Amnesty International student participants and community members
attended a conference held on campus Saturday to discuss
discrimination issues and concerns.
The event, sponsored by the Amnesty International chapters in
the L.A. area along with the Dashew International Center, focused
on human rights issues including civil liberties for immigrants and
the death penalty.
“So far Amnesty’s focus has been international. We
are about to launch a campaign against discrimination that is
domestically focused,” said Cosette Thompson, the Amnesty
International western regional director.
State Senator Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, spoke about death
penalty standards in California in a panel discussion.
“I am opposed to the death penalty. I think it is
barbaric,” said Romero.
“I want California to scrutinize corrections in California
and also specifically to take a look at the death penalty and what
can we do in light of the fact that 85 percent of the people in
California still support the death penalty,” she added.
Sen. Romero questioned Gov. Gray Davis’ proposal to build
a new death row at San Quentin prison given the economic situation
of the state.
“If we are looking to cut back, if we are looking to have
discussions about maybe shutting down some campuses, why do we
suddenly want to build a $220 million state-of-the-art death
row?” she said.
The senator also commented on what she believed to be injustices
in the death penalty process.
“It is typically the low income, low educated that will be
carried on a death penalty charge,” Romero said.
“I believe that we can be tough on crime. I think we can
be smart on crime. I think we have to be just on crime,” she
added.
Other panelists included Ben Jealous, director of the Amnesty
International domestic human rights program.
Jealous focused on the civil liberties of citizens and
immigrants specifically following the terrorist attacks in New
York.
“In my experience watching the laws of this country change
over the last six months, year, two years, since Sept. 11, 2001,
what I have learned is that it is always possible to be worse than
you ever thought was possible,” Jealous said.
“As human rights defenders we have to put our faith into
what the people have to say about their experiences,” he
added.
Workshop sessions were held throughout the day. Topics of
discussion in these sessions expanded on the concerns for immigrant
rights and criminal justice. These issues were previously addressed
by panelists among other human rights issues.
In addition to facilitating discussion about discrimination
concerns, the conference also served to bring together students
from university and high school Amnesty International chapters in
the L.A. area.
A summit session for student members was held to establish a
student coalition and enhance cooperation between the different
chapters and other local human rights groups.
“To fight human rights we need that sort of joint activism
and so we are promoting that through the student coalition,”
said Mandeep Rajpal, a fifth-year political science and history
student and president of the UCLA Amnesty International
chapter.
Elizabeth Thorley, a first-year undeclared student and member of
the UCLA Amnesty International chapter, joined the organization
with hopes for understanding more about student activism
opportunities.
“There is a lot to be done, and I want to learn more about
it so I can help,” she said.
The conference aimed to help students and community members
realize the options they have to help create a world free of
discrimination.
“I want students to realize their voice counts. Mostly, I
want them to get information and take that information to others.
That’s what activism is about,” said Christina Vargas,
a member of Amnesty International USA and UCLA alumna.