Remembering Senator Robert Byrd

The present day image of Senator Robert Byrd as the born again Christian, kindly old grandfather shedding tears for his friend Ted Kennedy is not the image that comes to my mind when remembering him at his passing today. For much of my life, Senator Robert Byrd was a segregationist who stood along side the likes Strom Thurmond, Jesse Helms, Trent Lott, Tom DeLay and George Wallace, to name a few.

He is said to have repented his racist feelings, apologizing over and over. Well, apology accepted. However while all may be forgiven, It will never be forgotten.

Robert Byrd in his own words:


“I shall never fight in the armed forces with a Negro by my side ... 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, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds.” -Klansman and not yet Congressman Byrd-quote taken from letter written to another segregationist Congressman about Truman attempting to desegregate the armed forces..

“The Klan is needed today as never before and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia and in every state in the nation.” -1947 letter to the Grand Wizard KKK

Byrd claims to have renounced the Klan in 1952 when he became a Congressman, however his racist views continued well in the 1960's when he helped filibuster the 1964 Civil Rights Act arguing that the Declaration of Independence..


“did not intend that these words should be taken literally to be true” when they wrote that “all men are created equal.” “Men and races of men differ in appearance, ways, physical power, mental capacity, creativity, and vision,” Byrd said. “One man is born blind. Another is born lame. Geniuses are not made; they are born. Between two individuals, as between two races, there are broad differences.”

Byrd went after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, attempting to cajole the FBI into a more aggressive investigation of the civil rights leader. The FBI declined..

As late as 2001 Byrd was caught up in trying to express his feelings, when he was interviewed by the late Tony Snow and asked about race relations in America....Byrd said:


"They're much, much better than they've ever been in my lifetime ... I think we talk about race too much. I think those problems are largely behind us ... I just think we talk so much about it that we help to create somewhat of an illusion. I think we try to have good will. My old mom told me, 'Robert, you can't go to heaven if you hate anybody.' We practice that. There are white niggers. I've seen a lot of white niggers in my time. I'm going to use that word. We just need to work together to make our country a better country, and I'd just as soon quit talking about it so much."


Rest in Peace, Senator

July 4th, 2008 Passings

Jesse Helms died today....quoting the late, great Jackie “Moms” Mabley.....” never say anything about the dead, unless you can say something good..............”he’s dead....good!”

The professional bigot will not be missed on this block. He opposed anything connected to civil rights....the Martin Luther King national holiday, the Civil Rights Act, integration, affirmative action, you name it. If it helped minorities reach equal ground with whites, he was against it.

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Speaking of professional bigots, this time masquerading as Christians, the AFA is boycotting McDonald’s. Pseudo Reverend Donald Wildmon and company say Mickey D’s is pro homosexual. Gee, I thought all they did was sell hamburgers. Makes me want to run out and buy a big mac in support of the corporation.

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Uncle Tom is alive and well and living in Sarasota Florida. Seems the National Black Republican Association has decided to resort to “swift boating” Barack Obama. The NHRA is buying ads and putting up billboards attacking the democratic nominee.

I want to know who’s paying for the ads? The RNC has disavowed the attacks. John McCain has distanced himself from the attacks. So who is footing the bill? What great white rich man is behind the curtain pulling the puppet strings this time?

These deluded chocolate covered fools should have read their history books in toto rather than pick out lines to remember, like “the party of Lincoln...or Martin Luther King was a Republican.

Once again slow people...the Republican Party of Lincoln is not the GOP of today. The only connection is the name, Republican.

Please, lemmings, take off the rose colored glasses and look out for the cliff, you’re about to go over.

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Condi surfaces...she says she is proud we bombed Iraq and that the world is safer since Dubya took office.

Standing by her man to the end.

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Meantime, Dubya has ramped up the hunt for Osama bin Laden. The white house cowboy wants him caught and strung up by sundown on January 19th, 2009. To that end he is keeping our out manned Marines in harms way in Afghanistan longer than he promised. They can’t come home until he says so...Not fair....

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Finally...a shout out to Wimbledon.....GO WILLIAMS! TAKING ALL THE MONEY HOME! THAT'S THE AMERICAN WAY....Celebrating the 4th on the 5th with mimosas, eggs and bacon and a scarlett O'hara....Nothing like breakfast at Wimbledon!