I'm going to cosign what Ta-Nehisi Coates said about Stephen Cohen being able to join the CBC. Rep. William Lacy Clay's explanation is patently ridiculous.
"Quite simply, Rep. Cohen will have to accept what the rest of the country will have to accept -- there has been an unofficial Congressional White Caucus for over 200 years, and now it's our turn to say who can join 'the club.' He does not, and cannot, meet the membership criteria, unless he can change his skin color. Primarily, we are concerned with the needs and concerns of the black population, and we will not allow white America to infringe on those objectives."
Cohen's district is mostly black. If the priority is to address the needs and concerns of black Americans, then I assume that means the black folks in TN-09, who voted for Cohen as their representative. Unlike in 2006, where his mandate was questionable because he won with a small percentage of the vote in a crowded field, Cohen's victory this year represents a conclusive rejection of the presumption that he needs to be black to best represent them. (See my new web article for more on the race and challenger Nikki Tinker's attempt to use Cohen's race against him).
This isn't about giving Cohen honorary black status, it's about making sure the needs of his constituents are better served. As it stands, Clay has essentially said addressing the needs of the black community in Memphis is less important than making Cohen understand that he isn't black. I'm pretty sure he's figured that out by now.
On a somewhat unrelated note, someone needs to have a talk with Cohen about his views on Armenians. This was a comment he made to a local Memphis television station after physically ejecting Armenian-American filmmaker Peter Musurlian from his home. Musurlian is angry at Cohen for voting against the U.S. recognizing the Armenian genocide in Turkey:
There have been Armenians who have assassinated and killed many people, including people in this country, in Los Angeles, in the 70s and 80s. And so I don't rest very comfortable with one of these fellows coming into my home."
Seriously?
-- A. Serwer
