Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy
On The Decision Of Senator Trent Lott
To Step Down As Majority Leader
Fri., Dec. 20, 2002

“I hope that Senator Lott’s decision will open the door to some healing of the nation’s racial divisions.

“This public discussion has been important for the nation.  Younger generations of Americans now are better able to understand the injustices of racial segregation and intimidation.  Those malignancies bred racial discrimination and disparity that are still very real problems in our society.

“We also have a way to go in ending the exploitation of racial intolerance for political gain.  The latest evidence of that were the reports of the dirty tricks in the recent Louisiana runoff election that were intended to keep African Americans from voting.

“Understanding the past can help us solve some of these festering problems.”

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