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Black Caucus: Whites Not Allowed
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| NYCTrancefan |
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0107/2389.html
"As a white liberal running in a majority African American district, Tennessee Democrat Stephen I. Cohen made a novel pledge on the campaign trail last year: If elected, he would seek to become the first white member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Now that he's a freshman in Congress, Cohen has changed his plans. He said he has dropped his bid after several current and former caucus members made it clear to him that whites need not apply.
"I think they're real happy I'm not going to join," said Cohen, who succeeded Rep. Harold Ford, D-Tenn., in the Memphis district. "It's their caucus and they do things their way. You don't force your way in. You need to be invited."
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."
Other members, including the new chairwoman, Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., and Clay's son, Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., agreed.
"Mr. Cohen asked for admission, and he got his answer. ... It's time to move on," the younger Clay said. "It's an unwritten rule. It's understood. It's clear."
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 six 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."
Cohen remains hopeful, though, that he can forge relationships with black members in other ways.
"When I saw the reticence, I didn't want anyone to misunderstand my motives. Politically, it was the right thing to do," he said. "There are other ways to gain fellowship with people I respect."
Cohen won his seat in the 60 percent black district as the only white candidate in a crowded primary field. If he faces a primary challenge next year from a black candidate, as expected, some Black Caucus members may work to defeat him.
A similar situation arose in 2004 after redistricting added more black voters to the Houston district of former Rep. Chris Bell, D-Texas.
Although House tradition discourages members of the same party from working against each other, about a dozen black lawmakers contributed to Bell's opponent, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, the eventual victor. Even Bell's Houston neighbor, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, campaigned against him.
One black member who criticized his colleagues for sandbagging Bell was Cohen's predecessor, Harold Ford.
"You have an incumbent, and you don't support an incumbent? It was inappropriate," Ford told Congressional Quarterly in 2004.
Cohen has won high marks for hiring African Americans. A majority of his staff is African American, he said, including his chief of staff."
----------- Seeing that African American month is right around the corner and I myelf being black I found this story shameful. One of the remarks that troubled me was "Mr. Cohen asked for admission, and he got his answer. ... It's time to move on," the younger Clay said. "It's an unwritten rule. It's understood. It's clear."
Sounds like something out of the old Civil Right's South playbook in dealing with blacks, keep moving Negros no need to try and eat here, keep moving boy. Unwritten rule, many folks down south used that as justification in the past as well Mr. Clay yet you do today. He represents a district that is over half black, got those votes and now can't sit on the caucus, because he's white. Way to look out for that Congressional district, lesson of the day don't vote whitey in a populous black district if you want your representative on the caucus. Shameful day for that bunch in DC, you would think this guy was representing Klan territory in Mississippi. |
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| Spacey Orange |
| they should let him in if her feels that though he can represent his constituents better if he's in the black caucus. or perhaps they should eliminate it. |
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| NeoPhono |
| It seems to fit the MO of the United States today. "Reverse" discrimination is not only tolerated but at times publicly funded. I know I'll get flamed to hell for saying that, but that's how I see it. |
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| LazFX |
| quote: | Originally posted by NeoPhono
It seems to fit the MO of the United States today. "Reverse" discrimination is not only tolerated but at times publicly funded. I know I'll get flamed to hell for saying that, but that's how I see it. |
+1
Not from me, I see it as well. |
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| metalgearsolid |
| quote: | Originally posted by NeoPhono
It seems to fit the MO of the United States today. "Reverse" discrimination is not only tolerated but at times publicly funded. I know I'll get flamed to hell for saying that, but that's how I see it. |
I won't flame you. Whites have to pay the price for what they have done. And continue to doing. The main reason for the revolution was because the Americans wanted slavery. That is the truth, GB wanted to make slavery illegal in all its territories and the Americans didn't want that. So they declared their independence.
Now look at what is happening with illegal immigration? Those immigrants come here to work for low prices. And why are they allowed to stay? Because it is making a lot of rich people of their cheap labor and who would want to change that? The same people who wanted liberty to keep slaves and live the good life?
Did I get off topic? |
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| NYCTrancefan |
| quote: | Originally posted by Spacey Orange
they should let him in if her feels that though he can represent his constituents better if he's in the black caucus. or perhaps they should eliminate it. |
This is what is so strange about it, he made it as a campaign pledge, won the district seat and now he is being told for no other reason that he can't be allowed to join the caucus other than he is white and it needs to stay exclusively black. What is this Augusta Country Club:D He seems pretty committed to his constituents, has hired many blacks to work with his staff and is told you're not welcome.
NeoPhono while we may disagree about Bush's policies and Iraq on this issue it is reversed discrimination. Its like an all Afro-American club and if you get elected even in a significant black district and you are white you still can't join to represent your electorate in that body. How is that acceptable. What happens if it was the other way around. Tells you something about Washington when the people can vote him into office, but the politicians can't accept him to represent those people. This is wrong in my book. |
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| NeoPhono |
| quote: | Originally posted by metalgearsolid
Whites have to pay the price for what they have done. And continue to doing. |
How about those responsible "pay the price" for what they are doing? Slave owners died a long time ago, way before my family came to this country. I don't own a company that hires illegal immigrants, and I sure as hell don't make money off of them. The majority of whites are in the same position.
What you're saying is that an entire "race" should be punished for the action of those that died long ago and for the incredibly small few who profit off the exploitation of others? I'd rather work towards true equality and go after those responsible for current inequalities. Punishing an entire group of people for the actions of a few does nothing but increase animosity towards those who are receiving the supposed benefits of reverse discrimination. |
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| metalgearsolid |
| ^ Thats good, your not a racist like i thought you were:p. |
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| NeoPhono |
| quote: | Originally posted by metalgearsolid
^ Thats good, your not a racist like i thought you were:p. |
Jeez...I shudder to think of how people perceive me now. NYCTrancefan thinks I'm a Bush lover and you thought I was a racist. Am I the anti-Christ?
:nervous:
:D |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by NeoPhono
It seems to fit the MO of the United States today. "Reverse" discrimination is not only tolerated but at times publicly funded. I know I'll get flamed to hell for saying that, but that's how I see it. |
Not from this camp.
We see it a lot up here too as well as being government funded... |
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| WM2 |
| I love how discriminatory blacks in this country are. It's great that their very own organization the NAACP or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People uses a term that promotes prejudice in the name of their very own organization that's supposed to be fighting it. But I forget my manners, only white people are racist. :rolleyes: |
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| Haunted |
| when racism doesn't exist anymore in america (against blacks) then maybe i'll care about this. the country still has a long way to go |
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