# A Congressional Black Caucus is ok but a Congressional White Caucus is not. Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 22, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743 "2011-11-22T13:43:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![strumtesco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@strumtesco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/strumtesco)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/41 "2011-11-22T16:46:07Z")
> [@sh1bu1](#): > > I’m having a hard time following this thread. Why do members of the Black Caucus speak in Spanish and why do they want tio get rid of Mother’s Day? hahahaha! Thx. I needed that laugh after all of this!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/42 "2011-11-22T16:58:48Z")
> [@strumtesco](#): > > hahahaha! Thx. I needed that laugh after all of this!😃 Will you concede that there is no official National language of the United States? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/43 "2011-11-22T17:47:48Z")
Will you concede that English is the _de facto_ national language of the United States? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/44 "2011-11-22T17:48:58Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Will you concede that English is the _de facto_ national language of the United States? > > Regards, > Shodan Of course! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/45 "2011-11-22T17:49:49Z")
I don’t think anyone is arguing about that. It’s the language of law and business. The distinction between a _de facto_ and _de jure_ national language is that people are required to learn the latter, but not the former (though it is obviously of immense benefit if they do in either circumstance). ---
**Author:** ![strumtesco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@strumtesco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/strumtesco)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/46 "2011-11-22T17:50:38Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Will you concede that English is the _de facto_ national language of the United States? > > Regards, > Shodan Sure. If I belive wikipedia! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/47 "2011-11-22T17:51:53Z")
> [@strumtesco](#): > > Sure. If I belive wikipedia! 😉 Do you? ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/48 "2011-11-22T17:55:08Z")
Random question; does any country have White/Caucasian History Month? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/49 "2011-11-22T17:56:53Z")
Yes. But we usually refer to them as January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. ---
**Author:** ![strumtesco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@strumtesco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/strumtesco)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/50 "2011-11-22T17:57:09Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Do you? most of the time…do you? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/51 "2011-11-22T18:02:10Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > Random question; does any country have White/Caucasian History Month? The US has Irish-American Heritage Month, which is “official” in the sense that it’s the result of [presidential proclamation](http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=87605#axzz1eSTjDh8b). There’s also [Confederate History Month](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_History_Month), enacted by six state legislatures. It’s not _racial_, per se, but I think most would agree that the people celebrating it are unlikely to be nonwhites. Black History Month has no such official standing. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/52 "2011-11-22T18:07:27Z")
> [@strumtesco](#): > > most of the time…do you? This stopped being cute back when…hell, it never _was_ cute, except in your own mind. Can you please a straight answer to this question: Do you concede that English is the _de facto_, and NOT _de jure_ official language of the United States? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/53 "2011-11-22T18:12:38Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > Random question; does any country have White/Caucasian History Month? Google “Irish-American Month”, “Italian-American Month”, or “German-American Month.” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/54 "2011-11-22T18:35:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > This stopped being cute back when…hell, it never _was_ cute, except in your own mind. Can you please a straight answer to this question: > Do you concede that English is the _de facto_, and NOT _de jure_ official language of the United States? Do you concede that he never claimed that English was the _de jure_ official language of the United States? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/55 "2011-11-22T18:40:34Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Do you concede that he never claimed that English was the _de jure_ official language of the United States? > > Regards, > Shodan Do you actually know what “official” means, or are you just blowing smoke? Saying that English is the official language is wrong, no matter how you dress it up in bad cites and off-topic definitions from questionable sources. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/56 "2011-11-22T18:41:07Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Do you concede that he never claimed that English was the _de jure_ official language of the United States? > > Regards, > Shodan He certainly implied that it is, or that it should be. > [@](#): > > And anyone that comes here can speak any language they want, as long as they know English as well…in order to get along, one must go along kinda thing. > [@](#): > > Give me a presidential candidate that requires everyone here to learn the language and have no Spanish speaking options at all and that is who I will freaking vote for! ---
**Author:** ![Xenocrates](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/f14d63/32.png) [@Xenocrates](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xenocrates)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/57 "2011-11-22T19:14:09Z")
If the world were created last year and all racial groups received a roughly proportional share of wealth, power, etc., then there might be no reason to allow specifically black groups but disallow white ones. (I say “might” because just being a minority might be enough to warrant having a minority-specific group, but that’s not my main point). But the world was not created last year. For hundreds of years, black people in this country were subjected to absolutely deplorable treatment. Even after the end of slavery, they were violently prevented from attaining wealth and political power. Only about FIFTY years ago did (most of) this violence end. This OBVIOUSLY had an effect on their progeny (how could it not have?). Seeing as the treatment of blacks in this country was massively unjust, these effects should be eliminated as much as possible. I find the claims of “hey this is racist against white people!” to be ignorant and embarrassing. The justification for these so-called racist policies has everything to do with historical context. The claim that there should never, under any circumstances, be discrimination (i.e., a difference in rules/norms, whatever) on the basis of race is ridiculous, like claiming that when a court orders one person to pay restitution to another it is not treating them equally in the eyes of the law. (Note I am not saying that the allowance of a Congressional Black Caucus is some kind of punishment to white people) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/58 "2011-11-22T19:23:21Z")
I don’t see any reason that left-handed members of Congress couldn’t have a caucus. Probably be a treat for them to go to dinners where they don’t have to joust elbows. Of course, they would aptly be named the Sinister Caucus, which will lead to confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/59 "2011-11-22T19:26:23Z")
Ok, we can have a Congressional White Caucus until whites are equally represented and prosperous in our nation… Okay, I guess we can stop having one now. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743/60 "2011-11-22T19:31:28Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Do you actually know what “official” means, or are you just blowing smoke? Yes, I do. > [@](#): > > Saying that English is the official language is wrong, no matter how you dress it up in bad cites and off-topic definitions from questionable sources. No, it’s not. You have already conceded that English is, in fact, the official language of the US. Or did you concede that it was without understanding what \*de facto \*means? Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-congressional-black-caucus-is-ok-but-a-congressional-white-caucus-is-not-why/603743.md?page=4)