Not a double standard
I am guessing that Cohen did not get the memo about the Stacey Campfield fracas.
Black Caucus: Whites Not Allowed
Freshman Rep. Stephen I. Cohen, D-Tenn., is not joining the Congressional Black Caucus after several current and former members made it clear that a white lawmaker was not welcome.
“I think they’re real happy I’m not going to join,” said Cohen, who succeeded Rep. Harold Ford, D-Tenn., in a majority-black 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.
January 23rd, 2007 at 12:11 pm
It’s too bad, ’cause Cohen’s district has a significant number of black people in it. A majority, I think.
Nice to see racism is alive and well in the .gov
January 23rd, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Can you imagine what would happen if someone formed a White Caucus?
January 23rd, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Can you imagine what would happen if someone formed a White Caucus?
Are you mad? That would be completely unacceptable. The part that makes no sense is that this punishes the people of that District. Is there a subliminal message to the voters here? But it is not racism. They have to follow the rules. Even if they are not actually written down.
January 23rd, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Can you imagine what would happen if someone formed a White Caucus?
They did. It was called Congress, and it took better than a hundred years and a war to get that to change. Or the US Senate; oh wait, now there’s Obama.
Last I heard the Congressional Black Caucus was a private organization, and therefore like clubs and golf courses a-many, can permit or deny membership to whomever they choose. And squeal all you want, are you seriously suggesting that they should be forced to take members they don’t want? Affirmative action is a good thing, as long as it’s working in your favor, huh?
January 23rd, 2007 at 4:14 pm
And squeal all you want, are you seriously suggesting that they should be forced to take members they don’t want?
I am suggesting that the people that live in the District should have representation in the Black Caucus regardless of the color of the person they voted for. Who does the Black Caucus represent? Politicians? Does the Black Caucus receive public funds?
The clubs and golf courses you refer to have been sued and forced to accept membership of all people. You may have missed that. Walter Williams and Thomas Sowell have written on this extensively. Not a big fan of them?
January 23rd, 2007 at 5:31 pm
I read this and re-read it and it makes no sense. Will someone please explain to me how elected representatives, who have sworn to up hold the laws of the land, and the wishes of their constituents, allow themselves to be sucked into some kind of cockamemie scheme like this? Who is being served here and how well?
January 23rd, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Huh? What’s that got to do with this?
January 23rd, 2007 at 9:28 pm
“They did. It was called Congress, and it took better than a hundred years and a war to get that to change. Or the US Senate; oh wait, now there’s Obama.”
The first black Senator in modern history was Edward Brooke, a Republican from Mass.
He was defeated by Paul Tsongas in about 1978 or 1980.
January 25th, 2007 at 6:21 am
I guess the color of diversity is black, and black and then of course there is black. Not to mention the black hue of diversity.
Yep, I can really see why I should take them seriously when they try to lecture on racism or the need for
diblackity.uh diversity.January 25th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Well, they are called the Black Caucus, not the Diverse Caucus. If there were a White Caucus, and we as a society were twisted enough to tolerate such a thing, would anyone expect them to admit blacks?
January 25th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Race hustlers, each and everyone.