Should race-based congressional caucuses be abolished?

[Calabrio]

Tancredo: Abolish Race-Based Caucuses
Jan 25 3:28 PM US/Eastern


By LAURIE KELLMAN
Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON (AP) -- White House hopeful Tom Tancredo said Thursday the existence of the Congressional Black Caucus and other race-based groups of lawmakers amount to segregation and should be abolished.

"It is utterly hypocritical for Congress to extol the virtues of a colorblind society while officially sanctioning caucuses that are based solely on race," said the Colorado Republican, who is most widely known as a vocal critic of illegal immigration.

"If we are serious about achieving the goal of a colorblind society, Congress should lead by example and end these divisive, race-based caucuses," said Tancredo, who is scheduled to pitch his long-shot presidential bid this weekend in New Hampshire.

Tancredo's request, relayed in a letter to Administration Committee Chairwoman Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-Calif., revived his effort to change House rules to abolish the groups. Besides the Congressional Black Caucus, Democrats also have a Hispanic caucus with 21 members, and Republicans have a comparable Hispanic conference with five full members and 11 "associate" members who are not Hispanic.

The request comes in the wake of reports that freshman Rep. Stephen Cohen, D-Tenn., was refused admission to the Congressional Black Caucus because he is white. All 43 members of the caucus are black.

Cohen said in a statement that he told a reporter that he would be honored to join the caucus but did not apply, "nor has the CBC denied membership to me."

However, the group would not have permitted Cohen to join, its new chairwoman told The Associated Press. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., said the caucus decided early on that official membership would be restricted to blacks.

Tancredo is chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, which seeks to toughen border security to stem illegal immigration. He also opposes guest worker programs and immigration proposals by President Bush.

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[segxr7]

These race-based caucuses should be treated in the same way that a "Congressional White Caucus" that excludes non-whites would be treated.

Well, with one exception: no riots.

 

[Marcus]

Then might as well abolish the remaining hundred or so congressional caucuses like:

21st Century Health Care Caucus
Center Aisle Caucus
Congressional Caucus on Central America
Congressional Horse Caucus
Congressional Iraqi Women's Caucus
Flat Tax Caucus
Historic Preservation Caucus
Hungarian American Caucus
Interstate 69 Caucus
Law Enforcement Caucus
Military Veterans Caucus
Patriot Act Reform Caucus
Shellfish Caucus
Unexploded Ordnance Caucus
Victory in Iraq Caucus
Zero Capital Gains Tax Caucus

How dare those shellfish exclude other species from their ranks.

 

[fossten]

Then might as well abolish the remaining hundred or so congressional caucuses like:

21st Century Health Care Caucus
Center Aisle Caucus
Congressional Caucus on Central America
Congressional Horse Caucus
Congressional Iraqi Women's Caucus
Flat Tax Caucus
Historic Preservation Caucus
Hungarian American Caucus
Interstate 69 Caucus
Law Enforcement Caucus
Military Veterans Caucus
Patriot Act Reform Caucus
Shellfish Caucus
Unexploded Ordnance Caucus
Victory in Iraq Caucus
Zero Capital Gains Tax Caucus

How dare those shellfish exclude other species from their ranks.

The only ones on your list that look race-based are the ones I bolded. Otherwise, how is that relevant?

 

[Calabrio]

The only ones on your list that look race-based are the ones I bolded. Otherwise, how is that relevant?

Even the ones you isolated aren't race based. And only the Hungarian American Caucus is associated with any particular ethnicity. I don't have any indication that it limits members to only those of Hungarian descent though. I'd know more, but their website has dead links.

In contrast, a group like the Congressional Black Caucus is reported to refuse white members who join. This would be a race based standard.

You should think of a more convincing defense of this practice of segregation, TommyB.

 

[Marcus]

Even the ones you isolated aren't race based. And only the Hungarian American Caucus is associated with any particular ethnicity. I don't have any indication that it limits members to only those of Hungarian descent though. I'd know more, but their website has dead links.

In contrast, a group like the Congressional Black Caucus is reported to refuse white members who join. This would be a race based standard.

You should think of a more convincing defense of this practice of segregation, TommyB.

The point of my post was to show that there are many and varied congressional caucuses (or more properly, Congressional Member Organizations), each one dedicated to a specific issue or range of issues. The CBC deals with black issues, and contrary to Tancredo's assertation, blacks do still have issues that are unique to them. Race does indeed play a role in people's lives whether we want to believe it or not. The last sentence in segxr7's post proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt. All CMO's have the right to determine the rules of membership.

If Tancredo wants to start up a Congressional White Caucus, he is free to do so. But we all know that if he did, it would be nothing but a transparent attempt at stirring controversy.

 

[fossten]

Race does indeed play a role in people's lives whether we want to believe it or not. The last sentence in segxr7's post proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt. All CMO's have the right to determine the rules of membership.

Does that mean you are or are not in favor of the CBC refusing white membership?

And if so, then how do you reconcile that with your statement about Tancredo starting a Congressional White Caucus? That was irresponsible, considering that nothing could be further from what he proposed. He is actually doing this properly, advocating a "melting pot" attitude. You are actually saying it's okay to have any racial caucus except a white one, which would be controversial.

 

[Marcus]

Does that mean you are or are not in favor of the CBC refusing white membership?

I am in favor of letting them choose whomever they want for membership. Just like every other congressional caucus can do.

And if so, then how do you reconcile that with your statement about Tancredo starting a Congressional White Caucus? That was irresponsible, considering that nothing could be further from what he proposed. He is actually doing this properly, advocating a "melting pot" attitude. You are actually saying it's okay to have any racial caucus except a white one, which would be controversial.

To suggest that Tom Tancredo advocates a "melting pot" is ludicrous. This is a man who has addressed hate groups like the League of the South. This is a man who told an audience at a campaign event that illegal immigrants are "coming here to kill you, and you, and me, and my grandchildren". He makes the same argument that white supremacist groups like the National Alliance makes. This isn't the first time he's brought this topic up. He did the same thing in 2003. All he's doing is looking for attention. He doesn't give a damn about creating a "melting pot". So fcuk Tom Tancredo and the horse he rode in on.

 

[Calabrio]

I am in favor of letting them choose whomever they want for membership. Just like every other congressional caucus can do.

I'm not a fan of Tancredo, so I'm not going to address that. I'll leave that part to someone else who may or may not feel the need.

But on your first point, you think they should be allowed to use race as a discriminating factor when choosing members? Do you think that small business and private organizations should have that right as well?

You can't find a more publicly funded group that an congressional caucus, so apparently you don't mind public funds support segregated organizations?

 

[fossten]

I'm not a fan of Tancredo, so I'm not going to address that. I'll leave that part to someone else who may or may not feel the need.

But on your first point, you think they should be allowed to use race as a discriminating factor when choosing members? Do you think that small business and private organizations should have that right as well?

You can't find a more publicly funded group that an congressional caucus, so apparently you don't mind public funds support segregated organizations?

Bingo. You just nailed it, TommyB is for segregation when he favors the political stance, but then he bashes Tancredo for making speeches and compares him to the National Alliance.

What hypocrisy. I suspect the National Alliance is for segregation just like TommyB is.