friday afternoon and around 3:00, the time the folks get a little sleepy. but this is a panel where we need everyone to be engaged. this is a panel that is about life and death. and it is about issues that i take extremely seriously. first of all, want to say, want to dedicate this panel to the late chuck stone who was renowned for using his column in the philadelphia times to combat police brutality. he had more than 75 -- [applause] -- he had more than 75

wanted black men turn themselves in to him first in an effort to not have them beaten by the police. he would take their photos, and if they showed up with scars or bruises after they were turned over to police custody he wrote about it in the newspaper the next day and chronicled this. he is someone that would choose to hold others accountable. that is, in part, but we will talk about today in this panel. oftentimes i find that panels can meander and talk about things and your people say, we need to do this. i've really want this panel to focus on what i am going to do, what you're going to do and to we're going to choose to hold accountable, and what steps we will take in terms of our energy to do that. now, most of these panelists are holding individuals accountable, and i want to do a quick rundown. more extensive bios on the programs on the seats. let's introduce folks.

my brother, admad abuznaid. co-founder and legal and policy director for the dream defenders while growing up living under brutal military occupation it was there he first developed an interest in social justice. next we have -- if i say your name, just raise your hand and wave to the people as i say it. [laughter] now we have charles belk, producer and president of i will make you a star productions. he recently became the face of international media coverage surrounding his august 2014 wrongful arrest while local law enforcement where he was arrested and held on the $0,100,000 bond, not allowed a phone call, and denied any access to an attorney. next we have ruby sales, founder and executive director of the spear house project that brings diverse people around a common table along with spiritual maturity, spirit house has stood at the forefront in breaking the silence on

state sanction murders of black folk by white police. the process of exposing these murders, spirit house has documented more than 1,000 of these cases. we have christine battle, a higher educated professional that is passionate about use an engagement in mentor ship. she most recently served as a statewide youth coordinator for the department of justice. she works with colleges and universities to adhere to the higher education act and works with students to educate and mobilize their campus and the voting process. next, we have daryl parks, a successful attorney, managing partner of parks and crump who have distinguished themselves as litigators. he protection defense's plans best interest. he has gained great notoriety through appearing

on ms nbc, cnn, as well as dr. phil. we have lee ivory, veteran washington d.c. area journalist, media executives and consultants, most recently adjunct professor to the american university in washington d.c. and be see you. present ceo of ivory communications and all-purpose media consulting firm and the region two director for the national association of black journalists. now, i have some good news for you and the panelists. as you can see, my brother roland martin is not the moderator. i am. that means you will get a chance to talk. [laughter] so that is good. and i want to tell you where we are going so that folks have a road map of what we're trying to achieve here so that it is coordinated. want to break this panel down into five steps. first, i want to start with data. i would like us to lay out some of the data we are talking about so that we at least have data from which to frame the discussion.

second, want to go to the micro area, which is more personal relationship to this issue. then i want to talk about macro and the bigger area. then i want to open it up to the audience, audience questions. and then i want to end with action. we walk out of here with action steps. so first, let's go with the data. you know, i am going to go to ruby sales. i have spoken on the panel earlier this week about equity in education with young black man. and it was detailed and laid out very eloquently how much data there is around education and the government keeping data about testing, education. and when i was doing research for this panel, i found out that no government agency is currently tracking the killings of african-american males. and so spirit house project has been tracking state sanctioned murder is a black boys and men.

will you talk about some of those numbers? not all of these are making national headlines. >> first of all, thank you very much for the opportunity to be a part of this urgent conversation. i hope that at the end of the conversation we will not only act but have a broader understanding of why we should act. i want to, first of all, say to you, i want to start my conversation quickly with a song that was written in 1963 with goodman, chaney murdered. it was written by bernice johnson upon hearing ella baker speak at their funeral we, who believe in freedom, cannot rest until it comes. we, of believe in freedom, cannot rest until it comes. and tell the killing of black mothers science is as important as the killing of white mothers sons, we who

believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes as we think about those words today the first thing that i must say to you in all honesty and urgency, that this is not merely about black men. this is an assault on the african-american community. the discourse must be expanded to include the lives of our sisters and mothers. black women are being killed. they are being raped, for example. melissa williams in cleveland, ohio was riding in a car with her boyfriend. they were chased by 59 police cars who fired 137 rounds of bullets into the car killing both of them. we have a case of a young woman in detroit, michigan who was killed by a s.w.a.t. team who entered her house. she is six years old. a 93-year-old in texas who was killed by the police.

this is a crisis that is not confined to gender. and spirit house has documented since 2007 when i became very interested in this issue after reading a small, little story about an african-american man 17 years old, billy joe johnson, who died suspiciously in the hands of the deputy sheriff on a dark road. it turns out that he had scholarships to multiple schools, an athlete. it turns out that he was shot and was made to lie in the street for seven hours. mr. and mrs. johnson were not allowed to see their son as he lay in the street. in addition to that, mrs. johnson passed out. and so when we see what happened to michael brown, we understand that the data shows us that michael brown is the tip of a larger

iceberg, that black bodies are not valued in a society. we live in what i call an age of this possibility of culture, of technocracy where only a few people matter and a spiralling of culture of violence where black bodies are the lowest -- carry those currency in society. ..

>> >> there are several things you need to know. >> i will stop you right now because i want to take focus right now. there is a few data points i will share but i first appreciate your comment in that space and about this issue in general public to open to the rest of the panel to share any data they believe is relevant to this discussion. after all. anyone? begin the seven years, from "usa today" ending 2012, the travesty is the statistics

with the independent media organizations have to talk to the fbi to pcs together. in those seven years ending 2012, two times a week a white cop killed an african-american. of those numbers of 400 shootings there were 96 among every 400. 18% black men or black people under age 21 were the victims compared at 8.7 percent of white people. of the cases complained about or drew media attention, led the 26,000 complaints the fbi has kept

track of, only 2,000 of 26,000 were considered excessive. that is ridiculous absolutely ridiculous. >> one data point i was asked to go to ferguson. i spent four days and i it -- as i was digging through things the one that stuck out to be the most was that in 2013 there were 1500 arrest warrants issued for every 1,000 citizens. so break down the arrest warrant issued by judge after some type of penalty of an individual. they don't make their court appearance so an arrest

warrant is issued. if you think about that, one year 1500 for every 1,000 people? talk about a municipality creating their hold it, and budget office of writing tickets aggressively taking people institutional level gravity's citizens and the forest i will find and ticket and when they don't show up for their court date or pay the fine and will issue the arrest warrant. i was astounded by that. astounded by that. any other comments by the panel? >> i just want to add a reiterates that the nomex grass-roots reporting every 28 hours a black man or woman or child is killed by white police, a security guard or vigilante.

>> want to take it a little more personal to charles' first. but this is really about what your personal encounters with the police? charles, run down what happened and give detail and other panelists, i would love to hear when you were young or even now your personal encounters. >> four b, 51 years i could stay on the right side of the lot never arrested or handcuffed or put into a car crime when i thought that what happened i was mistakenly identified for the wrong tall black man that just served as an accomplice to robbing a bank

in los angeles. i was on the curb in handcuffs for 45 minutes minutes, not really told rye -- why that matched the description i was fingerprinted, booked and denied access to making a phone call i was not told what i was arrested for. in fact, told directly by the booking officer when i made a comment this is a bad dream she said yes. this is a serious crime you have committed. by the end of the night i was released six hours later with after the detectives and fbi agents clearly you have reviewed the videotape and see it does not look like me. here are my a features and i was told they had not

reviewed the videotape. so at my request after five minutes i was released. i was given a slip of paper to say i was detained not arrested it was a detention certificate. i felt well i had escaped 51 years ever rest it was now reduced to being detained and tell i later found out one week later there was an arrest record for me on the internet at the lapd sheriff's department. so asking about actions actions, mine is how it can affect each and every one of you and us. >> i would like to comment. i was raised in miami florida.

, the miami police officers are not necessarily friendly to those that look like me. interestingly i have a similar story but i was detained as well when i was in a grad school i just finished school in my boyfriend was striding they polled us over and asked for his license and my even though i was a passenger. i said why you need nine? i know what to say i gave her my license and she said there is a warrant out for your arrest. for what? did you have a suspended license but when i run it it does not say suspended so i am confused. so what are you telling me? i don't know. i just have to take you in. long story short it was a system error they said no.

my fault. my bad. later to find out i did i had to go through the process for something that was a system error. has a call to action the peace we forget about is to hold people accountable to file complaints to mobilize our community. if you're not a part of the solution your part of the problem. that is why so passionate to educate our young people. the reason why these young colts especially law enforcement officers to not take us seriously because they say i don't want to be here anyway. what is the protocol?

what type of interaction? we're not a part of that conversation because it unexercised our right to vote. yes i.m. pulled over all lot. you have a right to to be smart was telling my friend friend, when i am pulled over my constitution is on my lap. i am just not the brown face that you see in media i know my rights in real life so another part of our conversation is we have the right to to play smart and know what you do. >> what is an individual when approached by police what they obligated to do?

and what are the things the clients have done? >> and choosing to be a smart driver. and to sign the ticket and move on. [applause] the time to get smart is after you leave. i got in a legal tidbit in the state of georgia. if you could just paid the fine and it does not count to the license. so the big fight was about to put on it was about money so give them the money. i'm not going to fight it. >> you don't fight on the side of the road.

our policy makers get rid of the chief and elected officials. those you get rid of the sheriff. so you have a way to influence. i will talk about one little thing. of a kid was killed in boot camp of florida. there was an e-mail that went public where the prosecutor was and knew headed by the state police and he sent an e-mail saying i will take care of this. he had to resign. the head to resign over that

was major i never forget he called jeb bush and he accepted his resignation and he was gone. compare that to the local sheriff who did not give up power. he fought and continues to fight. and confusing the issues you cannot beat them in the controlled environment. do not even try. yes, sir,. no, sir. i will not try to talk my way out of l.a. since first. >> sometimes i had times when i was speeding and talk

to a trooper out of a ticket and other times back in georgia again they have a local currency that people don't write tickets to them. i did not know that's another rednecks said we have to account for law-enforcement people. that included me. [laughter] so i was glad that day. be nice be careful about that. >> just like talking about the case how mad he was when he got stopped. he was kissing mad. so i will tell you the worst

is by a black alabama state trooper. sova to travel by car is a lot of potential for interaction becomes an all shapes and forms and sizes. >> think the dream defenders what are the things you teach? >> kristin i am sorry cc brought us stack of cards from the aclu dream defenders to participate in direct action and civil disobedience so folks are often prepared to be arrested. we feel folks should know their rights so i encourage them to go to the aclu website or she has us back.

you can get some after words. also knowing your rights always protects you we know for a fact may he rest in power could recite that constitution and he may still not be here with us today so knowing your rights isn't cowering but not the end all or be all solution. and weber other parks expanded on i was pulled over speeding by a state trooper. the officer asked why i said criminal law or something he said we need a lot of people on our side to administer justice. knowing full well i never had any intention to be prosecuted and i look

forward that day. you know, your rights to fight another day. here is my license and understand why but i am compliant then you'd have of litigator go to bat for you in the court system than maybe you see justice. that is not often the case that we have to fight with what we have. some of them and ensure you have seen them plastered in the mud shots. because some of the others are not able or have the privilege to sacrifice many have sacrificed previously and we will do our part. >> thank you for your courage and the sacrifices that you make.

i am sure we could go around this room to recount i was an alabama. and headed that way to have the degree with honors to harvard law school to say i want you to step back into my vehicle. i couldn't for the life of me if he could ask me to do that with no probable cause. he pulled me over for a speeding ticket he could write me a ticket but to ask me to sit in the back of his vehicle? i thought that was beyond the pale but i could not remember or did not know if i could refuse that request lawfully. i did not know what his game

was if the wanted to put me in the back then claim something of it was better for me to sit there so i am thinking it is early in the morning may be 6:00 in the highway is deserted. you are supposed to be as smart brother you have a law degree. i decided to sit in the back of the car. and he shuts the door and i cannot open it. [laughter] he passed to left my dash let me out. and proceeds to lecture me why he is writing the ticket what i can do to fight its.

i don't think he expected me to interact with him the way that i did. and ultimately i invited him to my speech in montgomery which he refused to attend. i asked him if he knew about some of the wonderful civil rights leaders but then said in a very nice way. so i took my ticket and went on. but i say that story to say that even if you thank you are educated or knows something you could be put in situations individually of so-called authorities so that you all know how to do it. does anybody have comments

about that? >> the way to get them the one part of my job that i love under the federal rules you can sue the police individual the. i'd love that. their home, their house, a deposition, 6,000 question -- questions about everything. and to the status their room. to kind the go back. >> i want to move to the macro policy area.

and after that kick into the macro discussion our policy discussion. >> thank-you very much. with the prevention and early intervention approach. >> how much time they will serve as the pro-active approach thing qe2 testified. and of course, in with my own fraternity to get on the

right track. and with the national association of journalism i thank you for bringing us together so we can discuss the activities one of the problems that came to light in ferguson that they were hired and that democratic process. is the disconnect they have to exercise of the vote as one of the theme this that a vote this is hopeless. and i say this of the

fraternity. sova to major that the right people are elected that officials go a long way with these problems. thank-you for all that you do to use your celebrity status for crime-prevention. thank you very much. [applause] >> take you congressmen. ruby you wanted to say something? go on a. [laughter] >> first of all, i was in ferguson for two weeks and i went back for another two weeks. we had a revival social justice revival. we all have stories to tell but what young people don't understand is why it is happening to them. what has generated that they

feel are unwarranted? i believe in order to organize successfully you have to understand the context of the fight. voting is the essential part of the democracy. of the militarize state but when the military has been given end weapons to the police with the war on drugs but came to the african-american community we have serious questions to ask about what is going on and why did we not know that that we allow those to have been in what do we do to change that? when police departments are armed by the pentagon to move away from democracy to the armed state police. i will say what people have

not. it is important that we are living in a society where colored people are two-thirds of majority and what they experience whether the present industrial complex, a probation and for-profit or shoot and kill in the street by means of social control. the way to maintain white supremacy and the two-thirds colored world we're living in an age of the southern strategy and these are issues we should be aware of. we go to the slaughter without understanding how we got there. dealing with pernicious issues today of power and domination and control and

young people feel powerless and don't understand what have they done to generate this and they're upset with the people who keep telling them to vote without understanding that is one aspect but it is very important to be educated to understand who you are in and how you can manage to struggle in the smart way it is more than police training. they are trained to profile with the mass weapons of destruction like ann compton california the security guards had ak-47s for the students? we need to come out of a fog to be honest to ask serious questions about why we are where we are today and what can we do to organize and

change the policy how do we deal with stand your ground? >> we will segue into this. [applause] talk about the media moving to a policy. what is the portrayal as well as in the age of camera funds houk said journalism be used as a tool to combat police brutality and what is the most effective to get information to be as well? pas. >> move this a little closer. i think without a doubt, the thing that needs to be explained in terms of the

media we're not all created equal. there are bad reporters and editors just like doctors and nurses and police officers. unfortunately in this country it runs the gamut from a podunks little town to big media companies. unfortunately the narrative of the black community has been highlighted perhaps more than the success of the community. what jumps out at me from reading these cases and

watching a the video of this veranda -- around its situation and these cops are absolutely terrified of the young black blaze's the black men and girls. i scratched my head when did that start? that they see us as the enemy? and passing cell phones around. when he pulls over to the gas station is simply because he did what he was told. it is mind boggling with the role of the media to imagine

life in ferguson misery "the washington times" and post the st. louis times dispatch imagine how that case was swept under the rug just another black boy shot down in the streets. with their cellphone sort camera is with the newspaper badge to cover the story. this civil-rights movement talk about the genesis talk about the momentum that was the civil-rights movement really did not gain steam until good white folks saw on tv that fire hoses and a german shepherds released on

the innocent for black folks. that is what we see right now. this movement of protection of civility to be gained to said with dignity in this society that is assessed with guns -- and obsessed with guns will take all of us but the media will play a key role. those who are not in the media picked up the telephone. filed the e-mail. make it your business to have the reporters' names so you can text message so the

cool thing about digital journalism that the end of stories reporters period manageresses you have access to that it is important reestablished a report or relationship with the media to get the word out. >> there is an opportunity with a journalist and police? >> if i could have major media did not show up to ferguson until a few days later. [applause] it is run by the same folks who put these policies in place to hold less down.

so social media has spent demonize we know all the negatives but the fact is people on the ground in social b.f. we are not listening to the voices the we are not listening to nobody. the new day and age to document what happened to tell the true story before cnn decides it is important enough to show up to amplify the voices of the youth. [applause] i am so he agree. >> like michael brown those law enforcement agencies with prosecutors around the country those that participate in a betrayal to

decide that he would not charge or repeal any of the evidence he had with that case. it was very important in some cases to align with the fbi and department of justice. they have the capacity with two fbi agents the very next day they have four agents on the ground to and we saw something similar. a young man was killed. >> practicing over different administrations do you

believe that is the case because of the attorney general and those individuals in power? can you believe that response is different? >> it has been a blessing to start with president obama and attorney general whole other perks obviously -- attorney general holder. but to take the interest in the case and the city u.s. attorney had some interaction from washington whether the civil-rights division. this meant the world because one day i sit in a meeting and the next day there are 40 agents.

but it does get us to just is quicker the dynamics i got smart deal other day where the fbi decided to go to a community college to let people talk privately to talk about ferguson or michael brown. said and whether or not you want to talk to them. i went to say something about media because one of the issues is they want the story to you die down. you don't want a ticket for the wrong reason when his autopsy came out and we use our resources to direct that story it was leading pager number one the york times, sunday morning and for the agenda and as you do

this it best benefit the client and this jury needed to be told and it will be. >> we have about 25 minutes left panelist was try to make our comments as concise as possible. >> to save data are no laws but the key piece that we forget about his relationships with law-enforcement officers in terms of media but they know us as individuals. something we did was raging a the gap conversation to come together to talk about issues there was a

disconnect socially they did not understand what was happening that is the reason they were scared so with that direct action piece of a charge everyone to get to know your law enforcement officers in connection that human peace. >> talk about community-based policing part of that response those that have lack of diversity to save above to higher black people are from the community but nobody ever applies. is there something we can do to hold the departments to task? and to create an atmosphere where they would be receptive the individuals in the community would want to work on the force.

>> first of all, getting to know police is one thing racial profiling is systemic civil-rights. getting to know the police does not eradicate the issues. and to understand what is go on to organize to be defeated i might know that police over here but that does not mean that it just disappears we have to be honest we have to deal with systematic issues they're not personal defects of individual cops their racial profiling is all over the country. we have been here before when black people were criminalize as a means of justice. in the 1990's to propaganda

rabin reagin -- ronald reagan came up to free the children and criminalize the black father so by the time we got where we aren't the world thinks black people come from the culture of violence and so we constitute a clear and present danger to society and most especially to white people so we could be killed and nobody will bat their eye. their reasons that we have to begin to move beyond personally version to get very pragmatic and clear about what we deal with least we sacrifice our children to another 100 years of lynching. [applause] >> if you have a question in

mind that. >> it makes all the difference in the world they get to know that people whether they are worked out or downtown. when one black cop was riding around with the white rookie. and he stopped and we talked. so it is more familiarity. that needs -- means the world. >> more importantly i was the city councilman for 80

years. teeeight you address the solutions the appointment of federal monitors that exhibit it police brutality? with that citizen review board we find the work with the aclu finally got the federal government for police brutality issue with the rebellion of 67 finally after 47 years and there were several across the nation because they don't have subpoena power. in terms of that practical

pragmatic real solutions it is not black or white but the institution of the blue that they participate as a safe and accountability measures. >> to ask for citizen review boards. when you start to see internal affairs it would not allow to well. win we had trayvon martin as special prosecutors sped in misery we have a democratic governor but local politicians who think nationally that what is known around the country. is with a bit of heart we

see the governor in misery not stepping up to have a local police officer charged by the local prosecutor's office every case that comes out of there is prosecuted by bad prosecutor's office is a problem. >> i am all for living with dignity and so were my forefathers. i write for phenomenal woman magazine publishing cleveland ohio area but during the summer rights movement those campaigns are trained on how to respond. is a time for an organization to provide training on the modern day racial profiling? with our children are sitting in the back of the car mahon is handcuffed and looks like she is being roughed up.

>> we have a question. >> how are our children supposed to know how to respond? the kids are crying running to monte but they say get back into the car idling to see that any more. >> i work for the three offenders last summer we conducted of 31 days sit-in of the governor's office we are thoroughly immersed him in organizing the use however we're only in the state of florida for the moment from the dream center perspective relates these wildfires to spring up because we don't need to be the leaders for every community. if anybody needs their support we would love to be there. >> to make public the information about to go about approaching being

arrested to, etc., etc.? mimicry access the aclu doctorate but go to you dream defenders.org reach out to rise above to support you with efforts to leave your community. >> to families who have experienced the murder of their loved ones we are working with them so they can organize and their own communities to train the young people and themselves how to respond with this urgent crisis that we're facing. >> afternoon. i am a member of -- my question or comment goes to the young lady. what'd sure name? cici we have project alpha.

our chapter has inc. a legal component to that. lawyers, attorneys come in to speak with the high school students. the last time this occurred occurred, i was so impressed by the amount of questions and the depth of questions that the students had to the one attorney that was there we plan to do it again. we talk about solutions or how we possibly could cut down on a rest and it begins with that teenager. we are addressing it. not just my fraternity's organization every other that goes into the high

school. >> i am a delta of i am very familiar with project health club. but research shows law-enforcement officers are less likely to arrest someone they know so it does break down that construct of the broken system so i commend you. >> one final question then we have closing remarks. >> good afternoon i am with the spirit house project from atlanta led georgia also. several of you have talked about constitutional rights, i carry the book, distributed to intern's, my concern is about the conservative supreme court that change is constitutional rights so could you speak to the confusing laws better

happening with the elimination of the right to remain silent so if they question you, you don't have the right you're not presumed guilty and not in the sense and the known not search warrants because we found police just what did and just to shoot people than later said troops. >> the question again please >> speeto how to educate the people about the changes to win on in the supreme court? you cannot referred to that book they change the law so quickly. how do we tell the young brothers and sisters you don't have to say this? >> but just to make sure the

children is better educated some respond to those better so my answer is a stronger better solid education in general. >> i want to go down the line to ask for closing remarks. please keep them concise. what are the takeaways? we will start with you on that and. >> you need to tell your story that is important that is what i did and got 40,000 shares. then decide if you take action will use it back and complain? i got arrested and had an arrest record and people don't know they do. we started a petition i

encourage you to sign the petition i have been meeting with legislators meeting with the department of justice we are trying to change legislation to introduce new bills and make a difference. jfk said everyone, one person can make a difference and everyone should try. those are my three words. >> organized, think organized, think, organize with everything that you do everything has a context. hindsight what is the history? insight how does that impact to day? and strategies to solve the issues. so build a whole movement predicated on reality. not fantasy. >> the biggest faction in

the black community today is the information vacuum. we had many conversations with one another. education to be beat down how to register to vote we still need to have those conversations more than ever. go to that aclu website it is very easy to find. what to do if you are stopped by the police knu videotape or photograph the police? it is in very plain language share that with your relatives and children if we can protect ourselves. >> don't be sensitized by the media in people lard

disconnected it is only michael brown or trayvon martin it just happens to educated faults as well. i would challenge you to do things in your local community. so with those relationships are critical but everyone can get to know law enforcement officer. so that is what i have to say. >> the system is not broken designed to act the way it is acting. so unless we organize and get agitated we will continue to get the same treatment.

>> and education they don't pick on people who can beat them but those they can control. it empowers you. >> i will say this in closing going down to ferguson, the heart was heavy a started to look at the grand jury and on one level they could bring back a charge of murder in the first degree but it could be negligent manslaughter or homicide and to break that down from a legal background will get a negligent homicide you hear words like the careless willful ignorance of creating a situation where extreme harm could ocher.

it broke my heart and i realized i am just as responsible for the death of michael brown, jr.. we have alluded to beat willfully ignorant and carelessly absent although we know there is the institutional atmosphere that will create extreme prague -- extreme bodily harm or death of poor people in these communities. yet we stand by and do nothing. so we should be charged. leave their room and stop being carelessly ignorant and woefully involved. then we're all at fault. on that note of a black president tillman to close this out. [applause]

>> good afternoon first of all, of a leg to think the panelist for your thoughtful insights on this issue. i attended michael brown's funeral. i personally was affected by the fact this young man was shot. as a president of a national organization remembers would say we need a statement. i didn't want another statement we did make a contribution to the funeral and were one of several individuals because it wanted the family to know they were drugged into a situation they did ask for now another set is on the two were to let them know their son was killed unjustly.

that is why we are here today. i was affected by that. i had the opportunity to meet with a family that your son's death will not be in vain. the like to think the national association of black journalists for cosponsoring this and the dream defenders for cosponsoring it takes more than a workshop to talk about the issues so when we go back to our respective states it is about local communities. i am from louisiana. the first thing i learned is you don't speed. lot of people sell was caught speeding up was pulled over. second, don't agitate for you are not in a position into be in power when you are being pulled over.

you are in a position why are you pulled over in the first place? but i learned yes, sir,. no, sir. i don't understand sir. because i will not agitates. i understand but i want to make sure you give me the right questions so i don't understand or i do understand here is my credit card. that is what i have learned growing up in new orleans but we have to take this information back and engage our communities. rigo this year is another important vote when obama goes out of office who will vote? advocacy anyone black coming behind him. we may be voting for a woman. but president obama will be leaving office.

are we prepared for what is next? that is why we stand here to push the national program polis is hopeless. but first of all, the vote every vote every election that is why we are here today taking for being here to be here with this important conversation when we go back to our communities we will speak to be registered to vote we must vote. i would like to add every time and every weather condition. get out of the reagan. get into the car and go to work. thank you for being here. [applause] >> i really appreciate you

being here. final comments? have fun tonight to. [laughter] i will be hosting a party tonight. . .