As we step into the 21^st Century, we hold that racism worldwide is a pertinent, complex and important issue. The United Nations has rightly taken its role as a global body to address the issues of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance worldwide. In December, 1965, in response to the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and the civil rights movement in the United States, the United Nations adopted the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, a legally binding document which has been ratified by 155 countries – the US not included.

Recognizing that the struggle against racism cannot end at conventions and law, the United Nations since convened two world conferences on combating white supremacy and sadly, the United States has not participated in either conference.

The third conference will be held in Durban, South Africa in August, 2001 and again the US representative, Secretary of State Colin Powell, has threatened to boycott the conference due to what the Bush Administration considers issues that would put the conference "in danger of becoming mired in past events." Specifically, Powell points to the clauses that outline Zionism as a form of racism and that support the payment of reparations to the ancestors of slaves.

The Young Democratic Socialists have made clear in past resolutions our support of reparations and the need for resolution in the Israel/Palestine that respects the lives and needs of all people living there. YDS has also recognized the racism abundant in our communities and our society. YDS has worked to fight white supremacy in our communities through teach-ins, and, for example, with the DUMP Sodexho! Campaign against the building and financing of private prisons.

In a respite to the black communities in the US that have long awaited independent evaluation of racism in the US, the UN Committee on Racial Discrimination recently confirmed that the US harbors racism, especially in the criminal justice system.

The knowledge that racism is apparent and a problem in the US is hardly new, however, the declaration from the UN does give the US a new responsibility to address the problems of racism in its institutions and society. The US cannot afford to boycott the UN Conference on Racism this year. While the issues that concern Powell maintain a great importance in and of themselves, a greater issue is the need for the US to demonstrate to the world its seriousness with which we, as a country, address racism worldwide and our willingness to seek a better understanding of current and historic factors that contribute to racism.

As concrete steps forward, we propose:

- Supporting, through lobbying our congressional representatives the House Bill 211, sponsored by Representatives Cynthia MacKinney and Eddie Bernice Johnson, that urge the Bush Administration to send Secretary of State Colin Powell to the UN World Conference on Racism to demonstrate to the world the seriousness with which the US approaches not only the Conference, but the global situation of racial discrimination, to contribute financially to the Conference, and to adopt policy positions at the Conference that seek to advance an understanding of current historic factors contributing to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance.

- To educate our communities about the UN Conference on Racism by promoting discussions and actions on the issues taken to that conference. Symbolically, YDS encourages people to hold these events when the conference is taking place, August 31 – September 7, 2001.

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