Is the Congressional Black Caucas financially supported by taxes? If not, I have no problem with their allowing whoever they want into their organization. I have always believed that private enterprise should be able to determine who they choose to associate with using any or no criteria whatsoever. On the other hand, I think it is hypocritical for anyone to support this if they would condemn an all-white organization rejecting a black person as a member based only on their skin color. Either you should be okay with race discrimination or not.
I don't think it is too hypocritical. Each group or association is different and you kind of have to understand where they are coming from. I don't know if you're a minority or not - but most minority groups are a place for people of a common culture or background to meet and socialize. The Chinese or Asian-American group meeting I have attended in the past do not preach racism or prejudice. Conversely - most "white" groups do. Most minority groups do promote some sort of unity and pride - but such concepts connote totally different meaning coming from a minority than from a majority. I am sure that you will find radically different atmospheres from Asian "pride" groups and white "pride" groups. The Black Caucus probably gets together to legislate laws that will elevate the economic conditions of poor blacks. The Conejo-Valley Chinese Assocation gets together to plan a Chinese New Year's party. The KKK used to get together to organize lynchings.
BTW minority pride groups or whatever are usually formed because they are a minority and it helps them have a larger voice since they do it collectively together. If yoiu're in the majority, there's really no point in having a pride group is there?
Those are good points. And like I said - I didn't care enough to say anything because I do see your point of view. Most of the time - the "white guy" was just there to make friends which is totally cool with me. I just want to provide a counter-argument to the "minority groups are racist" like the KKK types of arguments. Did you ever buy a house in Granada Hills?
How is the Conejo-Valley Chinese Assocation any different that the Houston Swedish Club? The Houston Swedish Club plans a Christmas party and Crawfish boil every year. I don't see too many lynchings at their get togethers. What do you think the racial make up of that club is?
This isn't a high school clique, this is a caucus within congress that is dedicated to pursuing the interests of African Americans. And these aren't immature high school students, they're supposed to be mature adults whose jobs are to represent their constitutents. This guys constitutency is mainly African American and I don't see why he can't join a caucus whose goal is to pursue the very interests of this Congressman's constituency. The Congressional Black Caucus is the only one i've ever heard of that determines its members on race and certainly race isn't the only determinant of whether one is qualified to speak for African Americans or to pursue their interests.
I didn't say that. But if you look at the history of "white" groups that is basically kind of what it boils down to. Why would black congressmen want to form a group? - Well to feel some pride in their accomplishments for one thing. Slavery existed in this country until 1865. Segragation went much farther than that. Now they are congressmen. Good for them. (believe me when I say that I am against everything they stand for politically ) Why would a bunch of Asian University students want to form a social group? - To meet people of similar backgrounds in a place where it is difficult for them to do so. Why would white people want to form a "white group" anyways? As a counterpoint to a single Black Caucus and some minority social groups? Do white people in this country actually have a difficult time meeting other white people?
That's perfectly fine by me. They are not a "white" club. They are a Swedish club. There is a big difference. I think it is very reasonable to say the the Black experience in America has been different from the White experience and that 2 cultures largely exist.
I'm sure there were other things the KKK would do when they got together besides and in addition to lynchings. Do you think they never had Fourth of July barbeques or anything? I don't have much of a problem with racially-defined social organizations, like the Asian American clubs. (Though it was unfair that my wife was shunned by the Asian Americans for Christ when we were in college because she was only half Asian.) But, I do think these groups hurt their constituencies by isolating them on the basis of race. I think it is especially pronounced in the case of the Black Caucus because they isolate themselves even from other blacks by denying their political representative access to their group. As for Obama, I can see his affiliation with the Black Caucus becoming an issue in a presidential election.
Those are all good points. Like I say again - I do not feel that strongly either way. I just don't feel that the Black Caucus should be roundly condemned for their actions. As a minority I would have say there would be a difference between a White Caucus and a Black Caucus. It might be hard to understand but excluding a minority is not quite the same as excluding a majority. If you are not a minority - you probably don't know the feeling. It's hard to explain. When I was kid - white kids would call me racial epithets. It hurt. When I respond to them in kind with racial epithets - they didn't seem to care.
Like I said - there is very little difference. I would be interested to know what race and political ideology the people on this thread are. I think you will find that most minorities feel the same way I do and that a significant percentage of whites probably feel the way you do. This may be the case because a lot of us minorities have associated with these minority groups in the past and sort of know what they stand for. Master Baiter (funny moniker). I see your points. I just don't see the harm with some minorities desiring to feel a sense of pride, unity, and togetherness . As a conservative, I do see my ideological hypocrisy here (as I noted in a previous post).
Those are very good points. I think the Black Caucus fears that by allowing white congressmen to join - they will eventually lose their sense of uniqueness.
If a political group is funded with tax payer money, I have a problem with race being the determining factor as to whether someone can be a member or not. If a club/group/whatever wants to do that, I couldn't care less even though I think that it is counter productive in the long run. Where I get irritated is when people say that white people are not entitled to do the same thing because we are predisposed to racism. I think it is silly and presumptuous. Not everything that white people do has some sort of racist overtone. I know racism exists and I personally do not think that it will ever truly go away. I do not have the solution for racism but I do not believe that segregation, even voluntarily, is the answer.
I definitely agree with you about the tax-funded thing. If the Black Caucus is funded by public money - then all bets are off. I didn't mean that white people are predisposed to racism and have no problems at all with a Swedish Rotary Club. If they throw in the word "white" though it may be a red flag. I think we just have to look at each situation separately. A local Asian-American Community Club? Sure - why the hell not? Black Caucus? A little hazier. For one - I would never exclude any white person on race alone. Like I said - it was weird to see a white guy in the Asian club but I didn't bother speaking against it because I really didn't see it as that big of a deal. Now if a bunch of frat guys started joining just to fulfill their yellow fetish - that may be another matter altogether.
I ended up buying in Van Nuys. Granada Hills has some areas that are a little nicer than Van Nuys, but the Condo we got was the best value for the money. We had a little left over to put into home improvement as well, so hopefully it will end up being a good investment
I think this makes all the sense in the world. Unfortunately, this would mean that someone has to use common sense and God knows that our government does not have this capability
