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Fine Time for Peace and Understanding By Roxanne
Roberts Can't we
all just get along? Apparently not enough of the time. Which is
why the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding came to Washington last
week for some high-profile camaraderie. The New York- based group opened
its Congressional Interethnic Caucus Office last October to promote
better relations among black, Hispanic, Asian and Jewish lawmakers,
and threw a day-long bash Thursday to hand out awards and highlight
its work. "If
it was up to me, I'd burn all flags," said Russell Simmons, the
organization's chairman. "And all things that let people separate
themselves from each other." The hip-hop
impresario teamed up with founder Rabbi Marc Schneier on Capitol Hill
before heading to the Northwest home of BET President Debra Lee for
the foundation's first Washington fundraiser. More than 120 guests --
including Reverend Run (formerly of Run-DMC) and Reps. Charlie Rangel,
Albert Wynn, Jerrold Nadler, Carolyn Kilpatrick and Diane Watson --
admired Lee's fabulous collection of glass artwork before heading outside
for the awards ceremony. "Our
mission is unprecedented," said Schneier. "People have embraced
it even with what people see as an odd couple -- a rabbi and a rap mogul." Before guests
dove into the summer buffet dinner, Fannie Mae CEO Franklin Raines and
the Stern Group's Paula Stern were presented awards for promoting racial
harmony, and Amtrak was honored for its corporate diversity programs. "This
is the tolerance force," Stern said, holding up the award: a black
and white crystal bridge. "Politically correct terms go in and
out of fashion, but my parents taught me that morally correct practices
never go out of style." # # #
Copyright © 2005 The Foundation For Ethnic Understanding |
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