U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) sparked a debate during a House Oversight Committee hearing on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives Wednesday, challenging comments made by U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins (R-Louisiana).
Higgins used the term "oppression" in reference to challenges faced by white men, prompting a sharp rebuttal from Crockett.
"We didn't ask to be here. We're not the same migrants that y'all constantly come up against. We didn't run away from home, we were stolen," she said. "So yeah, we are going to sit here and be offended when you want to sit here and act like -- and don't let it escape you that it is white men on this side of the aisle telling us, people of color on this side of the aisle, that y'all are the ones being oppressed."
Crockett noted that while white men comprise about 30% of the U.S. population, they occupy more than 60% of elected offices. The statistic, she argued, underscores the need for DEI efforts to foster equitable access to leadership roles across racial, gender, and socioeconomic lines.
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