To one of the great American Senators and one of the only members of Congress willing to speak against the Iraq war before it began.
Senator Byrd also gave one of the best speeches, in my mind, in recent American history.
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4 snide remarks:
You know I spent half my life growing up in those hills so Byrd was always a hugely familiar face and name. I know the speech you're referencing and it was great. However, don't you think it's ridiculous that we allow someone at 92 to still be in a position of power like that when half the time the DMV won't even renew their license?
Also,while he accomplished a lot of cool stuff, he was also in the Klan at one point. Why does he a get a free pass from that? I don't mean from you exactly, I'm speaking for society in general.
"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.”
— Robert Byrd
Heidi Germanaus: As far as age goes, I do think Byrd was lucid but I understand your point and I agree with it. I would be more than fine with every politician having a two-term limit. And yes, he was in the Klan, and I don't defend that in the least. He deserves every ounce of criticism for that. However, he did do something you don't often see from a politician: he apologized and admitted he was wrong, and I do give him credit for that.
Anonymous: "I know now I was wrong (joining the Klan). 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."
--Robert C. Byrd, 2005.
I don't defend his Klan membership one bit, and he deserves all the criticism that comes from it. However, if you went out of your way to find and post that quote, you surely could have done all of your research and found Byrd admitted he was wrong and that he deserved the criticism. If you don't like Byrd and feel he doesn't deserve forgiveness, I won't hold that against you. But don't only tell half the story when leaving a quote.
I fully agree. Two terms and OUT!
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