Resolution Adopted by the CCAR
Erosion of Civil Liberties
Adopted by the CCAR at the 93rd Annual Convention of
the Central Conference of American Rabbis
New York City, June 27-July 1, 1982
The CCAR reaffirms its historic commitment to the advancement of civil rights in our
nation. Executive orders, congressional legislation, and Supreme Court decisions
over the past several decades reflected our national will to achieve equal opportunity
in employment, housing, education, and voting rights. We hail this national purpose
as one of history’s momentous undertakings, while recognizing that such fundamental
changes in the social and political structures of a nation are not easily or quickly
achieved. Nevertheless, the last vestiges of slavery and discrimination must be rooted
out by a determined national consciousness. Only through continued effective and
vigorous enforcement of the laws of the land can we preserve the momentum to translate
the constitutional guarantees of justice and equality for all into reality.
Therefore we note with deep concern those actions which signal a retreat from our
national commitment to civil rights, including:
1. Crippling budgetary and staff cuts inhibiting the effectiveness of national civil
rights enforcement agencies.
2. Attempts to weaken or subvert existing legislation for civil rights by riders attached
to authorization legislation.
3. The abandonment of those regulations which implement non-discriminatory requirements,
such as the prohibition of tax-exempt status for segregated educational institutions
and the prohibition of membership payment to private clubs by corporations for their executive staff.
4. Suggested amendments to our Constitution which would limit the jurisdiction of
the Supreme Court in critical areas of human rights.
5. The proposed Constitutional Amendment which could require prayer in public schools.
We call upon the Conference leadership and all of our rabbinic colleagues to speak
forthrightly and to work vigorously to prevent these incursions into our basic civil
liberties. We shall seek to join with like-minded national religious and civic organizations in opposing all of these threats to human rights that are being supported by
the radical religious right throughout our nation.
Be it resolved
that this concern be communicated to President Ronald Reagan and to appropriate members
of the Senate and Congress by the president of the Central Conference of American
Rabbis.