Statement urging special legislative session on racial discrimination, April 7, 1968

Governor Paul Laxalt Governor's Mansion Carson City, Nevada April 7, 1968 pten*.L/.-K 1 URGE YOU TO CALL A SOCIAL SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE NOW TO ENABLE US TO PASS NEEDED IEGISLATION TO STOP THE OBVIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN NEVADA TO OUR BUCK BROTHERS. NEVADA MUST NOT WAIT FOR OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT TO DO WHAT IS WITHIN OUR POWER AND WITHIN OUR CONSCIENCE TO DO. RECENTLY # YOU SAID IN A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT HOUSING COUID EE INTEGRATED VOLUNTARILY DESPITE A HUGE ACCUMUUTION OF CONTRARY EVIDENCE. THIS IS CQMPARABIE TO YOUR STATEMENT OF FOUR YEARS AGO THAT PUCES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION COULD BE INTEGRATED VOLUNTARILY DESPITE AN ACCUMUUTION OF CONTRARY EVIDENCE. BUT EVENTS PROVED THAT STATE ACTION WAS NECESSARY, JUST AS IT IS NECESSARY NOW IN HOUSING. ANOTHER AREA THAT TODAY DEMANDS TO BE STRENGTHENED IS THE NEVADA EQUAL RIGHTS COMMISSION, WHICH IS DIVIDED PHILOSOPHICALLY, UNDERFINANCED, UNDERSTAFFED, AND WHOSE FINDINGS ARE EVEN 3 ^ IGNORED. THESE FACTORS PREVENT THE COMMISSION FROM BEING THE FORCE IT SHOULD EE IN THESE TIMES. IT MUST BE STRENGTHENED TO ENABLE IT TO PERFORM ITS JOB OF ELIMINATING j&e* INJUSTICE. THE 4?TIME IS PAST FOR ENCOURAGING WORDS. THE TIME IS NOW FOR CONSTRUCTIVE EXECUTIVE AM) IEGISUTIVE ACTION. WE IN NEVADA ARE ON THE VERGE OF PAYING DEARLY FOR TIE FAILURE TO ACT BY BOTH BUCK AND WHITE ELECTED LEADERS, BECAUSE THE LEADERS SEIECTED HAVE FAILED IN THEIR ROIES AS LEADERS, SPOKESMEN AND ACTIVISTS. WE MUST NOT WAIT UNTIL OUR STATEHOUSE STEPS WITNESS THE DEVASTATION THAT INJUSTICE CAN BRING. FLORA DUNGAN 1705 Cochran Las Vegas, Nevada Telephone 584-2914