Two resolutions regarding race discussed at Omaha City Council meeting

Two resolutions regarding race discussed at Omaha City Council meeting

AFTERNOON.TWO RESOLUTIONSDEALING WITH RACEWERE DISCUSSED ANDMANY PEOPLE CAME OUTIN SUPPORT OF BOTHRESOLUTIONS.REPORTER SYDNEYGRAY IS LIVEDOWNTOWN WITH THELATEST..GOOD EVENING JENNY.DICUSSIONS OF RACEWERE AT THEFOREFRONT OF TODAY'SCITY COUNCIL MEETING.THE CITY COUNCILHEARD FROM MANYCOMMUNITY MEMBERSON TWO MAJORRESOLUTIONS.FIRST ...COUNCILMEN PETEFESTERSONINTRODUCED ARESOLUTION TOADDRESS ISSUES OFRACISM, INJUSTICE,INEQUALITY ANDECONOMIC DISPARITES INCOMMUNITIES OFCOLOR.SEVERAL PEOPLE OF ALLDIFFERENT AGES SPOKEOUT ABOUT RACISMTHEY'VE EXPERIENCED INTHE CITY..FESTERSON SAYS HEHOPES THECONVERSATIONSCONTINUE ...AND POSITIVE ACTIONTAKES PLACE.THAT RESOLUTIONPASSED UNANIMOUSLY.THE SECOND MAJORRESOLUTION ...WAS ABOUT AFFIRMATIVEACTION.IN 2008 ...THE STATE OF NEBRASKABANNED AFFIRMATIVEACTION.COUNCILMEN BEN GRAYBROUGHT A RESOLUTIONTO THE COUNCIL ...IN HOPES OF GETTINGTHE COUNCIL TOSUPPORT A REPEAL OFNEBRASKA'S BAN ONAFFIRMATIVE ACTION.DOZENSE SPOKE INSUPPORT OF THATRESOLUTION.."FOR AFRICANAMERICANS I KNOWTHAT THESE ARESTEPS THAT AREGONNA DO IT, IMEAN I HATE THATIT'S SO POLITICALAND IT HAS TO GOTHROUGH THESEMEASURES BUT ALSO..WE HAVE TO BE APART OF THATCHANGE."SOME OF THE PEOPLE INSUPPORT OF THATRESOLUTION INCLUDEDFORMER STATE SENATORBRENDA COUNCIL ...LONG-TIME COMMUNITYACTIVIST PRESTON LOVE...AS WELL AS OMAHA'SURBAN LEAGUEPRESIDENT THOMASWARREN ...AND THE OMAHACHAPTER OF THE N-DOUBLE-A-C-P.JUST ONE PERSON ...SPOKE OUT AGAINST THERESOLUTION.THAT RESOLUTIONPASSED 5-1 ...COUNCILMEN HARDINGVOTED AGAINST IT.AT 10 ...WE'LL SHARE MOREPERSPECTIVES FROMTONIGHT'S MEETING ASWELL AS REMARKS FROMCOUNCILMEN BEN GRAY.REPORTING LIVEDOWNTOWN ...SYDNEY GRAY 3 NEWSNOW.COMING UP - IF YO