Interesting read about our KKK "buddy" Sen. Robert Byrd...

[K Frame]

I've always thought it to be very interesting that Trent Lott can simply praise Strom Thurmond obliquely and be crucified out of his senate leadership position as a racist, and this piece of *expletive deleted*it can have the hood and robe hanging in his closet and still be a beloved scion of the Democratic... er... Hypocritic Party.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/18/AR2005061801105.html

I especially love this quote...

"The 770-page book is the latest in a long series of attempts by the 87-year-old Democratic patriarch to try to explain an event early in his life that threatens to define him nearly as much as his achievements in the Senate. In it, Byrd says he viewed the Klan as a useful platform from which to launch his political career. He described it essentially as a fraternal group of elites -- doctors, lawyers, clergy, judges and other "upstanding people" who at no time engaged in or preached violence against blacks, Jews or Catholics, who historically were targets of the Klan."

Political spinning at its worst. He damned well knew what the Klan was in the south, especially at that time.

"While Byrd provides the most detailed description of his early involvement with the Klan, conceding that he reflected "the fears and prejudices I had heard throughout my boyhood," the account is not complete. He does not acknowledge the full length of time he spent as a Klan organizer and advocate. Nor does he make any mention of a particularly incendiary letter he wrote in 1945 complaining about efforts to integrate the military."

I'd love to see a copy of that letter...


"He suggested that his career should be judged in light of all that he did subsequently to help lift his state out of poverty, and to bring basic and critically needed services and infrastructure to West Virginia."

It didn't work for Trent Lott, why should it work for him? In fact, the whole Trent Lott debacle is referenced.

I wonder if a Democrat praises Byrd, will he go down in flames, too?

[DigMe]

He also wrote a letter (maybe the same one) stating the how much the south needs the klan after he'd gotten out of it.  

I wonder if he explains the incident just a few years ago where he used the phrase "white *let's not go there*" in an interview.

brad cook

[Standing Wolf]

Byrd said in the Dec. 11, 1945, letter -- which would not become public for 42 more years with the publication of a book on blacks in the military during World War II by author Graham Smith -- that he would never fight in the armed forces "with a Negro by my side." Byrd added that, "Rather I should die a thousand times, and see old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels."

Four years later, Byrd's Klan past became an issue again when he joined with other southern Democrats to oppose the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Byrd filibustered the bill for more than 14 hours as he argued that it abrogated principles of federalism. He criticized most anti-poverty programs except for food stamps. And in 1967, he voted against the nomination of Thurgood Marshall, the first black appointed to the Supreme Court.

I wouldn't walk across the street to spit on such a creature.

[nico]

Byrd filibustered the bill for more than 14 hours as he argued that it abrogated principles of federalism.

I've never heard that before.  It's interrested how so many people go out of their way to mention that Strom Thurmond filibustered the Civil Rights Act, but that I haven't heard one mention of the fact that Byrd did the same.

[K Frame]

Why Nico, I'm surprised at you.

Byrd was fillibustering the Civil Rights act to protect the Constitution!

Thurmond fillibustered the act just to keep the n-words down!

That you don't know that means that you're nothing more that a racist hatemongerer!


That's the kind of hypocritical crap that I'm talking about.

[Perd Hapley]

Isn't it interesting that the media got Lott drummed out of his leadership post within days, but we never heard much complaint about Thurmond himself being a member of the Senate?

[El Tejon]

Klan wasn't about violence?  Say what?

If the Klan was too violent for Nathan Bedford Forrest, what did Byrd think he was joining?  A quilting club?

[RevDisk]

Bah, as a Dem I have no use for Byrd, nor any other Klukker.  I don't care which side of the line a Congresscritter falls.


I remember back when I enlisted in '99, while I was going through Basic, I got a letter from a friend telling me that a Congresscritter (Rep. Barr, R-GA) was attempting to specifically ban my religion (pagan) from being practiced on military posts.  I went to my company commander after talking to my drill and asked him to ask the Chaplain what's going on with this.  My CO thought I was nuts, because what sane person would advocate the military engaging in a literal witchhunt.

The chaplain verified that Rep Barr was indeed trying to ban witchcraft from being practiced on military installations.  When the Chap handed me a printout of Barr's press release, I said something along the lines that I'd be damned if I was gonna carry a weapon for a military that'd ban my religion.   Things got 'interesting' after that.  I was immediately sent to the battalion commander.   He thought I was nuts until he called in the chaplain.   I was sent back to my unit for a couple days.  

The BC called me back into his office, and explained after checking with the US Army Chaplain Center, the post chaplain and the post commanding general, that the US Army position on minority religions has not changed.    He made it very clear that he respected my position.  


In retrospect, it's kinda funny.   At the time, it wasn't.  I honestly thought I was gonna either get booted out of the military, or possibly be sent to Leavenworth.   Over my dead body would I even touch a weapon to defend any country that'd ban practice of my religion.   That episode and others stay in my mind.  I don't write off Byrd's past or current associations with the KKK.   The KKK has far less power than it used to, but they still are a violent group.