WHEREAS:

Senator Trent Lott made a deeply troubling statement on the occasion of Senator Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday celebration when he said that, "I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either."; and

WHEREAS:

An examination of Senator Lott's record reveals that this remark was not an isolated "slip of the tongue" or a misstatement; and

WHEREAS:

Senator Lott has a long history of making statements that reflect a deeply held racist ideology; and

WHEREAS:

In 1980, Senator Lott made an almost identical statement after Senator Strom Thurmond gave a fiery speech at a campaign rally for Ronald Reagan. On that occasion, Senator Lott said, "You know if we had elected this man 30 years ago, we wouldn't be in the mess we are today."; and

WHEREAS:

Senator Lott has long been affiliated with a racist organization known as the Council of Conservative Citizens, telling its members in 1992 that they stood for the "right principles and right philosophy"; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME believes that Senator Lott cannot adequately represent the interests of our diverse nation in the position of Majority Leader that he is about to assume or as a United States Senator from the State of Mississippi; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME calls upon Senator Lott to resign as Majority Leader-elect and as a United States Senator;

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME calls upon the Senate to denounce Senator Lott's racist views and remarks. In the event of any similar occurrence in the future, the remarks of any senator should be immediately denounced and subject to a censure vote.

ADOPTED BY: INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME)

DECEMBER 12, 2002