Civil rights panel debates its future

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The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is debating its own existence, again.

When the panel was formed 53 years ago, its mission was clear: to investigate denials of civil rights.

Today, its members disagree vehemently about what its aims should be, and some inside and outside of the group question whether it has any useful purpose at all.

The debate around the panel, which is credited with laying the foundation for important civil rights legislation passed in the 1960s, reflects the difficulty that many traditional civil rights groups face as they try to remain relevant.

"My view of civil rights is that the definition of civil rights is dynamic," said the commission's chairman, Gerald A. Reynolds, who spearheaded a conference this week that included a discussion about whether the agency should be dismantled. "I'm not devaluing discrimination or the importance of remaining vigilant. All I'm saying is we have to do that and do other things."

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Mary Frances Berry, a Democrat who chaired the panel for 11 years, says it has become a tool to further Republican goals and is "just wasting taxpayer money." It was created to be bipartisan and independent but over time has leaned toward one party or the other. The current commission includes six conservatives and two Democrats.

Full story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/16/AR2010091602278_pf.html