Forum Top Ten List: Robert Byrd

[Lunar]

7.  His will

[Lunar]

2. A cross to burn, of course. (Come on!)

I find that extremely insulting.

Same thing to Fezzy's comment.

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I see no reason why it's insulting to make fun of the path he chose to get into politics.  Are we not allowed to make fun of Burris's path either?

[Lunar]

I know about Byrd's past....and I understand that it makes people uncomfortable, and yes...I recognize that it's part of a top 10 thread, but I always tend to defend Byrd, especially against people that still consider him to be some racist KKK guy (even now)....I'm not sure if your statements were simply good fun, or if you actually meant it.

I believe Byrd has said and done more than enough to show where his true political and moral loyalties lie.

Still, 14 hours and 13 minutes, the only non-Southern Democrat in '64 (according to wikipedia) to be part of that side of the civil rights bill.  It certainly took him a while.  This isn't like an isolated incident, say Chappaquiddick for Ted, to get all "insulted"
 over

[Lunar]

No.  But it's as if he was an evil clown professor for a good portion of his life, single handedly doing more to stop clowns from becoming good again than almost any other evil clown professor

[Lunar]

No.  But it's as if he was an evil clown professor for a good portion of his life, single handedly doing more to stop clowns from becoming good again than almost any other evil clown professor

As much as I agree with your argument, Lunar, it appears so much weaker in evil clown professor form.

Maybe I should use a better analogy.  It's like if he were a racist for a good portion of his life, said lots of disgusting things and single handedly fought to keep blacks subservient to whites perhaps more than anyone else this side of the Civil War, switched his opinion and said sorry, and like people insisted that it was "insulting" to TEASE him about that

It's not like he just used to post like Stark on some internet forums in his youth

[Lunar]

I don't think he's racist anymore and I didn't mean to imply that.  I just meant to say that just because he says he's sorry for attempting to ruin the lives of all of those people by setting the US record for filibustering on that one particular bill, and being a local leader in the KKK and stuff, well, that sorry doesn't mean we can't make fun of him.  It is ridiculous that a former KKK member is in the Senate, isn't it?  I mean, that's both funny and a sad reflection on his past.  But in this thread it was just funny until people and to go and be insulted.  Byrd has done a fair amount of good, honorable public service in his life too.

I think he learned his lesson and he was a product of his ambition, place, and time.