transactions online. we cast our votes on line. 25% of the votes in the parliamentary election were on line. you can establish a company using the internet in 15 minutes and do your taxes in five minutes. the government pre-fills the tax forms. the log onto the computer and make sure they have the data correct, and you press send. it takes about five minutes, the whole process. we have a health care system. it is paperless. we are dependent on the internet and the fact thatwe have creat s ystem not by overlooking privacy. i will spend a minute on that. you own the data that is online,

as an individual, and you had your own electronic key, pin number, and there are numerous databases that at your data on them. you are the owner of the data. when the government access as the data, there is a log that is left behind, and you can see who has access your data. we have a strict system of how and when and under what circumstances agencies can access your data, but what we are certain of is you can always see who has done it. privacy is very -- is better protected online than in a pan- and-paper system. and this society, that is so internet dependent, a destructive attack on the internet can have huge impacts in the way we function as a

society, as citizens, as businesses. i was here in washington in 2007, and it was an important year for estonia, because we were the victims of a sniper attack. -- a cyber attack. i was here in washington. i could not access mike email. i could not access by newspapers. i cannot do bank transactions, and i could not function as the citizens. that lasted for a few hours. if that had lasted for months, we as a society could not function. this really made us move faster on approving a national strategy to counter cyber threat, and to

conceptualize the problem, i will describe these defenses in three layers. the individual level, that security of your own private computer, and it is important to make sure there is no malware. the government's role in that room is limited, and our government's role in this area is linked -- or limited to a rate -- awareness raising. we have asked our major providers to notify internet users when they access web pages that could be dangerous that could spread malware, and the providers offer you as a citizen links to different anti-virus or anti-malware websites.

the second layer is the whole of nation. this is where the national cyber defense of estonia becomes important. no single agency can be in charge of cyber. someone needs to coordinate the work, but nobody can be in charge of cyber as a whole. the national defense strategy establishes coordinating bodies between our different agencies. what is clear when it comes to cyber, the role of the government is littered that -- is limited. the government owns a share of the internet. another sector is owned by private citizens and private companies.

we need a hold-nation approach. the best example i could bring from estonia is the cyber defense league, an arm of our voluntary national defense organization, like the national guard in the united states. the cyber defense league is a voluntary organization that brings together experts from banks, corporations, and the military to get to know each other, to exercise and conduct different exercises, and in times of need it use that as a resource to secure the government's website, and private-sector websites. the added value comes from the practice allows their experts to interact with the government, each other, conduct exercises that otherwise would be too expensive court to time- consuming. the third layer also is

critically important is the international aspect of cyber security. you cannot do a national cyber defense. the internet is global. the attacks to estonia did not come from inside estonia. and those situations, you need international cooperation. much of that cooperation is informal. this is something difficult to admit for an official, but it is informal. that response teams tend to know each other, they know the phone number to call, and they know what services they need from different countries to shut down computers or servers and networks that are attacking us. a corporation needs a legal framework, and this is where the

council of europe convention on cyber crime, that was mentioned by the minister, a legal instrument of great importance to which every nation in the world should become a party of. a few words about nato, and there are people who know more about the eu -- so as done and a lot to deal with cyber defense and has raised cyber security on its agenda. we now have that policy, so we have made a lot of progress. much more needs to be done, and i hope the summit in chicago will not only offer we have made progress, but will move the alliance further. will be ambitious and moves us further.

nato -- there are critical for nato's operations. coming from the minister of defense, i am key for the defense matters. assuming cyber is becoming a domain in international relations and bourque fighting, that would be the same as nato analyze and -- declaring an alliance. this is not white taxpayers fund us. nato is here to protect not just the military, but to protect our society, people come up territories. it cyber is becoming a new domain, it needs to do more. there are a number of issues that are important. cooperation with the european union, international governments. we need to have discussions and see whether nato can contribute

to our overall security. i will conclude by saying the united states has taken a leadership role in that regard and has set up a -- and paid a lot of attention on integrating cyber aspects to the military planning. task is to follow the lead of the united states and figure out how we can contribute to cybersecurity. thank you. >> thank you so much. >> thank you very much. i would like to present my point of view and what i would like to see in the future. i am happy we are here with my colleague, who is very much

involved in issues related to cybersecurity. if we look back a year ago or even further, we chelsea actually the major to the elements in terms of cybersecurity from the perspective of the transatlantic alliance developed in the last month. two years or three years ago cyber security issues were sexy.ved be tto be everybody said it is very interesting, we have to do something about that. i am happy here we have a good example of transatlantic effort. whole process which was unlocked with a summit in

doesn't tend between our presidents comply where cybersecurity was quite high on the agenda and, the consequence of -- and that the ballot to thinking in terms of cyber security. that was a new issue. i would say we are still working toward having a single approach of what cybersecurity means. i am one who thinks it is not about regulating. it is about creating a system which is dynamic. because of the threats to the

international cyber dynamic themselves. you need to create a system which is flexible enough to create response and prevention of cyber attacks. that is not an easy task. this is why i am looking forward to see what is going to be the proposal on cyber security strategies, something that i think is a good example in the united states. also some member states of the european union. let's see how we can make this process happened at a different level, at the european union level, which would be much more different than having separate cyber security strategies. right now we are busy but a

number of issues and legislation related to the internet and to the development of the internet. this is the addition of the european director of four critical infrastructures. this is the framework of information systems -- we have a review and the enlargement of the european network information security agency mandate. by the end of the year we expect a new version of the protection directive. the commission will come up with a strategy. we have plenty of issues in the pipeline in the european parliament in terms of legislation on separate security. what i miss is the general

concept, the general framework. unless we have a comprehensive approach toward these issues, we are going to have trouble. that is going to affect the relations with the european union, the u.n., and other partners. this european cyber crime center is a good example. we have ideas about coordination .ith the european union, all this is very positive. to meet the keep of the european cybersecurity strategy is about coordination. everybody knows what has to be done. the problem is the internet is a clue it issued an has to do

barron much with coordination. we need to find the appropriate method to make it. i would briefly like to go into what is expected and how i would see the developments in terms of cybersecurity in the next few months in the european union. i hope this is not always wishful thinking, but there are issues that i see developing. first, the mere concept of critical infrastructure/ -- . according to the european directive, only energy and transportation. ict is not considered to be a critical infrastructure.

food and water supply, i made the parallel with the u.s. and understanding. we have to be clear with what we target and what are the systems we would consider to be critical. this understanding has to be enlarged. second, when we speak about strategy, it has to allow innovation, free flow of information, privacy, and resiliency of the network. some will say this is something that cannot be put into a single policy framework. i feel this strategy has to be faced. there should be much better incentives for the industry and more cooperation. the cooperation between the

institutions and the private sector. the private sector is -- have large international companies in the u.s. and europe. this is an area where we can take good examples from the corporations -- cooperation between the public and private section. we need to develop this. we need to develop legislation. botnets are now criminalize. everything is not [unintelligible] there are issues that have to be included in this for a bird. the sec at -- the second development, the resilience of the internet and of systems.

it is important to talk about minimum standards. this is difficult to define. we have a huge problem with various practices. we have countries, uk, germany, france, and we have countries [unintelligible] without having an elective approach. we need to tackle minimum standards to help these countries to increase the standards of resilience. we need to encourage shareholders approach. we have listened to a commissioner at this morning who said the european union does not have an example of a position on

-- it appears on a number of documents supported by the european parliament. has to be fair, open enough, and also to perform their duties. i am not going into detail. many things can be talked about security and cooperative security plans. all this seems very important to be functional in all the member states. on the stakeholder policy, we have a good example cooperation with education, where education will be key in the coming months and years. basic education for everybody come developing curricula on cyber security, only from the

technical point of view, but also from the policy point of view. this is where the trans-atlantic cooperation can play a good world. a few words about international cooperation, because many things have been set to come out and i to listen to what could be done in the future in terms of international cooperation. i have to tell you something, the different understanding of cyber security -- we have to deal with that. we have bad examples of [unintelligible] which negatively affected the transatlantic cooperation.

it was mentioned this morning been pmr agreement. it was not ideal. we have plenty of questions about the pmr agreement. there were different motivations. we have to clear the way for cooperation, not to pile more and more obstacles, but we have to be understand -- serious about the understanding of privacy, the possible [unintelligible] i can take the freedom of a parliamentarian and will disagree on one. , and this is the united nations. it is good to talk about it, but i am afraid in i.t., to bring

the internet on the agenda, but regulating the base into that. there you will see countries that would like to -- and that would be the end of it. i do not think the international cooperation based on the u.n. you are going to bring results. i would support the u.s. approach. with organizations that can broach issues. we have to work with them. it has to be part of the external relations, also the european union. how a country sets and appropriate international development strategy. all these things are not that difficult to achieve. i think there is a need to make an effort, the international

government, and in the friend of international cooperation. >> thank you so much. the last panel discussion of the day, filled with expertise, we just received three outstanding presentations to help us framed these issues. thank you. what we would like to do is ask a few questions. i will take the poor and of and ask you questions, but then we will let you ask your questions as well. to bobbi, we have been talking about the operation cyber atlanta, the tabletop exercise. what came out of that exercise that surprised you? many exercises bring forward questions and answers. anything in that exercise the

put new items on the agenda for corp. approved by second question is all this in an age of austerity and budget spirit the strategy informs the strategy or the budget informs the strategy. we are focused on reducing budgets. how does this entered into cybersecurity and the funding of cyber activities? i will ask my third and impossible question. we talked about resilience. within the lisbon treaty, the solidarity clause, where european nations will help others. what does helping one another in solidarity -- we understand how to help one another when an attack happens? it may not be able to be

answered, but i would like to get your answer. bobbi, i will start with you. >> budgets are on everybody's mind right now. certainly not going up anywhere. if i were to say what my concerns over the next five or tend years, the federal budget i do not see getting anything less than the austere in that time friend, and that is going to have impacts on how quickly departments in the federal government can go forward.

in that the mentality, we look for a moment that had to happen anyway. we talked about the fact that technology is revolutionizing things every day. those are moments that have to happen and we need to learn to take advantage of those moments. the other thing it is forcing, recognition alignment and more willingness to create that working together that 10 years ago were more complicated than today. i do not see it getting better anytime soon in in that situation. i think it also lays the framework for answering your other questions, which i will take as the same. if we talk about what we might

have learned from the exercise last november, what i would say is in part we learned some things we knew. we have to be reminded of of it from time to time. the other thing is is to your point, we have very different ideas in terms of what privacy and cybersecurity are. we know at one level, but we see yet in practice in that exercise. those are opportunities for us to have frank discussions. we need to have those discussions because the one thing i know is every time we have had an incident that has been one where we handled with partners, we have all shown up.

there has always been somebody on the other end of the phone app. there is going to be -- folks are still want to show up. i think these issues where we misunderstand each other, these will continue unless we have more of these tabletops and dialogs so we can get to a real live every day it action in that frame. thank you. >> thank you. i will address the article 5 question. when it was worded, people talked about armed attacks. nobody had any idea about cyber

security, nor did anybody think of an international terrorist organization. the policy of the alliance has been to beat goalie behind that policy, to fill article 5 with constructive liquidity. we do not define the means or do not limit article 5 decisions to the means of attacks. it will always be a political decision as to whether a certain development come out attack, requires an article 5 response. nobody in 1939 would have thought or invoked article 5. this is the only time that article 5 has been activated. clearly, if an attack were to be destructive and directed

against an ally of debt -- that bartle can go to the council and invoke article 5. in certain situations, when the attacks are destructive, they would consider those to be military attacks and would not limit their options to cyber means but also make use of other means, even kinetic means. that should be the policy of nato, as well. >> the development does not need that many budgets. that is a fast developing capability. there are many things that could be done, including in times of

constrained budgets. many things should be done. there are some things that cannot cost money, and there are other things that would bring better perspectives. i would mention cloud competing. if we do not trust hellhole system with clout competing works, we are not going to get the benefits, and that is from small businesses, the economy, but mostly for the economy. [unintelligible] would bring enormous benefits. better management of the budgets. any dollar invested in this type of a system would be a good investment.

i would not say there are constraints that are affecting us. it is a difficult situation. it does not mean that cyber issues should not be on the top of that. in the report i am drafting and hopefully the parliament will see in june, i am suggesting the establishment of a legislative dialogue. this is a good idea. your chairman of the delegation, somebody who is interested in this issue. they are essential in order to have progress.

a few things about the resilience of the connections. the u.s. strategy in the military would be considered [unintelligible] and the u.s. will have the right to commit to it. this is important. all the other nato members have to move in that direction. because the internet is becoming more and more vital of the functioning of the country, in terms of normal life. the u.s. is leading in that direction. the other countries have to follow. these are very good questions. i do not have the answer about article 5 -- of course, that is

not a level of reaction. it has to do with the confidence and assurance the other countries have the capacity. the member states in the european union -- [unintelligible] >> that is a very important point. any more questions for bobbi? we welcome your questions and comments. such a good presentation, you stunned them all. with that, let me think our three panelists. outstanding presentations. let me by way of concluding thoughts thank you, our audience. we have had an exceptional day, in one room, in one day.

we haven't had the commissioner, the deputy secretary, experts, what a treat this has been, and what an important part of the transatlantic dialogue. you have given us great food for thought and this is a subject matter that we hope to very much continue on into that future. you have given us a great agenda forward. i think you for that. with great thanks to christopher robb and the european security roundtable, the estonian government that has been so supportive of this effort. . jim lewis who is the mastermind of cyber security here at csis. we are grateful for your thoughts, comments, and insightful questions.

we look forward to seeing you again here at csis soon. we thank you and we thank our panel. [applause] >> dan rather recounts his broadcasting career, including his dismissal from cbs, this evening live on booktv.org. >> a report concludes many laws are disguised voter suppression text diactics.

[applause] >> that may offer remarks and oppositions -- observations. i want to begin by thanking at howard university community, the faculty, and students. and alumni. let me also especially mention the howard university alumni club in trenton, new jersey, who are watching this event a. let's give them a big hand. xaviert to thank zavie williams and at&t.

at&t has been a strong supporter of the national urban league. we appreciate their sponsorship of this year plus state of black america for the second year in a row. let's give at&t -- and also for a person who works very closely with us. let me say how stimulating, house special, how powerful it has bid this week for urban leagueers across the nation to be here at capitol hill. at the department of labor, at the department of education, at the department of housing and urban development, and at that department of health and human services, carrying the messages of empowerment, the message of the urban league.

board members, ct 0's, and nonprofessionals -- give yourself a big round of applause. [applause] now, since 1976 the national urban league has annual league presented the state of black america. this report began when a former president, vernon jordan, watched president ford present his state of the union in the mid 1970's. in that statement, address, president ford did not mention urban, did not mention black, did not mention poor people or their concerns, even once. vernon jordan at that time said if he will not do it, the

national urban league will pyrrhic each year since then, we have presented this report which is called the state of black america, but, friends, and colleagues, when we talk about the state of black america, we are talking about the state of the nation, because as black america and urban communities go, so goes this nation. we're in the ostensibly -- in dispensibily wound together in the 21st century. we asked each year, what is the state of black america? in 2012 i must report the state of black americans is we are

under attack. the quality of education is under attack. how is the quality of education under attack? when tens of thousands of schoolteachers are laid off in school district after school district, in cities across the nation, the quality of education is under attack. economic equality is under attack. when 10% of the people control 2/3 of the net worth in this nation, when unemployment has skyrocketed to nearly 14%, a 15%, 16% in black america and double digit in most urban centers, economic equality is under attack.

in 2012, the right to vote is under attack. democracy is under attack. why is democracy under attack? let us walk back to 89 mi. taxes,1890's, poll literacy tests, and comprehension tests were introduced in an effort to stop the rise of newly freed slaves from participating fully in the elections process. the grandfather clause, when these were taken together in my own case -- homestake by 1910, a state that in the 1880's had had a black governor and two black

lieutenant governors. there were only 750 black man on the voting rolls indeed, i spoke to my mother. in 1953, she returned to new orleans a graduate of boston university, where she had been a classmate of dr. martin luther king. she went down to the voter registration office -- [noise] mother? [applause] she went down to the voter registration office to present herself to register to vote. the voter registrar looked at her voter registration card and said, "what color are your eyes

?" she said as she had placed on the border registration card my eyes are brown." the registrar said, "my eyes are blue -- "your eyes are black." my mother refused to leave. the registrar left the county, left the some -- represent counter, returned later, and she was allowed to vote. the point is the indignity and the harassment, the gamesmanship and the difficulty placed in the wake of people crier to the voting rights act is something we must be reminded of.

in 2012, which are witnesses to an avalanche, an avalanche of new voting loss in 34 states across the nation, new voting bloc laws which seek to impose strict photo identification requirements, new voting requirements that's the to restrict early voting, new voting laws that seek to restrict absentee voting, which make it difficult for people to carry out voter registration drives. we ask a simple question -- why and why now? why and why now is there this new avalanche? we say is an attack on democracy. we say that these new voters a partial loss is something we must -- voter suppression loss

is something we must address. this will address the voter participation of some 5 million voters across the nation. recently, i am proud that a circuit court judge in wisconsin signed an injunction. earlier this week, temporary albeit, to prevent the wisconsin voter i.d. law from taking effect. just yesterday -- [applause] just yesterday in the state of ohio, a world war ii veteran, 86 years old by the name of paul carroll, presented himself where he had voted for a very long time. he had paid someone to drive him to the polls. when he arrived, he took out his

veterans identification card and presented it. he was turned away by the poll commissioned burst their who said that veterans of identification card did not meet the new strict requirements of all ohio walaw. ladies and gentlemen and colleagues, this voter suppression law is going to affect, yes, african-americans, but it will affect senior citizens of all races. young people of all races. case in point, in the state of texas, the great state of texas, the voter i.d. laws there allows one to use a gun ownership permit, a concealed to carry permits, as proper

identification, but says that and i'd be issued by the university of texas, a state school, is insufficient. what message does that send to young people? what message does that send? voter suppression -- there is a chain of evidence. bob erlich, and one of his consultants said, said suppression of votes is a desired outcome. we want to create confusion, frustration, and dampen the enthusiasm. tom corbett, governor of pennsylvania, said we must keep the vote in philadelphia elo below 50%. bett cut $50rpo

million from the budget for public education. that is why tonight as a part of the 2012 state of black america, the national urban league is announcing an occupy the vote campaign. we must occupy the vote, because if we are going to have a voice on education, teachers, and schools, we must vote. if we're going to have a voice on economic equality, jobs policy, work force policy, we must vote. if we are going to have a voice in this new discussion in this nation about what the plan for america is going to be to build a 21st century economy, we must vote. not only must we vote.

we must resist -- we must resist efforts in 2012 to enact these voter suppression laws. seven states have enacted these voter suppression laws. i am proud the attorney general and a division of civil-rights refused to preclear south carolina's voter i.d. mall. -- i.d. law. and we will joint in encouraging that the department of justice refused to preclear any voter i.d. law enacted in any state rights by the bvoting act to pick our advocacy must be strong and unyielding. we must occupied the vote.

we must occupy the vote, not simply because the coating is the right thing to do, but because we want to have a voice. college students right here and now, at howard university and across the nation, are facing increasing costs, increasing challenges to affordability. young people who are finishing college are finding difficulty finding jobs and employment in their chosen field of study. we must occupy the votes so we at age boys about the future of this nature. -- so we have a voice about the future of this nation. an on-line election center that you see on the screen will be a comprehensive place where you will be able to learn about the

voting laws in your state. you will be able to connect to a hot line to secure a voter registration form if you do not have one. it will -- there will also be updates on changes and challenges the voter suppression laws across the nation and information on voting. ladies and gentlemen, we must occupy the vote. occupied the vote. tonight, before we stipe -- occupy the vote. tonight i want to introduce you to several people, and i want to introduce you to these people who have been helped by the urban league affiliates across the nation. we have to be those that connect the dots. the people i will introduce to

you were helped by programs that are some cases funded by federal dollars, in some cases with private dollars and federal dollars. but they have been helped because this nation has had a commitment to invest in people, investing in people. and proud at this time first to introduce someone you met at lunch, jasmine griffin. stand up, jasmine. jasmine joined the number virginia urban league program last fall. before she enrolled, she was not involved in any creek extracurricular activities and was undecided about the future. without participate in a program

for girls called the field now institute, she determined to prepare for her future as a business entrepreneur h. jasmine is going to be a businesswoman and entrepreneur. our next success story, ray jones, was homeless. he was homeless when he joined the metropolitan wilmington urban league's project ready program. that program, helped him identify scholarship opportunities, complete financial aid documents, and determine the college and programs that best matched his interest and career aspirations. he is not a student at delaware

state university. -- he is now a student at delaware state university. [applause] and he was a centennial used speaker in 2010 in washington, and i would like to -- along with debra -- willhim and debra a big hand for making a difference. thank you. and finally, we have carol perkins. carol perkins is a graduate of the mature workers per gram at the urban league of essex county in newark, new jersey. i am happy to report that because of the mature workers program, carroll found a fulfiling full-time job after nearly four years.

to the mature workers program, she was able to refine her job skills and learn new skills that result in a brand new career opportunity. she is here but the president and ceo of the urban league of essex county, vivien frazier. let's give them a big round of applause. these people are what the urban league is all about. some people and some organizations talk a big game. they are talk tanks. some organizations produce fancy position papers, and i respect that the position papers. but they produce fancy position papers and we call them think tanks.

then the urban league is on the ground, in the community, industry, helping people like jasmine, and we tank. do let's put our hands together for achievers., the we are going to give you a round of applause. [unintelligible] your success is our success. before we began the panel we must occupy the vote. it is time for us to say not to

now, not on our watch will we allow the hands of time to be ratcheted back. not now and not on our watch are we going to allow the difficult and historic gains made to expand democracy to be rolled back. not now and not on our watch are we going to allow a nation, which has spent $1 trillion trying to promote democracy abroad, erect fences and barriers to democracy here at home. not now and not on our watch are we going to be pushed away from the decision-making table when it comes to schools and education, jobs and economic policy in this country. not on our watch and not now.

we must occupy vote. argue ready? are you ready? we're going to take a short break and then i am going to come back, and we're going to begin our panel, and let me just say this is a town hall discussion. we are live on the web cast. we also want to let you know that c-span is taking us tonight. we want to thank all of the media and social media, facebook and twitter. this give them all a big hand. for giving us a chance to promote this message deon epi it -- this message beyond. keep your seeds for the next 30

seconds. seats in next 30 seconds. we must occupy the vote. let me very proud the basket to put your hands together mr. jeff johnson but jeff johnson is our floor moderator and we are proud he is back with us for yet the second year in a row. it's my honor to introduce our panelists. first, blogger and political analyst, miss kelly goss. she is on an snb see every monday.

give her a hand. [applause] the activist and writer, mr. kevin powell. [applause] the president and ceo of the greater urban league of new orleans and our host for the 2012 urban league annual conference, nolan rollins. [applause] the dean of the school of education right here at howard university, dr. leslie fed wick. [applause] the activist and a radio host, the truce ser, warren ballantine. [applause] -- truce say year, warren ballantine.

by memory. s the the leader of the hip-hop action caucus, reverend leonard year would. [applause] professor here at howard university, dr. gregory carr. [applause] and very, very probably, the one of our student essay contest and a proud alumnus of the urban league in peoria, ill., this does array lockheed. [applause] -- miss desiree lockheed. let's give our panel of big round of applause.

[applause] let me start this way. i want to start, does array, with you -- desiree and kevin. you heard the conversation about voter suppression and you know that young people play this incredible role of in the 2008 election cycle. what does 2012 hold when it comes to young people and voting? >> i believe 2012 is very important for young voters. we are in a position now where we are looking at candidates across the board at looking for people who are going to represent our best interests as students, young adults, people going out into the professional

field for the first time. we are definitely looking at the economy and who will be the best in terms of providing jobs and making sure the economy is stable and sustainable as we start in our careers and go out in the futures. that's very important. in terms of voter suppression, a lot of times this is the first time people are voting when they are in college as a freshman, sophomore or junior. we have not been exposed to the political process on an end to and level until now. -- on an intimate level until now. >> thank you. kevin powell. >> good evening. i just spent the last two months in probably 50 different schools and i tell you what i'm hearing everywhere i go.

this generation is the most brilliant, widest -- wisest generation we have produced in america. if you look at any generation, you have got to take the leadership. it is important that you understand what you did in 2008. it was the spirit of young people to put barack obama add to the presidency of the united states. as we talk about occupying the vote, but stop only exercising your vote but exercising your voting rights. when i was a college student 20 years ago, this was the work we did -- registering people and protecting their rights and places like alabama and mississippi. beyond that, when i think about how important young people are today, you have to play a role in the next four years for the president of the night of

states. i hope it will be the same person but i can't say that here. that agenda is jobs and getting a quality education. i'm looking to you all as leaders in this country. >> you all talk to lots of people all the time and you listen to a lot of people all the time, particularly young people, young voters. what do you hear about, what issues stimulate their interest? >> first and foremost, thank you for having me here. the hip-hop caucus -- it's always a delight to have the hip-hop caucus and urban league working for our people. that is so important. what i hear as we are 12 years

and to the 21st century is that this is not a game. unfortunately, our mothers are dying, our mothers are having foreclosures and our fathers are getting cancer, our kids are getting as much. this is not a gate. what has transpired and what continues to transpire for our generation is that there is an attack -- in the state of black america, the rise and fall and rise again of jim crow, for our generation, this is our lunch counter moment for the 21st century. [applause] if we don't get it right now at this point, it will have catastrophic results going forward into the next year or next 10 years going forward. >> thank you.

>> i would like to thank you, the urban league and howard university for hosting us. everyone who has children out there, send them to h.u. if not there, north carolina -- just thought i would throw that in there. what i hear from the and people honestly is this -- a couple of issues. i hear education. education is so important to this generation and this generation is unique because they can have a civil rights movement via twitter or facebook. they don't have to go through the churches. they can start a movement overnight. education is a big piece of that, but the second thing i am hearing is jobs.

these kids are graduating in not having jobs opportunities. but it's not just jobs in the sense of we want to be employed, they want to have the opportunity to be employed. they understand that this society today -- what i was growing up that bill but a job application, it would say have you in the last five years ever been arrested for any state? today, it says have you ever been arrested? we have to understand what's happening when we talk about jobs and education. criminality goes in there. --re getting this locked up even colle lot that at higher rates. once you get a mr. reader on your non violent felony charge, it's like a scarlet letter which means you can i get a federal job now. these kids say what do we do if we go to school, get a degree,

we still can get a job. the movement is not just education and job training, it's about getting the scarlet letter a move from their record to be able to move and that's why the urban league is so important. education is important, but you have to be an entrepreneur and understand the system in which you operate in because it is global now. >> thank you. big hand. them a thank you. >> first, i want to echo something that was said about the spirit of young people putting president obama in office which is 100% true. but i'm going to take a step further. was not just the spirit of a up -- not just the spirit of these

but young people to. two groups that put president obama and the office were women and get people. there were 5 million new voters between 2004 and 2008 and 2 million of them were under 30 and most of them were voting for the first time. that tells you the power you have. you made history and the last election and you made a difference in a number of swing states. it's a reminder that the power of young people, you do not have to write a million-dollar check to make a difference in the political process. we have to remember that. the second thing i want to say in terms of the issues that really matter is something i have been writing a lot about this year. that is the issue of the class

divide. i feel particularly passionate about it because i think about my family. my family picked cotton and my parents went to segregated school and the idea they had a child that could go to colombia -- my grandmother, i asked her if she thought she would ever see a black president and she said she'd never even thought about it. when we look at this country and how far i have come compared to where my grandparents were and to think my geese may not be able to come as far as i have because of the inherent injustice that is college affordability and the advantage that people born to privilege having this country -- something that just happened in january which speaks to one of the issues i have been writing

about, when i get students to say i want to be a journalist, how did you make in your career, and it pains me to think this and i will say this but it pains me to think when i get these e- mail that i don't know that it will be as possible for you to do it because i was able to do it because even though i'd don't come from a rich background, i was able to have little bit of help from parents and people care about me to get my foot in the door and have a leg up. at this point, the leg up i needed to go to college and get the financial aid and piece together the package, that is being kicked out from under the chair one leg at time. the chair is collapsing on this generation. when you look at the supreme court take to get the issue of affirmative action again this year and we have all been taught to think this issue is about

race. but the real and justice is really about class. it's about class and the fact that according to studies -- and i want to say rick santorum in the national review has agreed with what i am about to say, so if you think i'm being a wacky progress of liberal -- rick santorum agreed and signed studies that is proven america has been designated one of the least upwardly mobile first world countries on the planet. what does that mean in english terms? according to five studies with -- which the conservatives have agreed with, countries like england where they had a king and queen, it's easier to move up class why is that it is in america. that is what i hear from kids to understand the system is rigged against them in terms of pursuing the american dream.

the reason you see at this right now is because everyone in this room is smart enough to see it that we are sick of it. that is why we are seeing an activist but right now. >> thank you. let's give them a hand. we have to of your distinguished faculty members with us. the deed of the school education and the professor that -- the dean of the school education and a professor of african-american studies. is this generation of young people different, the same, and how? was the most important piece of counsel and advice you give your students to try to achieve success? >> one of the things that concerns me about this generation is that they do not have access to african-american teachers. we're not reaching and teaching our own as we were one or two

generations ago. the previous panelist spoke about her parents were taught in segregated schools. the value of segregated schools were that you had model of the intellectual authority. yet black teachers teaching black students, are laying cultural truth and exceptionally credentialed people teaching in a variety of circumstances that were too often under resources. 73 percent of inner-city teachers are white. if you go outside the inner cities to urban centers across the country, 91% of teachers are white. 68 percent that of inner-city principals are white. the majority of public and school teacher -- public school students are african-american and latino but they have no access to a diverse teaching body. this is a travesty. there are academic and social benefits that accrue to african-

american and hispanic childreny- american and hispanic teachers. they're more likely to be referred to give it education and less likely to be expelled more likely to graduate high school in four years. this country needs to diversify its teaching force. [applause] so when you ask how is this generation different, it has not been cultivated by black educational leadership. >> thank you. >> i will join the west of the panel and say it's good to see you back and it's good to have the urban league in the house. this generation is different in

the same respect that every generation is different. by that, i mean the impact of technology on this generation is less different than the impact technology was on previous generations. it's close to the same. this generation is challenged with the moving image literacy. twitter it enables them to communicate differently. but what that does is create a situation where learning has to reflect that new literacy. the teachers here, the teachers we have at howard middle school, these teachers are challenged with embracing different technologies that they have a learning curve that for the students doesn't exist. that is one of the challenges we have. the second question is very interesting -- what advice do i give students? the united states of america --

the nation state has long since ceased to exist as the organizational core of how people live the world. the question of citizenship is a final question. if you go from dread scott all life for, the question of black citizenship is almost an oxymoron. there does not seem to be a black citizenship with in this constitution. the question of class in a capitalist society is really the question of race. you cannot take the two apart. my advice to students is very similar to the advice know crate for the dead note t for the week. social class has to be linked to a right to a job, a right to a living standard.

that challenge is the fundamental principle of the constitution. our students have to understand that. it's the type of education that takes place -- this is not a princeton conversation or harvard conversation. once you take the united states of america as organizational principle, the conversation gets diluted before it can never be concentrated in a kind of ways that would be helpful to our students. we have to take that seriously and i know we do at howard university every day. [applause] a let's give our panelists big round of applause. nolan rollins is one of 97 distinguished, well educated, smart and passionate met who

lead the rear -- who lead urban league affiliates across the nation. [applause] our affiliate leaders are what we like to call economic first responders. there are in the community responding to the economic crisis. in your work as president of the urban league of greater this recession has no doubt impacted people. is there anything you have seen in your work with respect to this ash -- with respect to the recession that surprises you or you may not have expected in terms of this crisis? >> what is happening now is we're beginning to stabilize industries and governments and things that were there. when you think about times of prosperity, there was always an underserved group of people that existed at door programs developed for that bad ways to help them move from one run of

the economic ladder to the next. what is happening now is as our economies start to attract -- start to retract, we are having a bit of economic darwinism that is existing in unfair ways. you are competing with someone who started on thursday. if you were just learning where the field was that you're having -- on third base. you are having to compete with the one a part on third base, he will continue to see at now. -- who started on third base. we will see it in a way that is surprising to me. if the nation was interested in being able to compete globally, it would not allow its community to be destabilized. what we have to do as and the ceos, we have to figure out what our policies exist to take this market-based approach

that everyone loves and figure out how to make a public good. that is where the opportunity is. you will see a number of things happening whether it is bailout or tax policies -- these are designed and developed to keep the industry going. the question is how do we keep community going? how do we keep community going? there are policies that if we are smart about how we utilize them and use what they are supposed to do, we will help the economy because you have to be smarter these days. >> we're going to go to our first question from the audience. >> we have had every movement you can think about in this country except an economic movement in our community.

we think about money in one of two ways -- big money or no money at all. that is the way we think about money. i used to think about money like that also until i realized -- i grew up in the projects of chicago and the store on the corner from my project, i grew up with the kids in that store. when my friend took over for his father, i said how much do you make in the store a year? he said $12 million. and i said you make $12 million a year in the projects of chicago? then i started to think about it. there are 30,000 families that live within that project. it's just 10,000 families spent $100 a month, that the million dollars a month. imagine if they knew what they were putting into the store that was leaving their community every single day and we do this

every day. we say we don't have money to support the urban league, that you get on facebook and say i just ate at ridgecrest. i just bought the shoes. but i don't have $20. we want to talk about how the man is holding us down. we are holding us down. [applause] we will put our money together to make a move would happen. the reality is this -- black america is not broke. we are not broke. we have plenty of money in the hood. we are just foolish with our money. that's the problem. we have had every economic movement -- i have to piggyback on with the good brother said about not being a citizen of this country. as an attorney -- you can be free because of the 13th

amendment alleged to have it locked up. >> in the 14th amendment, under the equal protection clause, your right to vote is tangential. >> and that's what i have the defense authorization act silicon classified as a terrorist. it's all about economics. until we have an economic movement -- you are laughing at me, but i'm telling you the truth. on my show call i asked my listeners to do two things. one thing that's going to happen as we are all going to die. we die, you can leave something for your children. the second in support the urban league. support these organizations and support people doing something in the our community.

support at&t for sponsoring it. we have to support people to support us. if people say we don't have money to do it, you are a disgrace to your ancestors. you are going out and spending $20 on a hair cut and shoes and purses. [applause] >> there was a great deal of excitement, but there was more you are doing around whole issue of black banking and from a solutions standpoint, which is what all honesty to year, what are some of the things you are asking your listeners to do around black financial institutions and can you talk about that? >> opened accounts at black banks. we have churches that do $300,000 a weekend of their idea of putting a portion of that

money in a black owned bank in the community the church is sitting in. these are the things we need to talk about as far as economic development in our community. the government is not going to save us. this country is not going to save the. the only people going to save us is us. we need to come together and work together. we can set it here and talk about we need to do this for education but there are two things i've learned in my lifetime -- politicians only know numbers and money. if you have numbers on the role, they will listen to it yet to say. the of money, they will listen to achieve that to say. we are putting our money with everybody else. this is the same thing the jewish be and hispanic community and arabic committee does. we need to have that same

process because if everybody in this room but $5 together, said of me having $5, i've got $5,000 that i can make a movement happened. that's how we change what is going on in that community. i just had a big deal with nationwide in my whole premise was neg to put something back in the community. they are willing to put $100 million in life-insurance policies and our community and that's important. if we would do what our jewish brothers, arabic brothers and latino brothers are doing, we can change with going on in our community and fund university programs and national urban league programs and fund are children who are getting locked up illegally by police. there is so much going on, it's too many things to deal with. but the one commonality is economics. if we put money together, we can find what we need to change.

>> i was going to say something different but i was struck by the conversation. history is important. i want to change some of the ways we describe our situations with people. i disagree we should just criticize our people and let racism off the hook. we have to do both. we are reacting and we have internalized the racism. as i listen to people talk, i didn't know any of this black history until i went to college. we have to put into context by the behavior exist in the first place. it's not enough that we don't explain what's happening. you look at the last 45 or 50 years of history, there is a class divide that has exploded.

dr. king was talking at the end of his life in an essay where he said here are solutions that will lead to black power economically and politically. but what happened was for every single one of us who got a college degree and move into certain kind of neighborhood, we a bandit mass since of our people. -- we of banded masses of our people. [applause] there are not a lot of brothers and sisters who have committed their lives to black folks. we bring the same conversation which is its black people's fault. it on a to say that. here is the historical reality -- what other people can say '60s,e been through the

'70s and at the mass report apart by the mass divided you wonder why organizations like the urban league are not supported because people don't think their value. we think other people's kool-aid taste better than our kool-aid. i have been all over this country and i hear this everywhere. it's not even cool to say let's look to other communities are doing. let's look at our own history it's called black wall street. it's called booker t. washington. we should start saying to our people, let's look at the history of economic empowerment. i want to go outside of that. >> the one reason we are in what we are in is because nobody has taught history. >> that is our job. job tosaying it is our

teach the history, but if you go back in history and talk about black wall street and talk about the reconstruction era, and had to do with an economic movement. lincoln did not want to flee -- did not want to free the slaves. the civil rights movement, dr. king's last paper, his economic movement was to spend money -- we have to have -- >> give them both a big hand for a spirited discussion. [applause] >> this is not a heated discussion -- let me finish. it's not a heated discussion, it's a discussion taking place in our community about where we are and what we need to be doing. i am encouraged by a but it needs to go beyond the rhetoric

to what is the strategic move but we begin today to honor what i think both of you are saying and some of you have already talked about that. >> can i correct because i got misquoted? >> i've been standing here for . minutes listening to y'all i've got questions. from facebook -- how can we get people engaged in social media and new technology? we are talking educating, employing an empowering it so much of what we're talking a lot has to use technology to do so, especially if we are falling about where young people are. if we are not utilizing corporate relationships like at&t and others to be able to not just gain access to broader broadbent to utilize technology to educate people, this death

you talked about by way of black wall street should be acceptable to a generation who are not going to open a book. it's easier for young people to talk about where they are partying that where they will be our -- where they are going to be educated. how do we begin to utilize the technology available and not just talk about civic engagement? >> i'm going to keep this brief. you will hear from -- i don't want us to move from the importance of content mastery. this is a conversation that's not unique to a black college. this happens every day. you can go on youtube that you can access that, but the question of how you deal with literacy is very important. i will try to keep this quick.

the new york times had an article about a school where a lot of the ceos and people who worked at the highest levels of google and apple send their children. up to high school. one thing is not allowed in the early grades -- computers. we have to be clear about mastering the craft of reading. [applause] this is not a move from or literacy to print-based literacy. when you from orality to literacy, the people to deal with the world get shut out next. but when he moved to technology taking control, we run the risk of losing content mastery. everything is not on the internet. children -- there was a study where young people were given a

black very without touch. they spent minutes trying to figure out how to turn it on. they had already been hard wired to that. that is a mine that's not going to be contemplated or thinking about deeper implications. that will be a mind hard wired to being dependent on technology. in the classroom, when we engage, you have to shape your teaching style to address that and build a bridge to bring it back to we are going to open this book and everybody settle down. when we do that, we're moving to a different level of intelligence. we struggle with this every day and i think young people can help us with this. >> part of the thing we mentioned before is the differences between our generation of previous generations -- because of the

influence of technology and twitter and face but, everything we have, we are very much a generation of instant gratification. we want change to happen instantly. if we are trying to enact social change using social networks, we need to make sure we have tangible goals quickly people can see for example, is and it water can make a trending topic. we can see an issue go global and people getting involved. when we are using the social media, we have to make sure we understand that change takes time but there are things we can do all along the way.

>> technology provides us access to information. there's a difference between knowledge and understanding. information, you can pull that up on a screen but knowledge is a process and understanding is something you gain from an education process. one of the things i have concern about is you talk about an instructional technology and social media, those are consumer uses. the larger issues of thinking are processes we should not abandon for corporate profit margin that we need to be mindful of that. >> syria, egypt, they get lots of coverage for being models of using social media to effect change or tell a story.

people forget the first major news story that did that was the jena six -- for those of you don't ever, that teenagers convicted of felonies and facing decades in prison for what was a fight. the reason that story broke, and every person who doesn't know this should know this -- all these other stories they credit social media for breaking, the only reason that story made it to the mainstream media was because a bunch of young, black bloggers conducted dayblog-in on the same day and that is how the story broke. that tells the story of a modern-day activism. there seems to be a misconception when i was quoted earlier about race being a distraction to class.

the point that is making is something our country is uncomfortable with and that includes our community, these things on the issue of class. something i said that made people uncomfortable was the fact that the obama girls have advantages others of us will only be able to dream about. the reason i call that it it date -- the reason i call that a distraction is that people are willing to go to court over affirmative action but no one will sue over legacy admission. that is what i mean. people want to talk about race because it something they can see that it makes them comfortable to say that black kid has an advantage because of something that is unfair when legacy admission of the fact people are admitted, the fact that someone had an internship i could not afford to have because i could not afford to not work is an advantage and no one will sue over that period people

tried to put race in when the unfair part is not just legacy, but the internship culture and these things stand up and a system where those of us not born to privilege -- not only are we not able to find a field but we don't know what the sport is. >> but this is a very important. we have to understand whether it's the populist movement of the 1890's or the refusal of poor whites to move with blacks in the 20's, '30's, '40's or the class cleavage that emerged in the civil rights movement or white flight and refusal to build solidarity. the question of race has always been used to divide class. people are against legacy in court because they believe that they will one day have access to that.

me -- thaty clear to is what i meant. >> let's give our panelists a big round of applause. let's go to our audience. [applause] >> and the president of the national urban league young professionals. [applause] i represent about 5000 members nationwide. i would like to ask -- we are a training ground for leaders, so once you leave college and are starting in your profession, we provide an opportunity for leadership training to help you be a better person and become more proficient in your profession. we see people come to us and maybe a bus driver or in various professions, we like to help

them in those wraparound skills. what programs are available to help people to send to the level start -- level 2 are discussing that may have not had that opportunity what advice would you give them and what programs are available? >> i want to commend it of theyp's. [applause] this -- the first thing for us as a people is that we can't approach a are people in the spirit of charity. as to be from my point of solidarity. the power of our movement only comes when we have them in our movement. when they are part of our movement, we can do things board. as far as we can do as

connecting the streets or how we train people in our community, i think it's very important to use culture. culture is a very important piece with that silly can connect with people where they are. they can be and this process and they can feel like it is their process as well. i know we have occupied the vote and it would be hard to not pay homage to the occupy movement. that's why we are using that name now. we -- i think it's very important to move forward to connect and unify our people.

be on the stage and let him get away with this -- it has nothing to do with context. i is what to say that not only mia president of the hip-hop caucus, but i'm a proud graduate of howard university. >> i had a good time with you all in boston. recommend these things. first, i believe he should have for people in your life at all times -- i don't care if you are going to a professional or whatever. he should have that elder person. have an elder you can talk to and can give you advice in the field you want to participate in. then have the cat who is your same agency may not have the same field but you are going

through life together. then i have my cousin, who i love him, but his life is all messed up. he got five baby mamas and what i want to quit i am like hell no, i can do that. and i have the kids i mentor. i have kids run the country and i have my radio show. then you have to have an honest conversation about the reality of the workplace. there is a white privilege that exists and racism is real and white privileges real. rush limbaugh called president obama a monkey and nobody said nothing and he calls a white woman misled and everyone wants him off the air. in corporate america, yet to go in there knowing that it's like

my mother told me -- hopefully it will always be like this but you have to work twice as hard as somebody who doesn't look like you. that is something you just have to be real about. thatell me if i'm wrong -- training component. one question you asked is what makes this generation different and one of the things i think ig component from and activism standpoint and the and leaders who came before -- nobody could sit at a lunch counter without being trained. nobody could be in a march or on the front lines without being trained. it wasn't enough to be passionate, but you had to go through a training apparatus. one of the things i am interested in is where are the organizations or institutions providing that kind of trading

-- that kind of training. if not, what are you doing to develop it? what that want to offer the spot -- part of the this year's state of black america is and eight. plant. there are very specific ideas about job training for disadvantaged youth. people who didn't finish high school on time who want to get their life together. we have to recognize that what high-school system isn't graduating 30% to 40% of african-american youngsters, those youngsters are locked out at left out. they cannot come to howard university or even a community college. one of the things we do well at the urban league, and i think do better than anyone else, is help

those kind of an people with services they need it. i[applause] train people for civic activism is important, but for young adults who are out there, they may have a conviction or they may have an arrest or didn't finish high school on time, we say in our report is it the station can spend a trillion dollars on a w wq, we n spend a couple of billion dollars helping disconnected you find work and find jobs. it's a question of priorities. >> let me just say a couple of quick things -- part of the conversation happening here -- it's the classic conversation -- we have seen it before. the interesting thing about it is we are a complicated people and it's going to take complicated solutions to solve our problems. but those solutions come when we

define the problem and create the solutions. what i would say from a trading standpoint is having this conversation about social media and these things are extremely important because we have a more educated generation that we have had before, but what do we do with it? how do we have this generation defined the problem and say here are the issues that exist today and here is the solution? how we make sure that person who may not sit in this room or maybe a part of it, how did have access to opportunity? it is going to take us to create that pathway for communities to be stronger. it's ours to do. it is our lunch counter moment and it is a classic conversation about very difficult and systematic approaches for solving very difficult problems and we should not be afraid to be smart about

it. let's be intelligent about how we get it done. >> another question from the audience. >> i have a facebook question. before 2010, only two states had strict boater id laws. now laws have passed or are pending in half the states and how we address it? >> when i was in college in the 1980's, we learned how to become organizers and leaders by reenacting the freedom rides of the 1960's. we were supported by an older adult who was our mentor. we went into the south and organized and register people to vote and challenge unfair laws. what i would say to students here, we had 700 students who got involved a couple years ago. you have to find something you

can't organize, not just at howard university, but in the communities of washington d.c.. you have to become engaged in the work on a regular basis. [applause] i respectfully disagree we cannot learn from social networks. i love books, i've written a of 11 books in my life, one thing and clear about what i am on facebook and twitter, this is a very different time, not just for young people. all of us get information in a very different way. we all have a responsibility -- watch the urban league live stream. people are there and hope is they are listening to this panel and they're taking the step that will do their research and say how can i go deeper with this thing? the last thing i want to say -- solutions -- in brooklyn, new york, there is a organization i

support. many of the folks who are founders went to college but they worked with people in housing projects for brooklet and helped folks understand your leader, it doesn't matter if you are on welfare or have a ged. you have the chance to challenge your situation. i love the young urban elite professionals. i love you all. but i said a couple weeks ago that we have a responsibility as folks with skill sets and resources to go into these communities that show people how they can be self-empowered. [applause] i believe the role of a leader is to make yourself obsolete as quickly as possible. in my humble opinion, a leader should be one of three things -- they should change the direction of the conversation, stopping the same stuff over and over

again. create an institution or business that supports the community. number three, you have to be accessible to the people. yet to love the people that have compassion for the people at the history of the people and help them understand where they come from. i agree with everything that he said it's our responsibility. meet the people where they are. on facebook and twitter, they're watching us right now. that's what a leader does and that is why the urban league is important. >> to answer your question, what changes is president obama 1. what changed in terms of voter i.d. laws was there are 5 million new voters and most of them voted for the president. that is why we have voter idea was being pushed and a bunch of the states. >> that's right.

>> we have another question. >> shout it out. >> [inaudible] [inaudible] how do we educate our generation on these issues? hear, those who didn't

how do we reach those folks who are not in contact with folks on a regular basis? we seem to be coming down to some basic point. what brother kevin said -- this question of love and compassion for your people and culture. next week, howard students are leading the alternative spring break initiative and are going to several cities. [applause] young. this question of education, you bottle it so if a young person is not an affiliate with the urban league and i spent last february in new york having this same conversation. if you are not at a black church that lost its mind and does deal with the gospel of

jesus christ, if you are not in one of those places, you can go out as a representative of those spaces. they will be in chicago, it knew -- chicago, detroit, they're going to haiti. intervene in the life of a six- year old or 7-year-old and that spark can lead to an infectious moment. a spiritual moment or educational moment is infectious like a disease and that child will never be the same. each of us can be represented on the streets to go and add that those other places. that's important. >> what did you say your name was? you are 19? when i was your age, i came home from christmas break and got into a car because i did want to drink and drive. i was asleep in the carter for guns in the car -- four of us in

the car. my friends knew the guns or the car and the police ran our names that i was the only one who had not been arrested. all my friends had dropped out of high school. two white cops said all four guns belong to me. i was sent to jail for six months, lost my scholarship and everything. couldn't afford no attorney. an attorney took my case and i remember my aunt coming to see me on a saturday and she said have you prayed to god? that night i prayed and my mother came to see me and it was like forest gump. she said i found an a for $500. we went to court and the judge apologized because the crops lie and tell my friends that they testified held true that they were going to jail because they were on probation. at the end of the case, the attorney look to me and said what did you think?

i said i have to repay you. went to law school. true story. went to school. went to law school. those same three boys that was in the car with me who had dropped out of school, while i was an undergrad they started coming to visit me in undergrad and start seeing how much fun i was having in undergrad. so they went and got g.e.d.'s. so they could come to undergrad with me. these same three boys. graduated why undergrad and went to law school. saw me in law school and seeing my experience. so next thing i know, they graduated from undergrad and these same three boys, they're in master programs now. [applause] two in masters programs and one in law school. >> wow. >> i get out of law school and start working in my field and next thing i know i'm going to the graduation of those same three boys with masters degrees and law school.

and i'm telling that you story to say this -- never in my mind did i think inviting them up to college would change their lives. and as i grew and became older and older, that's when i started really realizing that i'm not just here affecting me. i'm affecting everybody i come in contact with. so how do you change or reach out to these other people who are not here in this room and -- you change by showing them the example that you are. >> ladies and gentlemen, let's give jeff johnson a big round of applause. all of our -- from the floor and please join me in saying thank you first to desiree lucky, winner of our howard student -- ask we thank lorraine bryson from peoria, you aren league, in her important work in helping

desiree along the way. desiree, one more time for desiree lucky. [cheers and applause] and let's thank dr. gregory kohl for his insightful commentary. the reverend leonard sheerwood of the hip-hop action caucus. warren ballantine who you can hear on the radio every day. [applause] dr. leslie fenwick, dean of the school of education right here in howard. preparing and training teachers every day. our colleague, nolan rollins, president of the urban league of greater new orleans. writer and activist kevin powell. and the blogger and commentator kelly governor. -- goff. also i would like you to know the state of black america, if you want to read it online,

it's available online for free. if you would rather, and it's your druthers, to get a hard copy, you can get hard copy for a small cost. so you can get it hard, or you can get it online, but we want you to read the state of black america. so many articles. and also, i want you to join me in offering some very special thanks to politics 365, jeff is with politics 365. for all that they've done. [applause] i want to thank the national urban league staff and the staff of the national urban league policy institute for all of their hard work this week. let's give them a big, big round of aprause. -- applause. dr. and dr. , dr. and mrs. sidney reboen and his wife, stand up, dr. reboen, one more time. the leader of howard

university, the first lady of howard university. and the entire howard university community. we want to thank again at&t for being our sponsor this year. let's give them a big, big hand. also, to all the -- you came out in large numbers and set a record. and i want to thank the entire audience. and encourage you to look at tonight as just the beginning of this conversation. about occupying the vote. the important conversation of what we have to do in 2012 and hope you leave tonight informed, educated, inspired, and empowered. empowered to go back to your local communities, take this message, empower to continue to do the very challenging but important work of lifting

people up and helping them find economic sustainability. i hope you'll go back and lend your voice to this effort that we must have against voter suppression. and i hope you will go back and spread the good word of the urban league movement. the urban league movement. the civil rights organization of the 21st century. so again, thank you for coming. now, i've got an ipad. man, this thing is nice. and we had a promotion. and the winner of the texting promotion, ipad winner, can i get a drum roll? leah castleberry. give it up for leah castleberry. shetion the winner -- she is the winner of an ipad,

connected to at&t. so again, ladies and gentlemen, i want to encourage you, the webcast of the state of black america will continue to be available at iamempowered.com. look for the c-span playback and we want to thank c-span for being here. thank you for being a part. urban leaguers, remember, we've got an early call for the meetings that we have in the morning, the tour of the martin luther king monument, and the special briefing that i know and tour that i know a lot of you all are going to attend. so harry johnson, we're going to see that monument. congratulations to you. stand up, harry johnson. urban league trustee, former president harry johnson and president of the martin luther king. so ladies and gentlemen, thanks

for being with us, good night. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012]

>> the libertarian party selects its presidential nominee this weekend at the party's national convention in las vegas. our live coverage begins tomorrow night at 9:00 p.m. eastern with a two-hour debate between the candidates. including former new mexico governor gary johnson. then on saturday, we'll have the nominations and balloting for the nominee beginning at noon eastern here on c-span. >> this weekend, on book tv, son after word, seth jones documents the war against quade since 9-11 in "hunting in the shad owes" -- "hunting in the shadows" and your questions for tom brokaw, in depth, sunday live at eastern. book tv. every weekend on c-span 2. we take you to colorado springs for the annual leadership program of the rockies. you'll hear from reverend c.l. bryant, a tea party activist

and a former naacp chapter president from texas. reverent bryant discusses why he left the democratic party and became a black conservative in his new movie called "runaway slave, run from tyranny to liberty." this is 50-mans. -- this is 50 mince. -- 50 mince. >> matt is a well respected, national public policy expert, the best-selling author and political commentator. news week called kipee one of the mastermind of the tea party politics. his expertise has led to frequent appearances on national news shows including fox news, nbc, abc, cnn, msnbc, fox business, pbs and c-span. dubbed the describes by new york dale -- scribes by the "new york daily news," "the new york times'" best seller, give us liberty, a tea party manifesto. please help me welcome matt kipee to introduce c.l. bryant.

[applause] >> how are you guys doing? does anyone here believe in freedom? does anyone here think that the government is spending too much money it doesn't have? ok. here's the test. does anyone think sometimes as frustrating as it is, that maybe you have to beat the republicans before you can beat the democrats? ok. i just wanted to make sure we're in the right place. later on today, right after lunch, we are showing the colorado premiere of a movie that i am really proud of. called "runaway slave." and that will be showing right after lunch. and i got to tell you, money back guarantee, it's worth your time. it's powerful. you might get a little choked up. but you definitely are going to be fired up after you see this movie. so please, if you can, stay for that movie. i first met c.l. on september

12, 2009. we had both walked from freedom plaza, 1.3 miles up to the capital for what turned out to be the largest fiscally conservative protest i believe in the history of the united states. and we didn't really know each other at the time but we were there with about a million of our best friends. and he got to the stage long before i got there. and i had never met him. but i heard this voice coming from the stage. has anyone ever heard c.l. speak? well, you're in for a treat. he may melt your face off, so be prepared. [laughter] but i was waiting up to the stage through this huge crowd. and c.l., i think, as much as anybody, captured what i call the tea partiethos. -- tea party eeth owes -- ethos. there's something about men and women who have risen up to take their party back.

they have a set of values and more importantly, they're willing to put their personal lives, their families, their careers, on the line for the things that they believe in. and c.l. represents all of those things. i couldn't be more proud that he's my friend. i couldn't be more proud for the work that he's done, the work that we've done together in the trenches in the last two years fighting to take this country back. can you guys give a round of applause for c.l. bryant? [applause] >> thank you. hello, patriots. it's good to be here with you today. and it's still a great day in the u.s.a. and i want to have you join me before we go any further in thanking the finest men and women on the face of the earth. ask that's the american soldier. let's give them a round of

applause. [applause] i want to thank not only matt for that wonderful introduction. of course, his friendship in freedom works and all that they have meant to me. and we've meant to each other over the last couple of years. but i also want to thank chairman schafer here as well as sherry and kristin -- christina. i want to thank four friends that i have met here in the last 48 hours. karen, lee, and sherry, and don. i want to thank you for your hospitality. and i am very happy to be here with patriots like yourself and people like you who want to see a legacy continue in this country. i understand that it was 20 years ago that terry constant

ine planted an idea that in fact has grown to what we are experiencing here today. 20 years ago, of course, we were coming to the end of the reagan-bush era. and our nation somehow in the time that has passed between there and 2009 had fallen asleep. and unfortunately, an enemy crept in among us. and it planted seeds of discord among the american people. in the last 2 1/2 years, we as americans must have learned something. and iffer a feeling -- and i

have a feeling the two things that we have learned is one, if you take for granted liberty and freedom, they can and they will leave you. and two, is that we as americans must understand that we have enemies. all across this world. and they hate us because we're free. they hate us because we have the right to pursue liberty and freedom. there are those who actually covet what we have here in this country. they covet our success. they covet our lifestyle. they covet our wealth.

somehow when they see us, and they look around at places like this, the broadmoor, which is a fine, fine place, somehow they think that this just happened. they hear our message. they hear our message that america is a place where if you're bold enough, brave enough, you can still secure what we all have known as the blessings of liberty. not only for us but for our children. and i have come here tonight or this afternoon, and i want to make very certain that you understand that the islamic threat is real. and the security to our country

is real. and it's time that we wake up. it's time that we understand that we must defend our country against all enemies foreign and domestic. we must make that stand right here and right now today. there are those who visit our land, and they see what we have accomplished. and they go about their way to manipulate the system to remain here. and i want you to understand that our nation is in fact a very unique country. a thought occurred to me a few days ago that if we were to become russian citizens, we still would not be able to

become russians. if we were to go to denmark and become citizens of denmark, we would still never be danes. argentina, if we were to go there, we would never become argentineans. but the most important thing and the most beautiful thing about america is that it does not matter where you came from. we all have come here, and we all are now regardless of if we're irish, if we're english, if we're african, we all now unite in this country as america and that must not go away. we must hold on to who we are. [applause] to achieve the american dream,

but while we slept, an enemy crept in. friends, i need you to understand something. there is an evil among us. an evil among americans and our way of life. and that evil is called multiculturalism. that is something that will destroy the fiber of our country if we don't pay attention. you see, there are those who do in fact covet what we have. they want to come here to our country. and i need to tell you, they don't want americanism. they want our stuff. they want what we have. but they do not want to assimilate. as all immigrants have done,

they do not want to become american. you and i in this room tonight, we understand or this afternoon, we understand the american dream. and we understand what that means. the american dream. our movie, "runaway slave," goes deeply into an -- and examines the root of the american dream. we examine the freedom that we have. and we examine the idea that america is not a land of guarantees. america is a land of opportunity. and you here in this room today, graduates of l.p.r.,

know what is possible in this country. and you know what is necessary to preserve our nation and our freedom. but i bring you a warning. i bring a warning to all conserve -- conservatives. and that is this. it is time that we take on a different type of posture. it is time that we take on a posture of offense. for too long, we have been in a defensive posture. and the enemies of conservatism , the enemies of the republic, have been assaulting us. they have been abusing us. and they have been insulting us.

matt and i over the last couple of years have been called all types of names from all quarters of our country. that's ok. but we must understand one thing. it is time for us to man up as americans and go on the offensive as conservatives and defend who we are and who we stand for. [applause] you apologize far too much. we have the truth. the progressive liberals will always try and put you on the defensive. but i tell you this. stop being on the defensive. be who you are. stand on the principles that

did in fact cause this country to be the greatest country the world has ever known. there was a time in our nation when we were certain that we could defeat any enemy. any foe. and we could always identify our enemies. and we were certain that whatever enemy that attacked us from without, we would be able to repel that enemy. but i come to bring a startling revelation to us now. and that is that ouren miss -- our enemies as was said before i came to the podium are very unidentifiable.

and as a former president of the naacp in garland, texas, in a time when we were suing the school district in federal court, i have seen both sides of this argument. the reason i broke with them is because i came to the realization that the agenda for them was not to just control my agenda but the agenda for them was to control me and then to use me as a tool to control a block of people. that is the liberal progressive method. and their methodology has in

fact controlled a bloc of people for over 50 years. and if you continue to sleep, if you continue not to pay attention to what's going on, then the very method that they have used to enslave that group of people, believe me, they have the same designs on the entire country. and my friends, tonight, this afternoon, if in fact we are unsuccessful in our efforts to take back the white house and the senate here in 2012, then our country will be

fundamentally changed, and we cannot afford for her to go away. that's why we need a leader who can gain respect again of both our friends and our foes. that's why it is important that we choose the right candidate in this presidential election. americans are tired of apologizing for who we are. and i tell you right now, we are -- we do not need to bow down or apologize to anyone. we are the greatest nation on the face of this earth. [applause] we need a leader that our

friends and foes will respect. we need a leader that will put swagger back into the american stride. and we need a leader who is proud to be an american every day of his life. not just when it's convenient. [applause] we need a patriot. we need someone who will not bow down to anyone. now, that leads me to our children. and if i may for a moment tell you that i'm very concerned about our children. i was talking to lee and karen and sherry and don the other night at dinner. and we had a very interesting conversation about our

children. and as i said earlier, there are people who come here to this country, and they want our stuff. i want to tell you something, while we slept, those who are in our classrooms who we have entrusted to teach our children have poisoned their minds. while we slept, our children have been taught by those who have been schooled in socialist doctrine. that america is not an exceptional country. our children have been poisoned

not just by hollywood but by the use of your tax dollars in public schools. and even in the literature that you buy for them, that america is the problem in this world. and just as we try to expose in "runaway slave" that america is still a great land of opportunity, your children, many of them, your grandchildren for sure, are under the impression that somehow you sitting in this room are wild eyed hysterical people. [laughter] who think -- whose thinking is antiquated. your children, believe it or

not, we came to the conclusion they want our stuff. and even though we don't like to think about this, there are some who are waiting for the demise of the free market system. the demise of capitalism. so they can get our stuff. but this is a hard thought that i'm about to share with you. and that is unfortunately our children. we have been pursuing happiness. we've been pursuing life. we've been pursuing liberty. and we've been making them happy. but our children, their

happiness has depended upon us. and they unfortunately do not have the same drive, the same determination, to get for themselves what we were willing to sacrifice to get. the old saying in louisiana comes from an old song, it says mama may have. papa may have. but god bless the child. who's got his own. simple idea. but it is one that is missing in our children. they don't want to get their own. they want to have yours. and they want to have it now. my grandfather, a man who was a

great man. but if you wrote his name on the back of this wall, he would not be able to read it. his father was a slave. my dad had a third grade education. here i am, two degrees, standing before people all across this country that i have never met talking about the very same things as that man who could not read. taught us.

that was by the sweat of your brow, the work of your hands, and the determination that god gives you the strength to accomplish. i stand here before you as a free man in america. [applause] the american spirit is built on such stories. but if we allow socialist tendencies to invade, i don't know about you, but i stand here saying with every fiber of my being, i will refuse to surrender our country to socialism, and i will stand against it with every ounce of

my being. [applause] i refuse to watch and sit by as our constitution is trampled upon. and we must determine today that we will defend the most divinely breathed document that our country has and that is the american constitution. we must defend it against foreign and domestic foes. [applause] and we send this message to this administration. i stand firmly with cardinal dolan now, in saying that americans will not yield, and we will not comply to any legislation that is against our consciousness and that is against our moral values. [applause]

we stand together as catholics, protestants, jews, gentiles, all over this country. and it is important that we understand that if they come for the catholics, they will come for the jews, and they will come for the protestants, even the agnostics. if we yield now, we might as well prepare to continue to yield until there is nothing left to give up. ronald reagan said it pest. -- best. that our freedom is only one generation from perishing.

this is why when matt and i met in 2009, this is why 2.9 million americans marched on washington because we sensed something was terribly wrong in this land. we sensed that if we did not speak up, there was something that we could lose and we could never regain. and i stand here to tell you that i was proud to be a tea partier then, and i'm proud to be a tea partier now. [applause]

"runaway slave" is a movie about a people trapped in a system. i grew up in louisiana. i'm very proud of it. my roots run deep in the ducain river and i'm very familiar with creole culture and my my father, great grandfather were all of that culture. there was a system at one time in our country that in fact supported slavery. and these were people who were locked in a system with freedom all around them. the master was free. his friends were free.

and they could see that that was a reality. and every once in a while there was one who said to himself or herself, i want that. i want that freedom. and they must have the courage to say to themselves, whatever it takes, i want freedom. they were run away. they would leave the plantation system. through the perils of reaching freedom, it was a dangerous and very difficult course to take. but whatever it cost, even if

it cost them their lives, they were determined that they would run away from that system and achieve freedom. many of them like harriet tubman, frederick douglass, once they achieved it, they would return, and they would tell those who they had left in bondage, you can be free. but do you know what happened when they returned telling the others about their freedom? many times those who had that slave mentality and a plantation way of thinking,

they would tell the oversears -- overseers that they had troublemakers in their midst. my friend herman cain was called a bad appleby harry belafonte. -- apple by harry belafonte. and i tell you today that type of thinking is exactly what the progressive left wants to keep a certain group of people believing. that people like myself, people like herman, if you place that bad apple in the barrel with the rest of them, they're going to spoil those who we have already in this barrel. and americans, i say to you, that as one who was a part of

that system, one who ran away from that system, and found freedom for myself, as i now return to tell others, that you can be free, the same thing happens to me. as did to them 150 years ago. but the dogs that are sicked on them now and the overseers that are secked on us now, the dogs -- sicked on us now, the dogs are no longer four-legged hounds, two-legged hounds in the shape of al sharpton and jesse jackson and people like that. those are the ones. [applause] but yet freedom is all around

us. and we must in fact secure it. my friends, whether you came here on the mayflower, or whether you came here on slave ships, america has never been a place that guaranteed anything to anyone. whether you're escaping the tyranny of king george, try a land of unknowns, a place untested and untried, whether you came here and found yourself on the tyranny of a plantation, the same courage still has to be mustered in anyone who will enjoy the

fruits of our great land. so my friends, i encourage all of you with the "runaway slave" movie. to flee economic slavery and run toward the blessings of liberty. now, in closing, i want to say to you as i look out over this crowd, lord knows he has given me an opportunity, a pastor or preacher of 32 years, pastor of 27 years, i've had to leave my pulpit because of my personal convictions.

in a predominantly black church that i pastored, my deacons came to me, and they told me just about a year and a half ago, two years almost, pastor, we don't like this tea party thing that you're involved in. and i don't know about you, i'm southern baptist. and the southern baptist church, a preacher is only one deacon's meeting away from being unemployed. [laughter] but they came to me, and i had been there for nine years. we had just built a brand new church. the old one was sort of off the beaten path. and we built a beautiful building. and i don't know about here in this neck of the woods, but down in my neck of the woods, $1.5 million million building is a pretty substantial building in our neck of the woods. and the lord had been gracious to let us do that.

then i called matt, and i told him about this idea that i had for "runaway slave." and matt, i need some help. and he got behind me on the project. and when they heard about "runaway slave" movie, if you think they didn't like tea party, they lost their minds. [laughter] this "runaway slave" thing. so we came to the parting of the ways. and i guess sort of like moses, i led them up to the promised land but i never went in with them. but it was time for me to leave. matt and i in tel aviv about six months ago, we were able to start the first tea party in israel.

we call it kosher tea. [laughter] [applause] started off with 70 people crowded into a cramped little space. not much bigger than this platform. but now i understand they have grown to over 700. freedom. there's a thirst for it. all across our world. and as i leave you tonight, this afternoon, i usually speak at night. [laughter] as i leave you this afternoon, i want you, americans, to know from the words of christ that these words don't fit many other people in our world today. but it does fit you in this room here today.

you are the salt of the earth. but if the salt loses its savorness, savor, its usefulness, then it is good for nothing but to be thrown out, trampled under the foot of men. you are the light of the world. a city that is set upon a hill cannot be hid. so let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works, america, glorify our creator who gave us the rights that we have. and as i travel around this

country, sometimes shaking unfriendly hands sometimes finding myself in perilous places, it would be good to know that there are people right here in colorado who are wishing me well and praying for us. so i have just one more question for you. are there any patriots in this room here today? is there anyone here who will stand up for american values? is there anyone here who will stand up to the republic, stand up for god and country? then americans, stand up! stand up! stand up! god bless you. god bless america. [applause]

sure. yells. -- yes, sir. >> from the class of 2012 l.c.r. and chairman of the araphaho county tea party. araphaho county serves the city or a city named aurora is part of araphaho county. a large black population. look around this room, and with the exception of you, i don't see any black people. i don't have any black people -- >> i spotted a couple over there. i'm -- we're good at doing that. [applause] >> i would say if the population is 12% that we're a little short here today. >> absolutely.

>> a gentleman named derrick willburn started the rocky mountain black tea party which is an excellent start. but people i've talked to over the weekend, i hear a lot who say they don't think we're going to take the white house this year. they seem kind of resigned to that possibility. i on the other hand don't believe we can take that chance. so i would like to know how do we accelerate the process of getting out the message? we have 10 months. we don't have 10 years for something powerful like your movie or a speaker like yourself to permeate our society. what do we do to step it up? >> and i assume that you're speaking of getting -- or an influence on the black vote. >> yes, sir. >> in our country. as i alluded to, in the speech, conservatives must be who we are. we must not run away from who we are. no one persuaded me to become a conservative. i saw that reality for myself. however, i do believe that the pain that the obama

administration is administering on the black community with messages like we have. and i do encourage every one of you to stay and see this film. and then tell your young people and your tea partiers about it. with the unemployment rate being like it is in the black community, with gas prices that will affect the black community as it has been said that when the white community sneezes, the black community gets pneumonia, and what that means is if it's hard for you, then many times it's much harder for them. and if they are not able to see that gas was $1.89 when this man took office, and now it's approaching $4 in our area, at this point in time, then there are none so blind than those who will not see. but we must continue being who we are. let's take the senate.

if we don't take the white house, let's take the senate. and of course we have -- let's hold on to the house of representatives. and then if we do take the white house, then let's hold whoever the candidate is, let's hold his feet to the fire. now, that may be a felony. i don't know. [applause] but hold his feet to the fire. thakse the best advice i can give -- that's the best advice i can give you. >> i thought randy would ask my question. in looking over the group here, there are not very many people here with good tans. and i don't really believe in giving them scholarships to come here because they're tan or not tan or slanted eyes or whatever, but why don't they come and this is true in this state in many of our conservative political events, why aren't people of color coming to our events? >> the liberal media has done an excellent job in sandbagging the name of conservative.

they have done an excellent job in sandbagging the name "tea party." what you will find, and i'm sure those who like me and of the same hue as i am will attest to is that black folks to their core are very socially conservative. have always been. i often notice that in churches where i preach, across the country now, i can be talking to a predominantly black congregation, and i'll talk about the evils of abortion, and everybody -- a-man, reverend. i'll talk about the evils of perhaps even same sex marriage. and amen, reverend. but they will leave that church on that sunday or sunday night and if election day is tuesday, they'll still go and vote for the liberal agenda. when you have 95%, 96%

actually, of people voting for one party over a 50-year period, and we deal with this in the movie, in a very enlightening way. then herman was right. there has been a very thorough and total brainwashing. it's not that they don't want to be associated with you. it's just that they have been led to believe by abc, nbc, and cbs, that you are the enemy. and the strangest thing is they actually in their core believe the same things that you believe. but they are afraid to run away from the system. yes. >> ross kominsky of freedomworks and looking forward to your movie.

a lot of my questions -- our questions are similar and mine are similar, too, but from the 1860's to the 1960's, most of the progress in black civil rights has been due to republicans typically over democrat objections. and for the last 50 years, i guess, einstein is reported to have said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. why is it that blacks are getting terrible results for generations of supporting democrats, at every level, they support democrats, and they're not changing despite the results are so terrible? >> it is because we are the only group of people in this country who when you want to speak to us, or for us, you have to go to what is called a black leader. there are no -- i'm sure there are irish, french descendants, italian descendants,

scandinavian descent, there are no irish leaders. there are no english leaders. in this room. you don't look to al sharpton or jesse jackson. but the old saying was, years ago, that king had a dream, jesse had a scheme. [laughter] and jesse has been very, very good at perpetrating his scheme of extortion. on this country. and he's in the film. he's in the movie. be sure to see the film. al sharpton's in the film. i was told by dick gregorie, the comedian, i was told this to my face, that black conservatives don't exist so there i was a figment of my own imagination standing there talking to him. [laughter] so they have been thoroughly, thoroughly brainwashed. and the leaders because of the government cheese, because of the welfare programs, because of all those things that -- and

we deal with this, in the film, we're going to deal directly with your question in this movie. but because they have been led to a certain place in their thinking, and because roosevelt, and even truman was instrumental in solidifying this image of democrat spirit or better than republican party. they have failed to see historically the fallacy in their beliefs. yes, sir. >> good morning, c.l., geoff smith, l.p.r. class of 2010. thank you very much for your essence operational speech and presentation today. >> thank you. >> i have one comment and then a challenge, actually. the comment is here's a quote. america will not fall from a foreign aggressor but will fall from within without a shot

being fired. >> khrushchev. >> absolutely. and my challenge to each and every one in this audience to take your children and your selves and arrange for field trips -- yourselves and arrange for field trips to go see this film. if we can have the liberal left an inconvenient truth shown in our schools we should have this man's movie shown in there every day. >> thank you, jeff. thank you for your words. thank you. thank you, jeff. [applause] thank you so much. yes, ma'am. time for one more. >> my name is sue johnson. and i'm from denver, colorado, i'm active in the republican party there. i'm also a former software engineer and a current engineering, computer science teacher in boulder valley school district. and my comment is this, is that being a teacher since 9-11, i'm not afraid of the liberal left. what i do is hit it head on. and my comment would be is why don't people like you develop more programs for inner city

kids to understand your ideas? because the liberal left is doing -- dances around you. and you have a huge opportunity with leadership program of something or another. and go straight in against them. >> the book that -- >> and i can recommend my kids to you. >> by all means. thank you. the book that i have written and we -- we had it delivered here. we don't know what happened to it. but we will be taking orders for it. al sharpton took it. [laughter] joseph downs, the young man here, will make arrangements, sherry, crystal will make arrangements for you to secure the book and my signature on it. matt and i are working on that very end. whether we win or lose the white house in this coming election, it will be necessary for us to spread our conservative message throughout all the land.