Like many progressive Americans I hate to discuss the “R” word, since in most cases it is aggravating and counterproductive. Unfortunately the political climate is being influenced by race, or more directly, the political favoring and blatant segregation for the betterment of one race over all others in this nation, despite the fact that the majority race is now being discriminated against by the current administration and the liberal media. The reason I have been so vitriolic against the CBC is that it is a perfect example of the hypocrisy being thrust upon the people of the USA today. The existence of the CBC is an insult to all Americans of all races and a giant step backwards in our quest for social and racial harmony in the USA.
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is an organization representing the African American members of the United States Congress. Membership is segregated and “exclusive” to African Americans,[1] and its chair in the 111th Congress is Representative Barbara Lee of California.
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. each year produces the Annual Legislative Conference, a four-day black event held in September at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
Thousands of black elected officials, black business and industry leaders, black celebrities, media, emerging black leaders and everyday black Americans descended upon the Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) and its dozens of black policy forums, black general sessions, massive black exhibit showcase, black job fair, black book signings and vast black social networking opportunities.
The Congressional Black Caucus – comprised of the African-American members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate – headline ALC every year.
The conference brings together diverse organizations and individuals to collectively discuss common issues and concerns. Its program includes more than 70 black workshops, black seminars and black information forums on relevant black topics that capture and portray the concerns of African Americans. Participants discuss the challenges facing underserved black populations, including black health care, black economic success and failures, black global and domestic security as well as highlight black successes and provide critical information that will help to build strong black communities, black organizations and individual black families. The conference also features the successful Emerging black Leaders Empowerment Series, which is gaining widespread attention as it speaks to our future successors. In addition, the exhibit hall offers black demonstrations and black social events to complement the substantive content of the black conference.
There is a lot of positive energy and spirit put into this meeting and I am sure that what I am saying is going to anger a certain amount of left wing black citizens. It is not my intention to offend, but somebody needs to point out that we PEOPLE in America need to stop thinking only of our own race, religion or sex as the basis for power and advancement. It’s a people thing and not a black thing, not a white thing or anything else thing. WHAT IF this black group, started working for the betterment of ALL CITIZENS regardless of race, religion or sex. Why is this RACIALLY SEGREGATED group allowed to legally exist in America when laws filled with strong language against this sort of thing were passed and put in to action nearly 50 years ago. What has happened to the meaning of the Civil Rights Laws passed in 1964. It’s things like this which are causing racial tensions and deviseness in the USA.
The (Black) Caucus has grown steadily as more black members have been elected. In 1969 the Caucus had nine members. As of 2008, it had 43 members, including two who are non-voting members of the House, representing the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is a black only organization and members of other races are prohibited from membership in the Black Caucus.
On January 25, 2007, Representative Tom Tancredo, R-Co., spoke out against the continued existence of the CBC as well as the Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Republican Congressional Hispanic Conference saying, “It is utterly hypocritical for Congress to extol the virtues of a color-blind society while officially sanctioning caucuses that are based solely on race. If we are serious about achieving the goal of a colorblind society, Congress should lead by example and end these divisive, race-based caucuses.”[6]