The Values Voter Conference Should Talk About

For Immediate Release: Friday, October 19, 2007

Contact: Germonique Jones 202-339-9331 gjones@www.communitychange.org

(Washington, DC) The Family Research Council is hosting their Second Annual Washington Briefing 2007: Values Voter Summit this weekend.  Many of the speeches attendees will hear likely will take an exclusionist approach to solving our country’s problems. As people gather in Washington over the next few days under the premise of a values voter conference, millions of Americans are questioning the values that are defined by excluding those who are not like you. 

 Statement by the Center for Community Change:

“The American people are increasingly tired of the individualistic values that continue to break loving families apart and leave more people behind then lift them up.  When forty seven million Americans are uninsured, 12 million immigrants live in the shadow of our society and six black teenagers in Jena, LA are deemed hardened criminals for a school yard fight, we’ve reached the point when we must reexamine what we mean by ‘values’ in American politics.

“Real American values are community values that recognize the opportunity and power we gain when we stand together for the good of our entire community.  It’s time to get America back on track and  turn our attention back to our long history of standing up for each other and embracing values that bring us together.  Those are the speeches we should hear and values we should be talking about this weekend.”

Community Values will be the theme of a major presidential candidate forum The Iowa Heartland Forum: Community Values in Action on December 1, 2007 in Des Moines. Candidates from both major parties have been invited to participate as everyday people share their personal stories of community values and ask questions. For more information visit: http://www.communitychange.org/community_values/

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Since 1968, the Center for Community Change has strengthened the leadership, voice and power of low-income communities nationwide.  We confront the vital issues of today and build the social movements of tomorrow and along with hundreds of grassroots groups have launched a values based, multi-year campaign to get America back on track. The Campaign for Community Values will build people power at the ballot box and start a new national conversation about the country we want to become.  We will build a new politics for the common good to win real victories on critical issues facing low-income people.