Were coming up on a historic milestone, half a century since the signing of the long overdue, bitterly struggled for, bipartisanly enacted as republicans in the lead sh may i had, Civil Rights Act of 1964. 99 years after that, long delayed steps towards realizing our stated ideal in the declaration, cited often in this all created equal. This distinguished panel will discuss for half an hour and half a day and not do justice to the subject the question, can america be post racial . Ill be pushing our presenters to tell us why they take the position they do and what should we do about it and name names of who can help us. How are we doing after the historic Civil Rights Act . Thank you so much. Thanks to colorado christian for hosting this event and inviting me to new jersey to colorado. Let me say i think we can go into detail. To open, id like to say that i have to confess i did not know i was a conservative until i met bob woodson. I thought i was a guy simply helping people get out of poverty, decreasing dependency and increasing self sufficiency. I thought i was promoting programs empowering people and revitalizing neighborhoods, adopting children, recruiting foster parents i realized what i was doing is pursuing principles the culture deemed conservative. I have come to say i think were doing well, 50 years later if people like those gathered here can find out like me, because without labels, without the rahrah, many of us are doing work in our own neighborhood. Look we should focus on what the poe teb ten shall is. Im a preacher. And though some of these challenges seem insurmountable, the bible says greater is he in us than he in the world im here to say that we can do three things. We need to build relationships to ensure the right people know the right people not just waiting for election cycles to elect the right candidate. We need to bring resources to each other and not see each other as aliens but rather partners in rebuilding america. And we need to make sure that our principles of righteousness are the Guiding Principles im an old Civil Rights Activist. Raised to teach people to fight to demand their rights. It wasnt long before i had to begin reminding people to deserve your rights, youve got to live right. Righteousness involves a nation. I think that at forums like these, wed include expanding our existing relationships, remember that jesus said they will be judged by the way we treat the least of gods children. We can transform america under goliath of ignorance and racism and believe racism can be defeated with one small song. Great beginning. And it comes from someone walked in those shoes thank you very much, buster soaries. Linda chavez attended cu, lives in boulder now. Youre a brave woman, linda. When i heard of your familys n ancestors going back to 1600s, the border was drawn in a difference place. A lot of it was just wild land, north up there. You cant be too quick to assume that those of us with english surnames have the longest pedigree. Your ancestors, linda were yawning because it had been generations in the new world when mayflower landed with fanfare on the eastern seaboard. That to say as a latino population in america becomes more and more significant demographically, how are we doing 50 years after the Civil Rights Act that wasnt written with hispanic americans in mind but without a racial group in mind at all. Just trying to get it to be post racial. How are we doing . I think were doing pretty well. I will tell you as i listen to sara palin speak and others today, and talk about winning back the white house, and conservatives, if we want ever to be in the white house again, we better learn how to talk to some of the newcomers here. Those hispanics without them, we will not win the white house, listening to pastor soaris, i became a conservative because of affirmative action. I was too old to receive it as an under graduate. They hadnt decided people like me needed special help by the time i went to apply to graduate school, i finished top student in my class in the english department. I was going to go on and get a phd. I saw an advertisement the Ford Foundation was giving away money for graduate school. That looked good to me. I had done, you know, all sorts of jobs putting my way through college. I was marryed and had a child by the time i graduated i went to apply for one of those fellowships for Mexican American students. The Ford Foundation flew me in an airplane to new york city. I got dressed up in my best outfit, went into the interview, i was asked to describe myself and describe my background. I did. Talked about my dad who was a house painter. I grew up blocks from her in what was called capitol hill. At that time it was boarding houses and rooming houses we lived in basements and attics when i finished talking, one of the Ford Foundation interviewers looked at me and said my, you speak english so well. I was about to get a phd in english literature. I hope i spoke english well. It went down hill from there. They started to talk to me about my graduate record exam scores i said my son had kolic he was up all night and i was giving apologies because i only scored in 93 , and that was low for me. He said no. No. The problem is that your scores are too high. Youre not disadvantaged. Again, tell that to my father who had a ninth grade education, to me who had to pay for tuition, borrow money and work though i was a mom and wife at that time i started thinking this idea of affirmative action isnt what i thought it was about the rest is history. I went into the reagan administration, one of the part of the movement to get rid of racial quotas and programs that treated people by the color of their skin. Because frankly, it does no one a favor when you look at them and because you know their name ends in ex or skin is a little bit darker than yours you think you know something fundamental about them, you think you know whether or not they can succeed you think you know whether or not we ought to lower standards so that for juan or jose, or johnny is, you know able to make it. So, i actually think were doing great. I think this is a country where if you come here, you work hard, you live by the rules, you can still make it. And none of us needs a hand out based on the color of our skin. Well said, linda chavez, thank you very much. So tammy bruce great to have you here. I admired you as a radio host and columnist and fun to know you, have you as part of the summit. Were grateful the Washington Times has taken a significant sponsorship with you this week on their editorial page tammy bruce and johnny bruce are here. Really that is the subject of the panel. Dont we want an america where as Martin Luther king famously said were judged by the content of our character not the kor of our skin . Wont we hope that in the living experience of some of the younger ones in this room, its an america that is realized where the color of our skin on a panel like this matters no more than the fact bob and john have a different pattern in our tie or tammy and linda have a different color top. But how do you think were doing, linda . Sorry, tammy. I have a great admiration for linda. Great being on the panel. Thank you. Thank you. And i just have to say, we cant see you up here because of the light. But when talking about, by the way im scotch irish so im actually pink. I know there are other scottish in the room, im sure. Look. First of all, when we hear you and for the people watching on the stream, there is no complexion. Is there . Youre individuals youre conservatives many are people of faith. You want what is best for the country. So it transcends gender, complexion, race. Im not republican. Im a declined to state as we put it in california. It would be Common Thread we have is the love for the nation. And for me, as identify as a independent conservative. I know who else would love this and admire is andrew brightbart. And weve had terrific success when eric cantor lost his job, he was grinning a little bit. I think that when it comes to the issue of being a color blind society, or at least post racial, the fact of the matter is that this unity we have as Americans First is key. But we also do have, as i speak about my pride being scottish and irish, ive done ancestry, i find there is french in there. Im slightly embarrassed but a little interested we have unique Life Experiences and stories dont we . That in america, lives are different. For young black men. Lives are different for hispanic women. And the issue is for us, is, this is the issue for the founders and for the future for us as well, is bringing together the power of being united as Americans First, and remarkable difference in each of us as a minority and for those of of course power of christianity, christian ethic in this country. You also know how it feels to be a minority these days dont you . Under attack . The nature of whats happening to churches as isis moves through iraq. Another Catholic Church is burned down today. That you know what its like and your experience matters for me, in looking at and also, as a minority as a gay woman, and as a conservative, is the fact of the matter is that those are silvers of our identity we come together because we understand each other and that this nation allows all of us, as especially minorities, to live the life that best suits us. That its the christian ethic that allows us to be free, to compete, that its the opportunity that is afforded us but what it requires is a legal of tolerance the understanding we may be different with each other and live different lives that the goal that we have for all of our families, for our friends in the future is the same. And the only nations that give us that of course at least certainly at this point, is the jewish nation in the middle east, and the christian nation, certainly as represented best by the United States of america. So whether you identify through your faith or other issues of identity, being american first is how we started. It really is what the conservatives represents as well. Its nature of the conservative ideals. Which is what we transcend. Now, as a former leftist, andrew and i were both Community Organizers okay . Perhaps maybe not something you want to mention to people these days but we organized. What we of course have noticed and what we saw then and what weve rejected is that Racial Division on politics is false its a false divide i see conservatives what do we do . How do we act . Its a false framework. What i recommend to people, with my first book is available on amazon. But what i tell people in my listenership is if youre, how many in this room have been called a racist in the midst of your work . You know . It transcends. I suggest you behave if youre just called a cocker spaniel. Its as relevant had that framework. These are words that are meant to stop the conversation. Theyre words meant to have you retreat. Because they, appeal to the best of you. Which is a passionate, individual, who really does care about relationships in the world and in the country. What i really, i cant encourage you enough. Because it will work. Accusations of racism, or that this is a Racial Society or divisions experienced politically, are somehow real, those are false. What is real is the human relationships, which you spoke about. Your human relationship, discussing thing was a panel that may or may not give you money. These are relationships regarding valuism that makes this country great. What the left and those watching on the stream, as they watch this, what i beg to you do is to not allow them to control the narrative. Do not allow them to define you with something youre not. Right . That is the key and moving here and knowing you and look. There is going to be differences and tensions between men and women. And between gays and straight. These are things when it comes to the economy, our place in the world, who we are. Were struggling to get on to that road of Financial Success and our family is looking at the fact, that you have an american that wants same things for their family as you want for yours. And and everyone else watching you say that this is a christian group. A lot of people of faith out there. This is about looking past ourselves to something larger than ourselves. Isnt it . Its about nation, its about family, and its about god. Its about what it is were going to leave behind. So my main point about being able to be post racial, we are. This nation exists because of people of all faith and no faith can live wonder fully and peacefully. I can be invited here by this gentleman and be embraced by the crowd as well. And its because we get it. As conservatives we get it the difference is dont let yourself, dont question yourself. About who you are, what your goals are, and what it means because the left points a finger at you. Its meant to make you doubt. You know about doubt. There is a lot of people want you to doubt. There are grass roots things we can do and activism we can do that can only be undertaken if you reject the labels that the left puts on to you. Reject that notion that there is something for to you prove. There is nothing for to you prove. Especially for christians when i speak to colleges Young Christians say how can we talk to gays . Or African Americans or hispanics or liberals in general. What do we say to them . My answer is be yourself. Simply be yourselves and be present in what it is that drives you. Its like walking into the room where the light is off. Your presence is what matters its the light as it comes into the room. Dont question what the rules would be how to convince. I was changed and became a conservative because i got to know conservatives through talk radio. Realized id been lied to about what youre all up to. Okay . And nobody tried to convert me or to there is none of that. Waits simply conversation. Youre present. Youre not what people said you were. It moved me. Another thing was, was that youre confident, youre happy, youre sure, you did have a mission. You love the country. And you had a focus on what it was that needed to happen here. So if i can give you anything here with a different kind of background, most of you in the room, is trust yourselves dont let someone else define you. When you hear the racist word think cocker spaniel. Laugh, and go on about your work changing the world. Because the size of, or smaller that changes the world anyway. Thank you. Tammy bruce, you should get into radio, tammy. Im starting a cocker spaniel caucus. Anyone want to join . There is a tweet. There is a great moment at the summit a year ago the amazing bill whittle hypothetically talked us through how he would dismantle a person who called him a racist until that person had his tail between his legs. He did it with sarcasm, tammy did it with humor. Bob woodson you get to be clean up hitter. Weve got bases full with first three presentations. I want to amendment bob woodson introduction to make you aware the great paul ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee with, the courage to take on obama on fiscal and health care issues, debated him into a jelly on more than one occasion. Paul ryan has gone to school with bob woodson to understand the inner city and peoples efforts to help themselves bob has been his tutor and taken him on tours and helping develop a wonderful conservative leader for the future, how do you see this question . Can we be post racial . Yes. I think dr. King said the highest form of maturity is self critical. And i think its fair to say and phil bennett says conservatism will never be a Popular Movement as long as seed will be against interests of minorities. It seems to be. And many ways we have earned that perception. As bill also said, that when conservatives when liberals see blacks they see a sea of victims and conservatives see a sea of aliens its important to acknowledge in the 60s when conservatives talk about limited government and small government and hostility to Central Government, to people like buster and me waits not for Central Government intervention in the states we wont be sitting here. But just acknowledging that past doesnt mean were stuck there. That our tra steejic interests change as our circumstances change. So in the 60s waits important for Central Government to intervene but today, it interferes with rebuilding. You cannot generalize with a black community anymore than a other. There is a poster from 1965 written by bill raspberry saying poor negroes do not benefit from opportunity. Middle class blacks walked through they didnt. That still exists today 80 of my closest friends are x something. And about five years ago, 40 members of the klan came in a school bus to down washington and 3,000 black folks trying to tear them apart the reporter went into the high crime black area and add an 80yearold man he said bring them down here if they can get rid of the drug dealers. Low income blacks have a different agenda. On issues of race than anyone else if were wanting to get race off of the table we must join in Common Community with the least of gods children, who is struggling with, in the black community we have a september 11th every six months 3,000 young blacks are killed by other blacks when you go ask those people if race is the most important thing on their mind theyll tell you no. And so, it seems to me that the conservative community if its to get race off the table must join in Common Community to address problems. Go into those communities, and go into those households where children are being raised in 30 of the households children are not dropping out of school or jail and drugs and find why those parents are able to achieve in the face of these barriers and others cannot. Conservatives should join in common cause with those remedies to address the needs of gods children and should be the ones 20 homeless young black women, men, this year, who graduated, i mean, went into college from homeless shelters studying by their mothers cell phone light, and yet, theyre graduated valedictorian. They should be the face of the republican conservative movement. You see, people are not motivated when you constantly remind them of failures to be avoided. People are motivated to follow you when you demonstrate victories that are possible. So part of our mission has to be to demonstrate the people, as im trying to do with paul ryan, taking him into these communities he is seeing people that are achieving against the odds, but its not enough to come and acknowledge it you have to do what dick riordan did in california help build institutions in those low income neighborhoods so that people can get some reward for what they do. So if conservatives want want to know what is an advanced agenda address the needs of the least of these. Join in common communities. At conferences have a panel of low income people that have achieved against odds, homeless kids and people working. So we need to promote the remedies among the least of gods children. That is how you become post racial. Bob woodson is also, thank you, bob. Eloquent. Bob woodson also were grateful hes a member of the board of trustees of colorado christian university. Bob and i go back almost 30 years to the beginning of the independence institute. We wanted to do something because colorado u. S. Senator, Bill Armstrong challenged his friends and supporter as cross colorado to think about equal opportunity. Bob, its been great working with you im glad we have another go around at ccu. I love your idea of that panel of people who have succeeded against odds. Lets audition that at the university this fall as a Institute Program and lets have it on the 2015 western conservative agenda for sure. So any hope and indeed i think it had to do with a lot of votes he garnered. Many hoped the election of a son of an african father and caucasian mother to the highest office of the land and most powerful on earth, the president sy of barack obama that began january 20, 2009, somehow you can just mark a date. That would be the ushering in of a post racial america. We see stories and trends and angry poisonous rhetoric seem to suggest race has become more, rather than less salient and inflamed in america under the president of mr. Obama. What are we to make of this . In one sense the election of barack obama does reflect a major shift in racial america. The fact is that it could not have happened in 1940, would not have happened in 1970. For that, we say thank god. On the other hand, the philosophy, the under pinning of the Obama Administration is not a post racial philosophy. Its a philosophy that exacerbates ugly history of the country, holds on to grudges that many of the young people dont know about. And it is limiting Diverse People that racial policies are supposed to help making them more dependent, not less dependant. Democrats have mastered the art of making racial arguments economic problems people are poor because theyre black. Theyre poor because they dont have money. And so, if you have a economic problem, you need an economic solution. A racial solution for an economic problem will always be bait and switch game where you use the plight of one group of people to create benefits for a Different Group of people. That is whats happening in america, today tammy when youre talking about goal and to divide us and neutralize us so they can have their way with agendas very to think of the at missphere from barack obama, michelle obama, eric holder, white, black, latino members of the Obama Administration, seems owe illustrate your point. Yes. Illustrates its not about race. Its a political agenda. Sit now will be articulated by all of the left. That is the poent. That is the proof in the pudding if you will because left cant withstand a debate on details they cant have a debate on the nature of the issues so they must make you afraid to engage in the first place yet, so you might have an African American president but arguments are leftist arguments not about race arguments. This is about targets for you. I would say coming up to 2015 an authority happening with hillary clinton. Right . That youre hearing about how youre sexist if you ask the wrong questions or if you dont like her the fact is that we do, and america and the conservative movement will be the faces of people like mia love and allen west. About true conservatives regardless of complexion i want the first woman president , too. I wouldnt mind linda chavez. Or mia love. But when you think about lets say hillary clinton, the fact is that yes, we want a woman in the white house, but not just any woman the right woman. And this is the argument. Youll see the same strategy in that regard coming up to 16 as weve been hearing for these last six years. Just two quick comments James Baldwin in the 60s wrote an essay and said we would have been post racial when a black man with propose marriage to a white woman and she can say no. I think weve reached that point and that, to me says we have reached a level of racial, last point id like to make, too, i must say to republican candidates and Republican Party when it comes to race, you can get squishy and i said to paul ryan a year and a half ago, he asked me to take him around i said paul give me a piece of advice. The moment you accept the ride on the march, our relationship ends because we need to stop celebrating crucifixion we need to celebrate regulars recs. That is the story of christ. Preach it. Everybody is resurrection we need to be celebrating. Panel, lightning round i said wed be looking at examples of leaders out there. And names wed recognize. Who is doing this right . To help us exemplify an america that is not neutralized have you got a name or two people doing it right . Be it black, white . Latino . Well, latino thing is a great mystery to me. You know, its if you want to know who really believes in america, you want to know who thinks that america is the greatest country in the world, its some of the people who are traveling across Central America and going through our borders. Theyre the ones who believe in that statue of liberty im here to tell you if you want to end ilLegal Immigration tomorrow it is not hard to do. Weve done it in the past. It isnt about building fences. Its about enacting Legal Immigration reform that is marketbased and skills based. Says if you want to come here and make a life and bring your family, and work hard, we want you here. And so, you know when i think about the future and when i say that we can conservatives have better learn to Start Talking about this issue better, you know that hispanic immigrants are more likely to live
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