Tancredo: End Race-Based Caucuses

Colorado Congressman And Presidential Candidate Calls Black, Hispanic Caucuses "Divisive"

(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.

[bildooreilly]

He's exactly right too.

[agnim]

What a way for a KKK guy to kick off his Presidential bid: Pick on the Black peoples of America. LOL

After all, the Blacks in America have always made such easy targets; and it's a sure way to attract majority white votes. Dam bigot! LOL

[bildooreilly]

You claim to want "equal rights" but that isn't what you want Agnim, you want to the right to be racist while claiming everyone else is racist. You don't want equal rights, you want "Special rights."

[themartyred]

his initial thought on it makes sense, but if the efforts of such a caucus are to extol the problems of people not equally treating their group, they have every right to have the caucus as a way of joining up with other like minded individuals to promote equality. it is without argument however, that ANYONE should be able to join their group, to not allow someone in based on color, even if they support them (like a gay-friendly guy not being allowed to join GLADD, which I'm sure they wouldn't do), is rather WRONG.

Oh, and Tancredo is farrrrrrrrrrr from the man I want in the White House.

[neshotah76]

A BOLD Move in the right direction to de-polarize society. Will Congress support this move? Not a Chance. Will anyone in the CBC support it? Doubtful. The Dream of MLK Jr will take longer to see as long as people of any color or non color stay in groups. Until the day comes when we see each other as brother and sister instead of them and us.

[jdweymouth]

I usually don't care much about race, and ethnic issues in America, but I believe the congressman is correct in his assessment. This is a great move, but it won't ever come into focus, because the democrats won't let it. This article doesn't mention the democratic response to Tancredo, but the response I read in other newspapers, and articles such as this was far from cordial. The democratic response was perfect proof that they don't give 2 cents about blacks, Hispanics, or otherwise. To the democrats, minorities are just political tools, and if there were no racially motivated caucuses in congress, their tools%u2019 value would drop substantially.

To Agnim---Are you nuts? You have to be, because the statements you made have no basis in fact. In all my readings about Tancredo (I%u2019m not saying my impression is absolute): he has no affiliation with the KKK. Plus, he wasn't "picking" on the blacks: he was referring to all racially motivated caucuses. Just because he doesn%u2019t sympathize with groups in the U.S. who complain for no reason; doesn%u2019t mean he is a racist or picking on anyone.

To themartyred---Did you even read the article? His point is: if we want a colorblind society (we sadly never will), congress has to lead by example as the voice of the people, and they should do that by getting rid of the racially motivated caucuses. Before you post, read the article.

[kerimparrot]

Good idea.
To some of you other commenters-Me thinks thou does protest too much.Never Again.You have the law and public opinion behind you. Why divide us more?
I hope he does go presidential ,I'll vote for him.

[randalds]

Tancredo doesn't want to get rid of the black caucus because he thinks it'll help lead to a colorblind society and his claim for that is disengenious at best and an out right lie at worst. He wants to get rid of organizations like the black caucus because it's easier to marginalize them when they not organized. Tancredo is a bigot as many of his statements in the past have shown. This is nothing more then divide and conquer politics from the racist wing of the republican party.

[bellal-2009]

Young people are the ones to look to for opinions on racial issures. They really are colorblind. The only thing about race they discuss is who has what minority status so as to have a better shot at getting into college. (true, I just overheard the conversation)

[adian1-2009]

Tancredo is a Republican. As such he presumably shares their ideology of government and their collective cultural attitude regarding race, minorities, poor people, national origin, etc. So, his claims for equality must be looked at with scrutinizing skepticism. But in spite of the above, his position regarding the elimination of black caucuses should be given unprejudiced thought. Something not easy for blacks, especially for those that even though victims of racist discriminatory practices, are just as racists.

[ramos937]

***

[skyk-2009]

When you attack something you need to look at the REASON it's there. This poor fascist doesn't give a *** about Race Relations in this Country he is simply attempting to do what Fascist have always done, divide the nation. He knows Blacks will never support a party run by Southern Fascist so he's trying to take away any leadership that group has. You certainly do not hear anyone in the Fascist Party proposing breaking up the Religious Reich now do you? I would think that people who push our leaders into special session for no other reason than FORCING their religious beliefs on ONE family!! Talk about UN-American!!

[mbcsmith]

If members would form a Congressional WHITE caucus, how would the debate change?

[jjp735i]

"Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., said the caucus decided early on that official membership would be restricted to blacks".

How many Country Clubs were forced to change their policy from "membership would be restricted to whites" to allow Tiger to play on their golf course?

What a crock of bull. On one hand one race screams to be treated equal with the other, yet feels it can do what it wants to exclude another race. Who the hell do they think they are kidding.

If you can't pull that kind of garbage being white, your sure as hell should not be allowed to pull it because your black.

If people of color want a "black this or a black that", they need to sit back and allow "a white this or a white that".

It's either one or the other. People of all races are geting tired of this. Everyone needs to make up their minds, we are all Americans and be allowed to do the same things or we are not.

To be honest I am damned tired of correcting my kids from using the N word when they hear it repeatedly from their black friends. From now on, if a black kid can use the N word, so can mine. It's not worth the struggle. And don't hand me "it's a black thing". It can become "a white thing" again too.

[perception5]

Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.........is 100% correct. One only has to recalled what another famous Republican said in 1963. Martin Luther King said...... "don't judge someone based on the color of their skin ......but instead on the content of their character".

Does anyone have an issue with that?

[gray_owl_55]

The article clearly states that Rep. Cohen did not apply nor did the CBC deny him membership. So why is Rep. Tancredo making a moutain out of a mole hill? Presidential politics, energize your base with a wedge issue.

Race is still a "hot button" issue forty years after the Civil Rights Movement because we as a society have never honestly addressed the inhumane way we treated black people for two hundred years. Me thinks that Rep. Tancredo protest too loudly. Democrates have issues to address on this topic as well, but what did twelve years of Republican congressional leadership accomplish? Very little.
What has Rep. Tancreado done to genuinly make race relations better in America?

i am black and I completely agree. I am glad these things have come up in society

i am black and I completely agree. I am glad these things have come up in society

i am black and I completely agree. I am glad these things have come up in society

sorry...my stupid computer :)

[agnim]

"To Agnim---Are you nuts? You have to be, because the statements you made have no basis in fact. In all my readings about Tancredo (I%u2019m not saying my impression is absolute): he has no affiliation with the KKK.

Posted by jdweymouth at 01:58 AM : Jan 26, 2007"

Are you one of those who allowed to peep behind KKK sheets? LOL

Your so-called "reading about Tancredo" is obviously not accompanied by an intelligent drawing of conclusion about what you've read!

Tancredo is a white supremacist race baiter who hopes to cash in on the racism he knows is very prevalent (even if subtle) in his American demographic.

The Congressional Black Caucus is meant to promote the civil rights that the white supremacists, like Tancredo, have always sought to trample.

The CBC is not an anti-anything caucus!
And the CBC POSES NO THREAT TO AMERICA OR TO AMERICANS!

White supremacists like Tancredo are hell bent on thwarting the aspiration of the Black people of America, and mindlessly keep America back in the process.

Yet white America will not repudiate this closet KKK member, Tancredo.
This is because quietly, too many of white America (his constituency) are hiding behind the same KKK white sheet as the likes of Tancredo!

[agnim]

"If members would form a Congressional WHITE caucus, how would the debate change?

Posted by mbcsmith at 09:14 AM : Jan 26, 2007"

Don't be obtuse, guy.
The BULK of the Congress is ALREADY a Congressional White Caucus!

It's just that when you have such and overwhelming majority, that is UNLIKELY to be challenged, you don't even need to name it Congressional White Caucus!

Why do you think that there was no assistance to New Orleans during the national disaster of Katrina? The Congressional White Caucus deemed that there should be no assistance to N.O. and Louisiana!

[agnim]

"i am black and I completely agree. I am glad these things have come up in society

Posted by amerigirl28 at 10:18 AM : Jan 26, 2007"

You are always prefacing your post with the same stupidity: "I am black"! LOL

Just make your point, 'cause there is NO WAY of authenticating your mindless claim of blackness in cyberspace.

THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IN CYBERSPACE IS THE COGENCY OF ONE'S ARGUMENT!

If you are really Black, you have a problem.
If you are non-Black, you have an even bigger problem.
Either way you have a problem, 'cause we can only see the 'pigmentation' of your arguments; and they are pretty colorless! LOL

for some people that preface is important. For you it isn't. to each his/her own.

you don't have to be a racist to realize that we should ALL leave color alone. Black caucuses too!

agnim

there were black people in that caucus also when katrina hit. there were black people who did not say anything either.

[agnim]

"there were black people in that caucus also when katrina hit. there were black people who did not say anything either.

Posted by amerigirl28 at 12:42 PM : Jan 26, 2007"

Katrina DID NOT REQUIRE "SAYING"!

Katrina DEMANDED DOING!

And it was the Congressional White Caucus that wields the power to impact that NATIONAL DISASTER, if you don't know how America works as yet?

[agnim]

"you don't have to be a racist to realize that we should ALL leave color alone.

Posted by amerigirl28 at 12:41 PM : Jan 26, 2007"

Has to be a 'racist' or a complete idiot to 'leave color alone'.

Thankfully, Mother Nature saw fit to make color PART OF OUR WORLD.

To ignore color is to mindlessly impose ignorance on oneself. Only weak fools are expected to do that.

[gray_owl_55]

You are always prefacing your post with the same stupidity: "I am black"! LOL If you are really Black, you have a problem. If you are non-Black, you have an even bigger problem. Either way you have a problem, 'cause we can only see the 'pigmentation' of your arguments; and they are pretty colorless! LOL
Posted by Agnim at 12:33 PM : Jan 26, 2007

To ignore color is to mindlessly impose ignorance on oneself. Only weak fools are expected to do that.
Posted by Agnim at 12:57 PM : Jan 26, 2007

Based on your limited grasp of english composition you are in no position to comment on someones writting style. We are still a nation of unequal social, educational and economic opportunities. If amerigirl28 wishes to identify herself as an African-American that's her choice, you'll just have to accept that at face value. Making defamatory remarks and assumptions only re-enforces many of the still prevalent racial stereotypes.

[agnim]

"If amerigirl28 wishes to identify herself as an African-American that's her choice, you'll just have to accept that at face value.

Posted by gray_owl_55 at 05:03 PM : Jan 26, 2007"

Actually, Owl, no one but a fool has to accept anything at your 'face value' in cyberspace.

And your Amerigirl has her 'choice' pretend to be black; and so do I have a choice to rubbish silliness.
Maybe you can confirm pigmentation in cyberspace?

[cdegolier]

Why do you think that there was no assistance to New Orleans during the national disaster of Katrina? The Congressional White Caucus deemed that there should be no assistance to N.O. and Louisiana!

Posted by Agnim at 12:27 PM : Jan 26, 2007

Check your facts, the government offered the National Guards assistance to N.O. 3 days before Katrina hit and warned that an evacuation should be done. The Govenor rejected the help. The Black mayor is the one who did not get his people out of N.O. it had nothing to do with the Congress.

But back to the actual story, I am white and all I have ever heard was equality, everyone should be treated equally. Is it only when blacks are not treated equally when that applies or does it apply with everyone else? So what happens when the white man is the minority everywhere, it is the case in Arizona and pretty much California. So is it then okay to have white only groups then and white only scholarships then?

I am so tried of the same old line that whitey is keeping us down, frankly whitely is not to blame, one needs to look in their own neighborhood, people of every race need to stop the blame game and take a little responsibility for their own situations.

[vancouverboo]

The blacks will always be with us.

We brought them over.

Now we're stuck with them.

Just bad karma.

[agnim]

"We brought them over.

Posted by vancouverboo at 06:32 PM : Jan 26, 2007"
Not "brought"! Kidnapped screaming against their will!

Maybe the white man should just pack up and move back to Europe; it would make a lot of people happy! And all will be forgiven. LOL

[agnim]

"But back to the actual story, I am white and all I have ever heard was equality, everyone should be treated equally. Is it only when blacks are not treated equally when that applies or does it apply with everyone else?

Posted by cdegolier at 06:01 PM : Jan 26, 2007"

Actually the complaint is, in effect, that whites are ALSO not treated equally.

Whites are treated MORE than equally. That is the complaint, so there. LOL