Where Rights Went Wrong

This morning on the last day of the America’s Future Now conference AFJ President Nan Aron moderated the panel, Where RIghts Went Wrong: What Happened to the Rights Revolution?. Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund, spoke about the frustrating lack of progress concerning LGBT rights on many fronts including marriage, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, while highlighting areas where the movement has been able to make headway. Kierra Johnson, Executive Director of Choice USA similarly talked about lack of progress in many areas, but also opportunities for change, particularly on the ground in the states.

Adam Luna, who coordinates the America’s Voice strategy spoke about the frustrating lack of progress concerning immigrant rights, particularly the Dream Act, but he echoed the sentiments of other speakers that the progressive community as a whole is doing a better job of coming together to work on issues.

Anthony D. Romero took a different tack during his talk, bluntly stating “I'm disgusted with this president.” While Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU, has been frustrated with the lack of legislative progress under this administration, his disgust is due to the “meltdown of due process” that has resulted from the lack of accountability for, and change to, the policies of torture during the Bush administration.

Although, much of the discussion contained some frustration with the Obama Administration, there was general agreement that the Rights Revolution cannot rely solely on our elected officials, but must act as a grassroots movement to effect change and transform the culture in this country.

Battle for the Courts

Alliance for Justice co-sponsored a panel at today’s America’s Future Now conference on the importance of the courts. Nan Aron, President of AFJ introduced the session by reminding the audience that while the nomination of Sotomayor is an historic, ground breaking event, that is just the beginning.

Hundreds of federal judges will be appointed during the Obama administration. We have to take this opportunity to start the conversation that has long been denied about the role of courts and judges in America. President Obama has expressed his intent to raise the level of that conversation above the empty rhetoric of “judicial activism’ and ‘legislating from the bench.”

Judge Sotomayor’s confirmation hearing will start that process. But it is up to us to urge the Obama administration to appoint judges who will uphold the Constitution’s promise of equal justice for all.

Learn more about the Supreme Court and Judge Sonia Sotomayor on our Supreme Court Watch page.

America's Future Now

If you are in Washington, DC for this year’s America’s Future Now conference feel free to stop by our table in the exhibit hall to learn more about Alliance for Justice and say hello to our staff. Tomorrow at 3:40 pm our AFJ President, Nan Aron will be introducing the panel “Battle for the Courts” we hope you can join us for what is sure to be an informative discussion. Additionally, in honor of Torture Awareness Month, we hope you will join us in attending Rep. Jerrold Nadler’s (D-NY) session to discuss torture, presidential abuse and accountability.

You may remember that a few weeks ago we hosted an event regarding accountability for the author of the infamous “Torture Memos” asking the question of whether impeachment was appropriate for Judge Jay Bybee. You can watch video from that event online.