Tom Lantos: “as the founding Democratic chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, I rise in strong support of the…”

“as the founding Democratic chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, I rise in strong support of the resolution. Mr. Speaker, the scourge of racism remains one of the most tragic aspects of international life today. Slavery, xenophobia, sexism, religious intolerance, hate crimes, racial profiling, we must renew our commitment and redouble our efforts to combat each of these manifestations of racism plaguing our globe today. Racism is at the root of countless international conflicts and it is a formidable barrier to international cooperation. It remains a stubborn and shameful stain on humanity. The U.N. Conference on Racism is the first time that the world will have come together to confront this scourge in a serious and systematic way. Among other critical issues the conference will confront the plight of millions of African people who have suffered from extreme pain, hardship and humiliation from the slave trade and its lingering effects. It is imperative, Mr. Speaker, that the United States assume a leadership role in combatting racism worldwide.”