What a race conscious bunch we are!
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was supposed to end government-mandated discrimination based on attributes like race and sex, but in subsequent years since the Act’s passage, policies like race preferences slithered in.
Despite the plain language of the law, government agencies, including the one charged with carrying out the Act’s directives, practice discrimination in hiring based on race.
But who cares about those fussy details?
I’m waiting for some white lawmaker, preferably a liberal one, to take race-based congressional caucuses to task. Publicly. I doubt it’ll happened, but one can hope.
I was surprised to see a headline like “Black Caucus: Whites Not Allowed.” Then I realized the story appeared in a new publication called The Politico, which covers Capitol Hill. The Politico isn’t what you’d call mainstream, but as a new creature on the block, its agenda is yet to be known. It probably leans more to the left than right, but one can hope.
The article is a brief write-up about white Congressman Stephen I. Cohen’s futile attempt to join the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). I haven’t done any research on the particulars, but I doubt very seriously that the CBC or any other race-focused, taxpayer-supported committee can exclude members based on the color of their skin. An excerpt of the article:
Cohen said he became convinced that joining the caucus would be “a social faux pas” after seeing news reports that former Rep. William Lacy Clay Sr., D-Mo., a co-founder of the caucus, had circulated a memo telling members it was “critical” that the group remain “exclusively African- American.â€
…
The bylaws of the caucus do not make race a prerequisite for membership, a House aide said, but no non-black member has ever joined…Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., who is white, tried in 1975 when he was a sophomore representative and the group was only 6 years old.“Half my Democratic constituents were African-American. I felt we had interests in common as far as helping people in poverty,” Stark said. “They had a vote, and I lost. They said the issue was that I was white, and they felt it was important that the group be limited to African-Americans.”
And therein lies the solution to the dilemma facing race-obsessed congressional caucuses. Instead of turning down white members for being white, turn down members of any race who don’t represent predominately or heavily black districts. Admit politicians like Cohen if they promise to spend most of their time and energy working on “black†issues, like…hmm…let me check the CBC’s site to find out what “black†issues are.
Later…OK! Under “Priorities,” the race-based group of taxpayer-supported folks are concerned about things like the academic achievement gap, “quality†health care for “every American,†employment, business development, “justice for all,†etc. What cool “black” issues!
Well, they have to use words like all and every to feign inclusiveness and downplay what they actually do, but as long as Cohen vows to work to improve the lot of “African Americans,†the CBC has no reason to refuse him membership. According to the article, Cohen’s district is 60 percent black, he’s received “high marks†for hiring blacks, and his chief of staff is black. Cohen clearly appreciates black folks!
Assessing potential members this way stinks, too, but it’s a lot cleaner, fairer, and less outrageous (and comical at the same time) than barring whites outright because they are white.
Ditto for the Hispanic and Asian Pacific American (good grief) Caucuses, too.
I guess I’ll have to wait in vain for some bold white politician to illustrate why politicians forming race-based, taxpayer-supported groups is a repugnant idea by creating and recruiting members for a Congressional White Heterosexual Protestant Caucus and refusing to allow blacks and homosexuals and non-Protestants and heathens to join.
Unless the blacks, homosexuals, non-Protestants, and heathens represent heavily white heterosexual Protestant districts and promise to work on white heterosexual Protestant “issues.” 
This is the kind of stuff that keeps real, meaningful race talks from happening in this country. When white folks try to gain understanding and interact with minorities they find themselves viewed with suspicion and mistrust. Then minorities whine about how white folks make all these stereotypical assumptions about ethnic groups. If minorities don’t involve white folks in their culture and thought processes, how are whites supposed to ever learn anything to overcome stereotypes?
It’s much easier for a minority to get an idea how white culture works because there are a lot of books, magazines, tv shows, movies, etc. produced by and for white people. There’s considerably less produced for minorities and even less produced by minorities.
Comment by Ghosty — 01.23.07 @ 9:25 am
Racism and exclusion are GOOD things. No, wait….. that can’t be right…..
Drat. This is all so very confusing. I need a program.
Comment by redbeard — 01.23.07 @ 9:41 am
LaShawn,
Waiting for some white politician to challenge this hypocrisy is naive! Ethnic victimhood is a multi-billion dollar business, both domestically and globally. The power and money it confers is unbelievable. In the mid 1960’s the “civil rights” movement hit the mother lode when they found it was far more profitable politically and financially to exploit white guilt rather than helping poor blacks. Upon seeing the tremendous profits from race hustling and poverty pimping, other ethnic groups got in the act. Why should black activists have all the fun and profit? The system will never change until ethnic groups open their eyes and see the self-pity of victocracy as what is it really is: moral debasement and dishonorable humiliation. Until then, nothing is going to change.
Comment by Francois Krodel — 01.23.07 @ 9:57 am
Ah, Lacy Clay. And his legacy continues with his son, whom I’m so proud to have represent my interests in government.
Please. Someone. Term limits.
Comment by Jared — 01.23.07 @ 10:05 am
I agree with you, LaShawn. The one great thing here is that you take this issue, which normally makes me say, “ARRGH!!” and make me laugh aloud instead. Thanks for your wit, wisdom, and insight.
Comment by 10km — 01.23.07 @ 10:18 am
Thanks, LaShawn, for pulling the covers off another “sleeping dog.”
It was a blow to the CBC when former Republican congressman (Okla.) J.C. Watts declined to join, rather than jump in the fray and allow the logic of his positions to win converts. (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1365/is_n12_v25/ai_17179326) At the time (1995), there were only two African-American GOPs in the House, and Watts found no value in being outvoted 40-2 on every issue.
Maybe I’m an optimist, but I think righteousness wins out in the end. As American truly diversifies, the need for “black only” clubs and events declines. Progress ebbs, but is inevitable. It’s time for the CBC to be part of America’s future, not a throwback, or worse, a “hold back.”
Comment by Steve Chavis — 01.23.07 @ 10:39 am
Caucus????????? I always thought it was Circus !!!!!!
Comment by Heliotrope — 01.23.07 @ 10:41 am
IIRC, the Congressional Black Caucus didn’t like J.C. Watts much, either; skin color only counts when they want it to count.
I know he’s busy with his family and his ministry, but I really hope he comes back to national politics some day.
Comment by Radish — 01.23.07 @ 10:54 am
I got curious about what a caucus is and does, laughing to myself, there should be a norwegian caucus, and there is! haha
Here is the long list of caucuses in the House.
http://cha.house.gov/oversight/109cmo.htm
Most of them are issues related, but I expect there’s a lot of hobnobbing and networking and fancy dinner meetings that the taxpayer ultimately pays for in the name of the “issue”.
Comment by dianne — 01.23.07 @ 10:58 am
I pity these fools.
I guess Caucus stands for:
Cretin-Ass-Unintelligent-Crazy-Ugly-Stooge
Comment by Joe — 01.23.07 @ 11:05 am
Imagine the reaction if someone started a Congressional White Caucus.
Comment by Dave — 01.23.07 @ 11:06 am
I wonder, if the MD 2006 election had gone differently, the CBC would have admitted Michael Steele.
Comment by Lanie — 01.23.07 @ 11:07 am
No Race Based Congressional Caucus Should Receive any Taxpayer Money, Period!
La Shawn Barber has a post up about how the Congressional Black refuses to allow any non-Blacks into their bunch of Civil Rights Industry protection schemes. Even Whites elected in majority Black districts are excluded. It’s total racial bigot…
Trackback by Independent Conservative — 01.23.07 @ 11:23 am
The primary responsibility of the U.S. government is to protect the territorial integrity and people of this country. They have completely abdicated this responsibility. Both republicans and democrats are complicit in this. We are being told it is not possible to control our borders, enforce our laws, and thereby control our destiny as a nation. Hogwa*73* We are being sold out by corporations intent on importing workers for jobs that can’t be exported with the taxpayers picking up the true costs, financial and human. If we act like sheep and don’t stop the inundation across our borders, we will lose our country without a bleat.
Comment by Kwaku Minta — 01.23.07 @ 11:37 am
As a black female Republican it makes my blood boil but these are the same people that gave that criminal William Jeffereson a standing ovation:(
Comment by Bella — 01.23.07 @ 11:48 am
While I disagree that there is no need for the CBC, I do agree that there is a need for its overhaul. I understand why they’d rather not admit whites (if the majority of members became white, it would seemingly nullify the purpose of the CBC), I’d rather them focus on real “black” issues. If someone represents a district that is majority black, it is important for them to be able to dialogue with the CBC to gain insight on how to address his or her district.
Although I do not agree with blacks, or any other ethnicity or special interest group who pulls their particular card to suit themselves, I find it equally disturbing when whites try to pull the “that’s what you get” card. Someone commented that whites believe stereotypes because blacks don’t invite them into their particular groups. That’s a very simplistic argument. Whites choose to believe stereotypes because it’s comforting to them. One can easily choose to call a stereotype what it is…”ignorance” rather than choose to believe it in. Even if one cannot join the CBC, one can visit the African-American heritage museum, listen to Black talk-radio, read books by Black-authors, attend a Black poetry reading, etc. So, don’t make excuses for remaining biggoted.
Lastly, to state that the Civil Rights movement’s focus was on “pimping white guilt” rather than helping poor blacks is outrageous. Ofcourse there will always be those in any arena who are focused on self-promotion. However, the Civil Rights movement was a great force in Blacks gaining alot of political and social ground in America. It’s just too bad that the current status of civil rights is more of a popularity contest between which “black leader” can get to the cameras first. However, I don’t blame them, because it is the white media who parade these baffoons around and give them the title of “black leader”.
Comment by Nicole — 01.23.07 @ 12:01 pm
That would be the left-wing “white media”, Nicole. Hardly representative of the average American, I think.
Comment by Miss Ladybug — 01.23.07 @ 12:21 pm
I understand what Cohen was trying to do, but I dont see the point of joining the CBC. He can still represent his district and the issues that affect his district without being apart of the CBC. He can still reach out to the members of the CBC, if he sees fit. The CBC only makes up but a small percentage of the entire House of Reps, so they really are not that important and really do not represent the entire population of black americans so I dont see why they are worth the time nor the effort.
And Ghostly to answer your question, no one should have to reach out to you to involve you in their “culture” and their “thought processes”. If you do not want to take it upon yourself to understand the different people and cultures that may not be the same as yours, than you have no one to blame but yourself. People forget that we are human beings first and that race, color, ethnic group, and culture is second. I fall under the umbrella of minority, but I dont care if someone who is white, does not know everything about black americans and I dont care if they do not know everyhing about the history of black America. All I care about is that they show me the same respect that I will show them and that we can see beyond our individual colors. That does not mean that color is not important, that just means that color should not be the end all and be all of someone’s existence and how they are percieved. If you cant look past someone’s color, than that is your problem, not mine.
Comment by Roye Barber — 01.23.07 @ 12:25 pm
Nicole said, “So, don’t make excuses for remaining biggoted.”
That’s quite a leap from trying (and not being allowed) to join the CBC, to being biggoted. Are you saying that Cohen’s whiteness means he’s a bigot? Just because he’s white? Even though his 60% black district gives him high marks and he’s trying to do whatever he can to do even better for his district?
Knee-jerk reactions come on both sides. Sheesh!
Comment by SkyePuppy — 01.23.07 @ 12:51 pm
Degree, or Kind?
While the question was not directly asked of me, the correct answer is no, demonstrated bigotry is far from endemic in and definitely not limited to the GOP, and neocons world-wide have no particular corner on the intolerance market….
Trackback by amcgltd — 01.23.07 @ 1:58 pm
Black issue? What is a black issue? Dealing with racial discrimination? Nope, Senator Cohen has shown that dealing with discrimination is a human issue. What if there were no black issues?
Trey
Comment by Trey — 01.23.07 @ 2:09 pm
Dave #11.
There are a number of caucuses dedicated to white ethnic minorities (Italian, Polish, Irish, Jewish, German, etc. etc.).
Comment by Shade — 01.23.07 @ 2:20 pm
Okay, my head is spinning-is William Jefferson a member of the black caucus? Because his constituency isn’t black, but green. As in frozen green ‘lettuce’ wrapped in tinfoil in his freezer.
Comment by Doug — 01.23.07 @ 2:21 pm
SkyePuppy #19
Nicole was referring to choosing to believe stereotypes as being bigoted.
Comment by Shade — 01.23.07 @ 2:36 pm
Shade, how can you defend bad ideas by using other bad ideas? Those caucuses you mentioned make no more sense than the CBC.
Comment by redbeard — 01.23.07 @ 2:40 pm
So by that logic, would the Congressional Narcotics Abuse and Control Caucus only allow those who abuse narcotics?
Seriously, how many committees and caucuses of these types are there, how much are we paying for them, and what results/return on our investment are we really getting as a society (other than feel-good lip service).
Comment by Candy Slice — 01.23.07 @ 3:02 pm
Shade #24,
Nicole’s comments looked either broad (”Whites choose to believe stereotypes because…”) or specific to Cohen (”Even if one cannot join the CBC…”), and this last one is the same sentence that preceded her statement about not remaining biggoted.
Whatever happened to looking past color to the person inside?
Comment by SkyePuppy — 01.23.07 @ 3:41 pm
No “Diversity†For Black Representatives
LaShawn Barber has a terrific post about the longstanding insistence of the Congressional Black Caucus that no whites (or presumably Asians or Hispanics) be allowed membership, even if they represent heavily black districts. (HatTip to reader Lorenzo A…
Trackback by Discriminations — 01.23.07 @ 4:26 pm
The Congressional Black Caucus site makes this claim:
“In 2003, 39% of African-American 4th grade students could read at or above a basic reading level compared to 74% of white 4th grade students, and 39% of African-American 8th grade students performed at or above a basic math level compared to 79% of white 8th grade students;
High school completion rates – 83.7% for African-Americans, and 91.8% for whites….”
Look at that last set of statistics. Isn’t it clear that one huge number of Af-Ams drop out to goose a 39% success rate up to 83.7% high school completion rate? Or, have the high school completion requirements been dumbed down to……..?
But more revealing is how silent the CBC site is on the importance of getting the parent involved in educational success and how important promoting educational success is. Instead, the CBC is all hot for more programs, more money, more power.
Who are the role models in the Congressional Black Caucus? Who among them wears one of Colin Powell’s “little red wagon” pins on the lapel and is deeply engaged in the hard work of mentoring? If they are there, let them step forward and spread the good news.
Meanwhile, color me skeptical. (After all, it is always about color, isn’t it?)
Comment by Heliotrope — 01.23.07 @ 4:33 pm
redbeard.
I’m not defending anything. I’m just clarifying that ethnic based caucuses are not exclusive to racial minorities.
Comment by Shade — 01.23.07 @ 4:55 pm
I agree that the media is not representative of the “average American” that is why I submit that people stop calling people “Black Leaders”, stop pointing to “black statistics” and stop looking for the race angle of everything. It is not just Black folk who love to play the race card. It seems that whites sometimes love to play it down. I wish race was no longer an issue. But ignoring is just as bad as parading it.
As far as my bigotted comment, I wasn’t saying Cohen was a bigot. I also was neither agreeing with or disagreeing with the CBC’s policy. I was merely pointing something out.
Most people I know find no current use for the CBC, but I am not going to demean them like they are the only special interest group out there. I sure there are plenty of white congressmen who have an “unnamed” race-based congress of their own. But, they don’t get thrust in the forefront because they have the money and means to avoid being put in the spotlight.
Comment by Nicole — 01.23.07 @ 5:09 pm
SkyePuppy #27
Nicole was responding to the last sentence in post #1 which blamed not being able to join black organizations as the reason whites (whether this means some whites or most whites, I don’t know) lack knowledge of “black culture”, and thus promote stereotypes. Nicole refers to promoting stereotypes as “bigotry”. She feels that there are a multitude of ways to learn about “black culture” and that the idea expressed in post #1 would only serve as an excuse to promote stereotypes (which Nicole refers to as bigotry).
Comment by Shade — 01.23.07 @ 5:12 pm
What is “black culture?”
What is “white culture?”
Given the fact that blacks and whites have been living here together for hundreds of years, wouldn’t an “American culture” be preferable to either or both of those?
Comment by redbeard — 01.23.07 @ 6:22 pm
Nicole said; “I [sic] sure there are plenty of white congressmen who have an “unnamed†race-based congress of their own. But, they don’t get thrust in the forefront because they have the money and means to avoid being put in the spotlight.”
Do you mean to imply that the reason the black caucus is in the spotlight is simply because they do not have the money to avoid it….as if they are somehow the “disadvantaged” segment of Congress (could this be carrying victimology to a whole new level)? Or, could it be that the “white caucus is not in the spotlight because it simply does not exist?
Comment by jan — 01.23.07 @ 7:13 pm
Back in August, Shelby County Commissioner Walter Bailey wanted some of the black also-rans to drop out of the primary because he was afraid that Steve Cohen would win it. Here is a quote from his letter to the Commercial Appeal:
“The challenges that confront African-Americans in the predominantly urban Ninth District are unique. They include unemployment, poverty, crime, income disparity, lack of educational opportunities and the realities of racial discrimination. These challenges demand a congressional voice that would be more inclined, by virtue of the personal experience of being black, to have the necessary commitment, passion, knowledge base and undivided loyalty.”
Maybe Commissioner Bailey should contact the CBC and ask them please to let Congressman Cohen join, because, not having the virtue of the personal experience of being black, he needs all the help he can get figuring out how to look after his constituents.
Comment by Laura(southernxyl) — 01.23.07 @ 8:03 pm
Jan @ #34,
Well said, my logical friend. I concur.
Comment by Tate — 01.23.07 @ 8:10 pm
Thanks, Tate…but I am beginning to conclude that logic is seldom appreciated except by visionaries such as yourself
In truth, these days it is all about emoting and “keepin’ it real.” As Nicole said; I am sure….” (and it matters not whether she has evidence because in her heart, she believes it and then is all that matters).
Comment by jan — 01.23.07 @ 8:31 pm
redbeard
That is why, like you, I placed “black culture” in quotations. But I would say that the better term would be “sub-culture”.
Comment by Shade — 01.23.07 @ 9:13 pm
Shade #32,
Thanks for the clarification. I still think there’s some knee-jerk reacting on Nicole’s part as well as my own. She saw “stereotypes” and went to “bigot”. Not very helpful, because holding stereotypes does not mean the holder is necessarily a bigot. And what stereotypes equal bigotry? The barbecue/watermelon holdovers from a bygone era? The Black = Poor attitude? The viewing of blacks as wanting to stay separate from whites a la the CBC?
My knee-jerk was seeing “bigotted” and reading it as, “whites are bigots.” Also not very helpful.
For Cohen, though, does the refusal to let him into the CBC mean that conversation is not possible? Nicole’s suggestions for how Cohen can learn more about black culture seem to be solitary activities that mainly focus on the past and not as much on current conditions among his constituency (with the exception of talk radio). I would hope the CBC would be open to talking with Cohen, so he can be a more effective representative for his district.
Comment by SkyePuppy — 01.23.07 @ 9:21 pm
If I’m not mistaken, when Repupublicans gained control of congress, they changed the rules so that all of the caucuses (cauci?) are no longer tax supported.
JC Watts was a member of the CBC as was another Black Republican, Gary Franks.
Comment by DarkStar — 01.23.07 @ 10:15 pm
From a purely Christian standpoint we need to all get along, and therefore there shouldn’t be any single race caucuses. From a purely black woman standpoint we need caucuses dedicated to protecting and furthering the interests of minorities. Racism still exists, and minorities do still get short changed. The new millennium did not magically usher in a racism free era where all races are treated equally, no matter how much people would like to pretend.
Conclusion: I don’t think there is anything wrong with caucuses for the furthering of the interests of minority groups. I do think there is a problem with excluding others from those caucuses based on race. If a white person wants to join a caucus to further the interests of blacks, giddy-up! More power to that individual. That’s about all I have to say about that. God Bless.
Comment by Marta Odum — 01.23.07 @ 11:47 pm
“Progress ebbs, but is inevitable.”
No it is not, and you will live to see it all destroyed, by your own well-meaning but ideology-driven actions.
Do you even know why Islam continues to gain converts, among people whose lives would be utterly destroyed by it? It’s not because they’re too stupid to see the horrors sharia law creates, or because they’re terrorized into joining, or even because of any combination of negative factors. It’s because it promises them something that makes even the death of worldwide progress seem worthwhile.
Malcolm X had it right. Islam is the only realistic cure for racism. Not because it eliminates racism, but because eliminates the privileges that people of certain races enjoy as a part of civilization. Instead it harnesses racism and forces it to drive their society, just as democracy harnesses vanity and capitalism harnesses greed.
It is a cure for racism, but as is often the case with natural cures, the effects are much worse than the disease, not that that’s enough to stop people from pursuing it.
Comment by Racist — 01.24.07 @ 8:13 am
DarkStar, I think Watts refused to join the CBC. Makes sense, since the name of the group would be more accurate if it read Congressional Black Liberal Caucus.
Comment by redbeard — 01.24.07 @ 10:48 am
I say let Mr. Cohen join. If he isn’t representing his constituents I assume his time will come to pass. One way or the other.
Comment by Tiffany in Houston — 01.24.07 @ 6:00 pm
I’ve never liked the idea of ANY particular color caucus. What’s the point? Legislation is supposed to be about ideas; not what color you are or aren’t.
Comment by Michele — 01.24.07 @ 6:28 pm
I want an Irish/German/Alsatian/Swiss caucus, just for “my kind of people.” No one else can adequately look after my interests in Congress.
Comment by redbeard — 01.25.07 @ 9:28 am
The problem I have with this situation is…THE BIG DOUBLE STANDARD! If the white caucus turned down a black man or woman, it would be #1 headline on every media outlet in the country labeled a RACIST. Wait a minuet…..there is no white caucus…that would be RACIST…I am sorry.
Comment by Kevin — 01.25.07 @ 9:33 am
Really, what is a “black issue?”
Comment by Trey — 01.25.07 @ 12:32 pm
Jimmy Stewart had a black issue in “Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation.” They walked into their rented beach cottage, and he frustratedly commented on the tiny inadequate bare bulb hanging from the ceiling:
“That’s not a light. It’s a dark. You turn that thing on, and the whole room goes black.”
Comment by redbeard — 01.25.07 @ 2:33 pm
OK, aside from Jimmy Stewart, is sickle cell anemia a black issue? I mean it only directly afects blacks? I would say it is a human issue as I am called to love and care for my brothers and sisters. Is sun burn a white issue? I mean really.
Anyone that says that racism and bigotry are black issues have never been the only white guy at a party! Teenage pregnancy in the black community? That affects us all.
I am just not buying the white or black or brown issue idea till someone shows me one that will bear cursory inspection.
Trey
Comment by Trey — 01.25.07 @ 4:29 pm
That’s the great thing about racism…. it doesn’t discriminate!
Comment by LeRoy Lushon — 01.25.07 @ 7:43 pm