Arizona Republican Representative Eli Crane went there—and now he says he regrets it. On Thursday, he stood on the floor of the House of Representatives and, discussing changes to the National Defense Authorization Act, he showed. his specific colors.
“My amendment has nothing to do with whether colored people or black people or anyone can serve,” the new representative said. “It has nothing to do with any of these things.”
Democrat Joyce Beatty, former chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, was having none of it, and immediately stood up to protest. “I find it disgusting and inappropriate,” Beatty said. “I am asking everyone’s permission to remove the words that refer to me or all my friends as ‘colored people.'”
Crane offered to “change” his voice to “people of color”. Beatty wasn’t having it either. He also said that “he wants the voice to be heard. I did not ask for a change. He won, by the consensus of all.
By the way, that’s a big one to criticize at the Crane near the House. It means that he was found “in violation of the rules of the House of conduct.” Crane made the comments in response to one of the Republicans’ favorite initiatives, particularly efforts to eliminate diversity at the Pentagon in hiring, training, promotion, or retention.
Crane later apologized to a white reporter, Politico’s Olivia Beavers, who. tweeted, “Rep. Eli Crane tells me he deeply regrets using the word ‘colored people’ on the floor of the House yesterday. He added that he “misspoken and is sorry that his words offended people and he is angry with himself that he has returned to his team.”
This was worthless unless he had the courage and character to apologize to Beatty, not to mention other members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Meeting he answered in a tweet, he says, “This is a moment of shame on the floor of the House.”
“Rep. Eli Crane referring to Black service members who risk their lives for our country as ‘people of color’ is absurd,” the Caucus continued. “The GOP fights for diversity, inclusion and inclusive education and proves every day why it’s important.”