Congressional Black Caucus

I was reading an article this morning in the Washington Post entitled, "Congressional Black Caucus Members Vote Support for Obama."

First off, Obama is everyone's president, no matter what color we are. Secondly, you would have to blind, deaf, and oblivious to the world around you if you are surprised by the black members of congress being supportive of our president. But as Obama so eloquently told David Letterman the other night, he has been black all his life. Therefore, why is it a news item that the black members of congress support him. This is no different than saying that Democrat members of congress support him.

But most importantly, why is there a black caucus anyway? I can see where at one time, this country faced issues that were solely 'black.' But we have moved past those horrible times. Must we now form a white congressional caucus to counter black separatism? Can white members of congress join the congressional black caucus? So how is a body within the United States Congress that has only black members, not racist? Doesn't congress have enough problems with partisanship without adding race to the mix?

I am not of the opinion that only white people can be racists.

I understand that the black experience has been uniquely different than my white experience, but that doesn't mean I can't empathize with my black brothers and sisters. And likewise, they have not experienced issues from my past, so they should empathize with me. That is what understanding and tolerance, for which we all strive, is about. Our past experiences do not define us if we do not let them. We must rise above whatever occurred in our past and move forward.

So I ask, is a black caucus really necessary? What is it that black members of congress can discuss among themselves that they can't discuss with other members of congress? Isn't this the very same kind of separatist thinking that people of color have complained about from non-color folks? Isn't it time to do away with this black and white racial divide in the body that makes laws that affect all of us?

This same concept applies to all other caucuses in the congress:

• Blue Dog Coalition
  
• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)
  
• Congressional Black Caucus
  
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus
  
• Congressional Progressive Caucus
  
• New Democrat Coalition

Read the constitution - we are all equal.

Racial inequality deserves an Act of Congress

Solving racism, once and for all should start with an Act of Congress.

Isn't it time we, who are guaranteed equality by the law of the land, make our decisions based on the human experience rather than through a black or white perspective. Isn't it time to punctuate any perceived differences among us with a period -- end of story?

It seems as though the answer to our personal black and white dilemma lies in education. We must all learn to see a picture that is bigger than just our own mirror image. We must realize that we are all members of the human race. What we do to each other we do to ourselves. Why is this such a difficult concept to grasp?

I was outraged by the Henry Louis Gates, Jr., arrest, on so many levels.

Perhaps I am still reeling from Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton overload, but what I heard was another black victim accusing a white police officer of racial profiling. I admit being a bit skeptical. Something in Gates' tone failed to show me a scholar who wants to rise above and even solve the racial divide. I saw a man who wants to use it to his advantage.

Was this a rogue cop as Gates suggests? Was it a case of racial profiling?

In an interview with USA Today, the arresting officer Sgt. James Crowley claims he is not a racist. He refuses to apologize to Gates for arresting him for disorderly conduct. Crowley claims that initially Gates refused to identify himself. Was Gates overly defiant, disorderly?

Gates has one perspective -- that of a suppressed black man. Crowley has nother perspective -- that of a police officer who was investigating a suspicious activity involving black men seemingly breaking into a house.

We need to know the real truth here, rather than these black and white perspectives.

It is time we stop treating people differently -- any people. There are laws on the books that say black and whites are equal. But it seems to me that blacks will continue to be treated differently as long as they insist on acting as if they are different.

The first step to bridge the differences is to do away with the Congressional Black Caucus, a black group of lawmers in the very House where laws of equality were written. Shouldn't this be the first place we see change? This would set a good example by the U.S. Congress.

If a crime was committed against Gates, it needs to be investigated. If Crowley acted inappropriately, he needs to be reprimanded. But rather than just a black or white perspective, this incident like all others should be investigated from a human perspective.