The local delegation has done a great job in explaining what they learned about the effects of corruption and what can be done to fight it. Elsie Dursi of the Mahoning Valley Association of Churches was especially effective in pointing out the bitter fruit of corruption. I'd like to propose a few concrete steps that can be taken locally to begin to acknowledge and face our problem head on. First, I would like local ministers, priests, rabbis and religious leaders to take a stand by addressing their congregations during the same one or two week period about the moral imperative of renouncing the mafia and corruption in every form. I've personally attended hundreds of Catholic services during 30 years of living in the Mahoning Valley and I remember only one sermon about this topic.
Churches have to renounce the influence of corrupt money in their operation.
Second, I think it would be appropriate for the Mahoning County Bar Association to have a presentation on Palermo for the largest number of members possible. Ideally, the presentation could take place on May 1. This is traditionally Law Day in the area. Normally, busloads of school children are brought downtown to the courthouse and given lectures about the operations of the court. Instead, it would be more useful if those same children could hear from the team that went to Palermo about the consequences of corruption in the courts and legal profession and what can be done to change things.