Philadelphia City Council 2017 Stated Meetings of Philadelphia City Council, 9 Feb 2016

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From YouTube: Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown on #LetLizSpeak and Civil Political Discourse 2-9-2016

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From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, February 9, 2017:

Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown (At Large) speaks on the Senate's rebuke of Senator Elizabeth Warren, the emergence of #LetLizSpeak and the importance of political dialogue.

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T recognize this Councilwoman rentals, Brown, Thank You. Mr. president and good morning, I watched as I'm sure many of us tried to listen closely this week when senator Elizabeth Warren was silence for reading Coretta, Scott King's letter at the hearings for Senator sessions and the active debate that took place.

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In fact, I would encourage my colleagues to take a few minutes and read that letter, which is quite eloquent and reminds us in many ways, that of a time in history that we thought was far behind us, but then we are too often reminded that was we're stuck in the mud when it comes to respecting those who have a differing of opinion.

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The bad news of that debate is that her colleagues senate republicans actually rebuked warren after she read the letter wrote by the civil rights leader many many years ago, where even 30 years ago they were examining his record. This move rare, moved to silence a united states senator for simply offering her voice, offering her perspective, offering her opposition to an appointment sparked a hashtag. Let Liz speak social media campaign, which is quite exciting to watch and participate in.

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The good news is that a number of her Democratic colleagues stood up the next day and read the letter without I, repeat without GOP objection, senator Sanders, remarked and I quote, it is unconscionable and outrageous that Senator Warren was cut from the debate. So, for me, was a woeful reminder of the severe partisanship that exists at the highest level of government in the United, States Senate and further.

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It was an affirmation for me of why I took the risky, bold move to jump and leap and run for elected office 20 years ago, because it's still clear that if women are not at the table, we just might be on the menu further. The good news for me is that we live and work in this legislative body we're all women are given an equal voice.

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We're all of us are given a chance, the voice, our opposition, where we're all where we all many times respectfully agree to disagree on how we feel about public policy matters. The United States Senate might take a page out of our book and closing what I know and what I've learned in my work here in City Council is that we listen to what people say, but then, ultimately, we watch what people do because is in what they do. That defines who they are.

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So we will watch to see if Attorney General, jeff Sessions uses this his awesome power or the awesome power of his office to exercise of the power in a way that's fair and in a way that is just in the meantime, hashtag let this speed as the president. Thank you very much. Thank You Councilwoman.