QC Civic Conversations will present “The Importance of the Rule of Law,” a community forum, from noon to 1 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8, at Western Illinois University – Quad Cities, Riverfront Hall, Room 103, Moline. The event is free and open to the public.
The forum is the second in the Civic Conversations series and will feature Sally Frank, professor of law at Drake University, Des Moines. Ms. Frank will address current challenges to the rule of law in the United States.
“Democracy depends on the rule of law and everyone from the president of the United States to you and me is subject to it,” Ms. Frank said in a news release.
Civic Conversations is sponsored by One Human Family (OHF), Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG), Quad Cities Interfaith (QCI), and Iowa Citizen Action Network (ICAN).
Gail Karp of One Human Family (OHF) emphasized the timeliness of the discussion. “I’m excited our forum is on ‘The Importance of Defending the Rule of Law,’ which is a relevant topic in today’s world. The rule of law is eroding in our country.”
Passion for civil rights
Ms. Frank received her law degree from New York University School of Law. She has been a professor at Drake University for 35 years. She’s primarily teaching in the legal clinic, where she represents clients in family law, domestic abuse, and guardianship cases, and leads seminars on women and the law. Ms. Frank served 12 years on the Iowa ACLU Board of Directors and four years on the National ACLU Board of Directors.
Her passion for civil rights began in high school after witnessing President Richard Nixon’s resignation following the Watergate scandal. “I have been a civil rights and civil liberties activist ever since,” she explained.
According to PACG member Allison Ambrose, the conversation aims to foster factual exploration and bridge perspectives. “Our goal is to bring civility back to civil discourse, particularly in our local community,” Ms. Ambrose said.
A box-style lunch will be provided free to the first 50 pre-registered attendees, thanks to a one-time anonymous donation. Advance registration is available at Eventbrite.com. For food-related inquiries, contact Susan Meenan at [email protected] at least three days before the event.
QC Civic Conversations plans to continue its quarterly meetings, with the next forum on Friday, Nov. 7. More details will be announced soon.
