WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2007
Tancredo: End Race-Based Caucuses
Colorado Congressman And Presidential Candidate Calls Black, Hispanic Caucuses "Divisive"
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Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) speaks during a press conference on immigration reform at the U.S. Capitol March 30, 2006 in Washington, DC. (GETTY)
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"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.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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See all 34 CommentsPosted 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
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
We brought them over.
Now we're stuck with them.
Just bad karma.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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?
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 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
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!
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!
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?
Does anyone have an issue with that?
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