Forum Top Ten List: Robert Byrd

[JSojourner]

As with the previous one, these threads will require nine more "Lettermanesque" contributions.  I'll make them about forumites, politicians, pop culture...whatever hits me at the moment.
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The top ten things needs to keep on hand during Senate hearings....


10.    An extra set of teeth.

[HappyWarrior]

8.  Oxygen machine.

[Lunar]

7.  His will

[Kaine for Senate '18]

6.  His defibrillator.

[paul718]

5.  His negro.

[Speed of Sound]

4. A picture of him from 30 years ago to post on his campaign website

[Sensei]

3. the latest Saturday Evening Post

[Marokai Backbeat]

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

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

1. A calendar counting down the end of his first century in Congress.

[Franzl]

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

I find that extremely insulting.

Same thing to Fezzy's comment.

[Lunar]

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

I find that extremely insulting.

Same thing to Fezzy's comment.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

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?

[jamestroll]

Robert Byrd is a fool. I hate him.

[Marokai Backbeat]

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

I find that extremely insulting.

Same thing to Fezzy's comment.

Why is that insulting? I've seen alot worse on here.

Did you expect a top ten list about Byrd to go by without any KKK comments?

[Franzl]

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.

[Marokai Backbeat]

All good fun, of course. I have a great deal of respect for Byrd (and am considering making him president at some point in my TL) though I do think he should retire.

[Franzl]

All good fun, of course. I have a great deal of respect for Byrd (and am considering making him president at some point in my TL) though I do think he should retire.

Objectively, you're right, Byrd should retire.

But I'd hate to see him go....

[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

[Franzl]

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

Yes, of course.

But let me ask you this: do you still consider him to be racist?

[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

[Speed of Sound]

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.

[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

[Speed of Sound]

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

Ah, nnnoooowwww I get it. ^__^

[Keystone Phil]

I'll just say that the only thing I've insulted about is that Byrd's infamous pocket Constitution didn't get a shout out.

[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.