[pumpineemob]

What about Strom Thurmond and Trent Lott?

Clinton Defends Byrd's KKK Ties: "He Was Trying To Get Elected"

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vid...t_elected.html

[Colorostikse]

Why not post the entire quote?

"And maybe he did something he shouldn't have done come and he spent the rest of his life making it up. And that's what a good person does. There are no perfect people. There are certainly no perfect politicians," he added

[Scfdglkn]

Making up for it when he filibustered the Civil Rights Act? So he did not actually spend the rest of his life making up for it? 12 years after he left the Klan? Clinton lies again. Oh Well, what more can you expect from one degenerate politician talking about another?

[SergeyLisin]

Seriously? The Civil Rights Act was passed about 45 years ago. So nearly half of Byrd's life, and clearly more than half of his tenure in Congress, have occurred since then. Surely he had time to make amends for his errors.

I don't completely excuse his stand. But when one looks at the times in which his KKK membership and his opposition to the Civil Rights Act occurred, and the state he represented (which I believe tends to lean conservative on social issues....correct me if I'm wrong, Chad), one could argue that Byrd was merely representing the views of his constituents. I don't believe that argument applies in all situations, particularly when essential rights are at stake. But many, both in and out of elected office, believe that representatives are elected to REPRESENT their constituencies.

And let's not forget that, even today, there are candidates for office who believe that the Civil Rights Act is unconstitutional.

[jabader]

Are you actually trying to claim that Byrd filibustered the Civil Rights act because he was representing the views of his constituents, in opposition to his personal beliefs? Good Grief! How about his opposition to Thurgood Marshall?

[AnIInWon]

Sen. Byrd was hardly alone in his opposition in 1964, Paul. The Southern Democrats voted overwhelmingly against the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and 1965. The South of that era was decidedly anti-civil rights. However, Sen. Byrd did vote for the 1968 Civil Rights Act.

[crestorinfo]

Well, since I never had the opportunity to live inside the man's brain, I don't claim to be qualified to make statements as to his intentions. Maybe you did, I don't know......

However, he wouldn't have been the first OR the last to do something based on political expediency.

[virtuah]

Did you know that even though Byrd voted for the final bill of the 1968 Civil Rights act (Fair Housing act), he only voted for it after he led a failed attempt to fillibuster the bill?

He also attempted to add an amendment that would essentially exempt single family dwellings from the law, which would have gutted the bill. He was successful in getting an amendment through which exempted the sale of "Vacation Homes" from the act.

[dupratac]

Well, since I never had the opportunity to live inside the man's brain, I don't claim to be qualified to make statements as to his intentions. Maybe you did, I don't know......

However, he wouldn't have been the first OR the last to do something based on political expediency.

So then give me a non-racist reason why one would support exempting single family and vacation homes from the "Civil Rights Act of 1968", betcha Robert Byrd owned a single family home?

[peakyesno]

Did you know that even though Byrd voted for the final bill of the 1968 Civil Rights act (Fair Housing act), he only voted for it after he led a failed attempt to fillibuster the bill?

He also attempted to add an amendment that would essentially exempt single family dwellings from the law, which would have gutted the bill. He was successful in getting an amendment through which exempted the sale of "Vacation Homes" from the act.

No one is disputing the fact that Sen. Byrd voted and held beliefs consistent with Southern Democrats of the time, Paul; however, he did renounce those beliefs and went on to cast votes that were decidedly not racist. A man can change and many believe Sen. Byrd did just that. He was well respected by his constituents and his peers.

[Kitdowstyhodo]

The man has done damage to Blacks all his life first it was the Racism of Segregation and hate, then it turned into the soft racism of low expectaions and paternalism. It can be argued that this second form of racism has done more damage to blacks than the first. He just found another outlet to screw blacks.

BTW -- Pinky does seem to be disputing that Byrd cast racist votes long after he was a recruiter for the KKK.

[objennasweene]

Nope. I'm not gong to continue playing "How-deliberately-obtuse-is-Paul-today" any more.

[Kk21pwa9]

So then give me a non-racist reason why one would support exempting single family and vacation homes from the "Civil Rights Act of 1968", betcha Robert Byrd owned a single family home?

Personal liberty.

Whether or not you agree with it, there is a legal tradition of distinguishing between racism perpetrated by businesses--institutional racism--and racism perpetrated by individuals, which falls under personal liberty and the freedom of association. The government cannot force individuals to live their lives according to a moral code they do not agree with, and that includes the individual's right not to associate with people he doesn't wish to. The act's exemption is for people who sell their homes without the use of a real estate agent, therefore it is not institutional racism; the act also grants exemptions to religious organizations and private clubs, with some restrictions. http://legal-dictionary.thefreedicti...ts+Act+of+1968

The conflict between these two, racism and liberty, is much more complex than you seem to believe. Not to be smarmy, but I actually had a class on these very issues last semester, and I would love to discuss it further if you're willing--and by that, I mean not playing the game of deliberate obtuseness.

[TheBestCheapestOEM]

The man has done damage to Blacks all his life first it was the Racism of Segregation and hate, then it turned into the soft racism of low expectaions and paternalism. It can be argued that this second form of racism has done more damage to blacks than the first. He just found another outlet to screw blacks.

BTW -- Pinky does seem to be disputing that Byrd cast racist votes long after he was a recruiter for the KKK.

This is actually a form of racism which was espoused as a means to progress by the African American community for a significant amount of time; you're forgetting that the dialogue of racism is continually evolving, and what we view as racism now was not viewed as racist at the time. Much of the early civil rights movement espoused these same views. In today's light, of course it's no longer acceptable, but we need to keep some historical perspective here. I'm not sure why I'm bothering with this, but yeah...

[VonErmad4]

Both echinacea and pinky make very good points, Paul. This issue of race relations in this country is complex and evolving. If you lived in the South in the 1960s, as I did, your experience might have been quite different than in other parts of America. However, even saying that, my own experience was quite unique. My early childhood and education was spent in Hawaii where children of every race, color and creed lived in the same neighborhoods and went to the same schools, churches, playgrounds, etc. When I moved to Florida in the mid-60s, I couldn't understand why everyone in my school and neighborhood was the same color. The mainland during those times was a culture shock for me, but I did not succumb to the beliefs of my new peers, many of whom shared their parents' racist views. My earliest childhood experience has always stayed with me.

My point in this: most people never outlive thier prejudices and bigotries. Hatred, distrust and stereotypes are passed on generationally. To his credit, Sen. Byrd seems to have broken that cycle in a very public way. That's something positive.