Eugene Robinson: Robert Byrd’s Redemption

[babylonsister]

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/robert_byrds_redemption_20100629/

Robert Byrd’s Redemption
Posted on Jun 29, 2010


AP / Lauren Victoria Burke, File

By Eugene Robinson


“End of an era” is an overused trope, but in this case it’s appropriate: The last of the old Southern Democrats is gone.

Sen. Robert Byrd had long since repented, of course. The West Virginian, who died Monday at 92, deeply regretted his segregationist past, which included a year as a member of the Ku Klux Klan and at least several more years as a Klan sympathizer. He eventually became a passionate advocate for civil rights, and he was one of the most vocal supporters of legislation making the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a national holiday.

snip//

Byrd’s trajectory—from bitter segregationist to beloved dean of the Senate—is actually a hopeful, quintessentially American story. He was a man of his age, and his views on race closely tracked the views of the constituents he so loyally represented. There was a time when separate-but-unequal was a mainstream position among whites in the South, and the fact that Byrd’s early words and deeds are so shocking today is a testament to how far the nation has come.

Byrd’s career is also a reminder that no political party has a monopoly on wisdom or virtue. It was Southern Democrats who tried desperately to deny equal rights to African-Americans, and it was the votes of Northern Republicans that helped pass the landmark legislation. Southern whites switched parties and made the South a GOP bastion. This has been the situation for decades now—but it won’t last forever.

Last week, in my home state of South Carolina, an African-American named Tim Scott defeated Strom Thurmond’s son in the Republican primary for a seat in the House. The GOP nomination for governor was won by Nikki Haley, who is of Indian descent and was called a “raghead” by one of her good ol’ boy critics. In Alabama, Rep. Artur Davis failed to become the first African-American to win the Democratic nomination for governor—largely because he took the African-American vote for granted.

Robert Byrd’s amazing career reminds us that times really do change. And so do people.

[Robert DAH Bruce]

1. RIP: Redemption Is Possible

K&R

[ChicagoSuz219]

2. Does anyone know...

...what was the watershed moment for Sen. Byrd that changed his whole belief system?

[babylonsister]

3. According to this, he seems to have just become disinterested...

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

When running for the United States House of Representatives in 1952, he announced "After about a year, I became disinterested, quit paying my dues, and dropped my membership in the organization. During the nine years that have followed, I have never been interested in the Klan." He said he had joined the Klan because he felt it offered excitement and was anti-communist.<10> However, in 1946 or 1947 he wrote a letter to a Grand Wizard stating, "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."<19>

In 1997, he told an interviewer he would encourage young people to become involved in politics, but to "Be sure you avoid the Ku Klux Klan. Don't get that albatross around your neck. Once you've made that mistake, you inhibit your operations in the political arena."<20> In his latest autobiography, Byrd explained that he was a member because he "was sorely afflicted with tunnel vision—a jejune and immature outlook—seeing only what I wanted to see because I thought the Klan could provide an outlet for my talents and ambitions."<21> Byrd also said, in 2005,


“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."

[ChicagoSuz219]

12. Thanks. n/t

[MrsBrady]

4. k and r

[VMI Dem]

5. Interesting fact about Byrd: Wouldn't join a military that allowed blacks...

wouldn't let his grandson join a military that allowed gays.

Such redemption.

[babylonsister]

6. Go away. We get it. You don't like him. You've already started

a thread to indicate that. :boring:

[VMI Dem]

7. Ahh, segregating the threads now.

The admiration makes sense now.

[babylonsister]

8. Yawn. If Eugene Robinson can find the good in Byrd, I don't

really care what your opinion is. Byrd did a lot to redeem himself whether you want to admit that or not.
Bye now. :fistbump:

[phleshdef]

11. Finished his life rated 100% by the NAACP.

But go ahead and keep telling blacks and gays what they should be angry about. I'm sure they appreciate it.

[BlueMTexpat]

9. This reminds me a bit of my MIL's experience.

She too was born and raised in West Virginia. Although she considered herself to be a good "Christian" woman, her racism was something that was innate. It was simple (if something like racism can be "simple"). She was white and "they" were black and never the twain should, would or could meet. Still, when both whites and blacks attended the same church - as they did, and continue to do - in Maryland where she spent the latter part of her life, she considered the black fellowship to be fellow "Christians" and little by little developed friendships. The truly ironic - and beautiful - thing was that when she developed Alzheimers to such an extent that it was safer for her to have 24-hour supervision (she had lived with us for two years during earlier stages), her roommate was a lovely black woman who had been an elementary school principal in better years.
The two adored each other and would walk about together hand in hand for as long as they were able. It was wonderful to see. Neither is still here now.
What a tragic shame that lives are literally wasted in hatred when they can be enriched by love!

[Jennicut]

10. He said he really started the biggest changes when his Grandson died in the early 80's.

He had long since tried to separate himself from his Klan past but he said that event really changed him, that all people are alike and all love their children and grandchildren in the same way. And recently, he came around on the repeal of DADT. I will say he changed way more then my Step-Grandfather did, still racist and anti-gay until the end. He disowned his own son for marrying a black woman. Sad, he was the one that missed out on his grandchildren.