West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, the longest-serving member of Congress, has died, the senator's office said. He was 92.

Wow 92. Sad.

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Bleh.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd#Ku_Klux_Klan

This guy embodied what I didn't like about politics.

- Old white guy. Racist background...
- Crazy amounts of earmark/pork spending...
- Ridiculously long term...

I'm not glad he's dead or anything but I'm glad he's not in Congress anymore.

Yes he was a racist old bastard. A whole lot of people his age were, more than will admit it publicly. I'm just disappointed that he was still getting elected.

I agree with you on this. I was torn on even posting this. I know that death is a part of life and that Sen. Byrd did have a long life. I was not celebrating his death, but finally he won't win re-election.

And the fact that he got elected (and re-elected again and again and again) with "Exalted Cyclops" on his resume makes me wonder, heh.

To be fair, his stint in the KKK was over 60 years ago, years before he was in Congress. Sure, it should be noted that he took part in that group and has said some ugly things in relation to it, but he also said, "I know now I was wrong. Intolerance had no place in America. I apologized a thousand times... and I don't mind apologizing over and over again. I can't erase what happened."

After a long lifetime of service, Sen. Byrd (like the rest of us likely will) goes out with lots of pluses and minuses on his record.

And we already know Democrats get a pass for saying racist garbage. Am I right, Joe Biden?

Rest.In.Pieces.

I do agree that people have the ability to change their perspectives. I'm not sure how much of Byrd's change was done out of necessity (as a career politician), and how much of it was from the heart. That's not for me to say.

I'm not dancing on the guy's grave, but beyond his KKK involvement and extremely nasty viewpoints he had (as an adult in his 20s- he wasn't a dumb kid), he still had a degree of corruption I'm glad to see gone (at least for his part) with his departure.

Cuch: I agree, but sadly, the it's a systemic problem that creates the corruption (though it certainly grows more quickly in some than others -- which, no, Joxur, should not be interpreted as one political party or another.

I though my point was simple, really: Don't forget what he did, the good or the bad.

None of us are simple enough for that.

His history's pretty vile.

- He joined the KKK at age 24.
- He wrote a letter at age 26 to his elected representative. Here's a fun excerpt: "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."
- He filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964, accounting for 14 hours personally.
- Referred to "white niggers" in 2001 when asked during an interview on race relations.
- The only senator to vote against Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Thomas.

I don't see a young kid who made a mistake, then moved past it. I see a record of racist views that he carried with him well into his middle age and adulthood. It may seem like his membership in the KKK was the most racist act he took, in his mid 20s mind you, but his filibuster of the Civil Rights Act was far worse, given the influence and power he had to bear.

Oh well, he's dead now.

is this the guy who founded the byrds, that band from the 60s?

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I believe you have him confused with David Duke.

was the the guy who played for the celtics

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I believe that was Danny Ainge.

No, that's the QB for the Tennessee Volunteers...

He must have drunk the West Virginia tap water.

They have tap water in West Virginia?

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"Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." -Henry Louis Mencken
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VEGETARIAN -Noun (vej-i-tair-ee-uhn): Ancient tribal slang for the village idiot who can't hunt, fish or ride.

Well, you have to put a spout in the still to get the 'shine out, so I imagine that they may call that "tap water"

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