Cass Ballenger: “The forthcoming World Conference Against Racism ought to represent an opportunity for the people and the governments of…”

“The forthcoming World Conference Against Racism ought to represent an opportunity for the people and the governments of the world to look for ways to address the ongoing harm caused by continuing racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance, as the formal title of the conference refers to them. Both in our own Nation and around the world, clashes between communities, whether at their origins, based on ethnic, tribal, clan, racial, national, religious or caste differences have a tremendously debilitating effect on our lives. This is almost self-evident. Yet it is worthwhile to provide, through the United Nations, the opportunity for representatives of governments and civil society to sit down and exchange experiences in dealing with ongoing racism and related forms of intolerance, and other vestiges. In addition, we can and should take the opportunity to frame a declaration and a plan of action on the topic of the conference that expresses the sentiments of the world's governments.”