Congressional Black Caucus rejects White Member

[Elvado]

The Congressional Black Caucus has refused to admit a white member of Congress.

I must have missed the outrage from the liberal media at such blatant discrimination. Did I miss the plans for a boycott to be led by Messrs. Sharpton, Jackson, Mfume, et al?

Will one of my liberal friends on the Board explain why this is OK?

[HoyaNyr320]

vadie said:

The Congressional Black Caucus has refused to admit a white member of Congress.

I must have missed the outrage from the liberal media at such blatant discrimination. Did I miss the plans for a boycott to be led by Messrs. Sharpton, Jackson, Mfume, et al?

Will one of my liberal friends on the Board explain why this is OK?

Blatant discrimination? <sigh>

Let me explain to you what a caucus is.

A caucus is a bunch of Members of Congress with similar views and interests who work together to support or lobby against legislation that affects their group's interests[/i].

So the reason they restrict membership to African American members is to keep their caucus strong. They don't want to lose their identity as a black[/i] caucus.

Let me put it another way. Do you think Howard University is guilty of discrimination? How about Galludet College? If so, then all the power to you. But if not, maybe then you can see why restricting membership to the caucus makes sense and is not discrimination.

Also, a hyperlinked reference would have been nice somewhere in your post.

[Elvado]

So there would be no outcry if certain members wanted to find a white caucus?

Isn't it possible that a white member could have constituents whose needs might be advanced by help from the caucus?

Isn't it possible that there is a very simple double standard at play here?

Exclusion is exclusion.

[HoyaNyr320]

vadie said:

So there would be no outcry if certain members wanted to find a white caucus?

Isn't it possible that a white member could have constituents whose needs might be advanced by help from the caucus?

Isn't it possible that there is a very simple double standard at play here?

Exclusion is exclusion.

Can you please list the interests that the "white caucus" would address? I would suggest that there are existing caucuses and coalitions that address these issues. However, racial equality and civil/voting rights are not addressed by other caucuses.

Again, please look at what I said about Howard University and Galludet. The purpose of exclusion for institutions like these is not because they are trying to disadvantage white people but because black and deaf students have themselves been disadvantaged at other universities and want to attend institutions with a student body that has a shared identity and struggle.

[Elvado]

The excluded member was the man (a Democrat) who won the seat replacing Harold Ford, Jr. Surely his constituency couldn't require help that the Black caucus could provide. Surely, he might not have a constituency interested in racial equality and voting rights.

[HoyaNyr320]

vadie said:

Isn't it possible that a white member could have constituents whose needs might be advanced by help from the caucus?

Yes, I completely agree with you here. White members often ally themselves with the Black Caucus to support legislation that helps their black constituents and will continue to do so. Membership in the Black Caucus isn't necessary to advance the needs of these constitutents.

[Elvado]

Simply stated, the man is being denied admission (and his constituents by extension, denied voice) based upon the color of his skin. Puzzling.

[TigerHoya]

Hasn't a Black Republican been denied admission before? Hasn't there been a White member before?

[HealyHoya]

There has never been a white member of the CBC. Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) attempted to join the CBC in 1975 and was denied for the same reason Rep. Cohen was just denied.

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

tigerhoya said:

Hasn't a Black Republican been denied admission before? Hasn't there been a White member before?

J.C. Watts was admitted but then left the CBC.

[TigerHoya]

Yeah, I forgot about Watts but I think Franks from CT was the one I was thinking of - or maybe the Watts deal if I'm wrong.

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

The organization's purpose is to represent minority interests from a minority perspective. How do they serve that intent and purpose by admiting persons that do not share those interests or perspective?

As a Republican you should start getting used to defending a minority position.

Please stop playing dumb with us and posting non-stories.

[HoyaNyr320]

stpetersburghoya said:

The organization's purpose is to represent minority interests from a minority perspective. How do they serve that intent and purpose by admiting persons that do not share those interests or perspective?

As a Republican you should start getting used to defending a minority position.

Please stop playing dumb with us and posting non-stories.

Awwwww... c'mon St. Pete! I was having fun with this debate! I'm still waiting for the list of issues that a white caucus is needed to address and an argument against the "discrimination and exclusion" practiced by Howard and Galludet.

You just HAD to lay down the gauntlet.

I must admit, however, you laid it down well.

[DFW HOYA]

hoyanyr320 said:

Again, please look at what I said about Howard University and Galludet. The purpose of exclusion for institutions like these is not because they are trying to disadvantage white people but because black and deaf students have themselves been disadvantaged at other universities and want to attend institutions with a student body that has a shared identity and struggle.

Neither Howard not Gallaudet may exclude students as a matter of law. According to Business Week, about 6% of HU is non-African American, and 5% of Gallaudet is not deaf.

Perhaps the CBC is considered a "private club" and therefore not subject to such laws.

[Boz]

stpetersburghoya said:

Please stop playing dumb with us and posting non-stories.

Do you mean like calling the President STUPID because he and the First Lady were directed by their security detail to an armored car to drive to an appropriate shelter during a tornado warning?

Is that the sort of non-story that shouldn't be posted here?

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

boz1 said:

stpetersburghoya said:

Please stop playing dumb with us and posting non-stories.

Do you mean like calling the President STUPID because he and the First Lady were directed by their security detail to an armored car to drive to an appropriate shelter during a tornado warning?

Is that the sort of non-story that shouldn't be posted here?

But I wasn't playing dumb when I posted that. I was actually that dumb. ;D

[EasyEd]

My daughter, who is white, attended Howard University.

[Boz]

stpetersburghoya said:

But I wasn't playing dumb when I posted that. I was actually that dumb. ;D

Ha! Good one.

My only point being, regardless of political affiliation, we're just a message board here. Post whatever you want to talk about within the mod rules. (Excluding hifigator, of course, who should never post anything; I hope we can all agree on that if nothing else.)

Personally, I think the CBC can do whatever the hell they want, but that this type of action only serves to marginalize or limit them. If there's a white rep. or a Republican rep. who can broaden their reach and influence, why not include them? Jeez, it's Congress after all, it's not like our expectations are all that great anyway.

[HoyaNyr320]

ed said:

My daughter, who is white, attended Howard University.

I stand corrected on my assertion that these colleges were exclusive. However, that does not change the fact that the Black Caucus, even more so than these Universities, has an identity that is integral to its mission. By definiton, the Black Caucus is a group of black Members of Congress much like the Log Cabin Republicans consist of a group of homosexual conservative men or the Women's Caucus consists of female members. This is not exclusion but merely maintaining a characteristic that defines the group. If a man were admitted into the Women's Caucus, it would no longer be a Women's caucus. If a caucasion was admitted into the Black Caucus, it loses its definition.

I should also stress again that the Black Caucus isn't some exclusionary rascist group. The Caucus has worked with members of all colors, genders, and sexual orientations to pass legislation benefitting their constituencies. Representative Cohen will have just as much say in voting/civil rights legislation as any other representative in the House and will work together with many members of the Black Caucus to construct such legislation.

[Deleted]

No whites in the CBC. No blacks in the Klu Klux Klan (except Clayton Bigsby). No women in Augusta. No shirt, no shoes, no service. No sex in the champagne room.

This is America. Exclusion is what we do best. That, and really bad music. Have you ever actually listened to Toby Keith?!? Yikes...