Senator Byrd should be the Senator who stands up for the minority voters

[w4rma]

in Ohio on January 6th. NOONE could ever bring up his Klan past after that. It would cement his name in history and NOONE could ever mistake him for a racist again. The smears telling people not to forgive him for something he has repudated time and time again would never take hold again.

And the whole story would be forced to focus on the disenfranchisement of minoriies and poor, who live primarily in urban areas where the 3+ hour lines were, in Ohio (and Florida). Which is exactly where the problem actually lies.

It would be bold and it will go down in the history books.

[w4rma]

1. context (on Byrd)

…
But Byrd, unlike Thurmond, renounced his youthful participation in a racist cause. See, for example, this exchange with CNN's Bernard Shaw in Dec. 1993:

Q: What has been your biggest mistake and your biggest success?

A: Well, it's easy to state what has been my biggest mistake. The greatest mistake I ever made was joining the Ku Klux Klan. And I've said that many times. But one cannot erase what he has done. He can only change his ways and his thoughts. That was an albatross around my neck that I will always wear. You will read it in my obituary that I was a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

Contrast that with an interview Thurmond gave Joseph Stroud of the Charlotte Observer in July 1998 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his presidential bid on the segregationist Dixiecrat ticket. Asked if he wanted to apologize, Thurmond said, “I don't have anything to apologize for,” and “I don't have any regrets.” Asked if he thought the Dixiecrats were right, Thurmond said, “Yes, I do.” Thurmond said this four years ago!
…
http://slate.msn.com/id/2075662/

• 2001-2002 On the votes that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People considered the most important in 2001-2002, Senator Byrd voted their preferred position 79 percent of the time.
• 2001-2002 On the votes that the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights considered the most important in 2001-2002, Senator Byrd voted their preferred position 71 percent of the time.
• 2001 On the votes that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People considered to be the most important in 2001, Senator Byrd voted their preferred position 77 percent of the time.
• 2000 On the votes that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People considered to be the most important in 2000, Senator Byrd voted their preferred position 93 percent of the time.

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=S0950103#Civil+Rights

• 2001-2002 On the votes that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People considered the most important in 2001-2002, Senator Frist voted their preferred position 15 percent of the time.
• 2001-2002 On the votes that the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights considered to be the most important in 2001-2002, Senator Frist voted their preferred position 0 percent of the time.
• 2001 On the votes that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People considered the most important in 2001, Senator Frist voted their preferred position 9 percent of the time.
• 2000 On the votes that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People considered to be the most important in 2000, Senator Frist voted their preferred position 20 percent of the time.

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=CNIP7879#Civil+Rights

[Pepperbelly]

2. Byrd has the courage.

There is no doubt of that. I would not be surprised to see his copy of the Constitution come out when he does.

[demnan]

3. I'm sorry to break this to you

but regardless of Byrd's great retorical skills, he is a conservative Democrat, has a reputation for pork, and has always been very main stream. He will not stand up for the "little people" 'cause he ain't the "little people".

[Pepperbelly]

5. I think he wants to expunge the memory of his youthful Klan membership. nt

[Goldeneye]

4. I think they should all stand up

Why is it acceptable to disenfranchise any voters? If no one stands...I swear...I don't know what I'll do. I've always had faith in Hillary, Feingold, Kohl, Boxer, etc. but If no one stands, I'm going to have some serious rethinking to do...maybe they aren't who I think they are. If they don't stand, I say we can do better.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. That would move him from merely honored and revered to

sainted.