byrd vs. pickering

[ButterflyBlood]

ok, some freeper type is arguing the democrats were hypocrites for filibustering pickering since one of their claims against him is he supported segregation as a young man, yet they've had byrd around for years.

so give some recent examples of racism by pickering.

[Darkseid69]

1. Not only racism but perjury as well

<http://www.mediawhoresonline.net/pickering.htm>

<http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=1292>

In the case, two men and a juvenile had burned an eight-foot cross on the lawn of an interracial couple with a young child...

Specifically, questioning by Senator Edwards revealed that Pickering had threatened to order a new trial in the case (even though the time for such an order had expired and Pickering had no authority to order it on his own motion), ordered Justice Department lawyers to take his complaints about the proposed sentence personally to the Attorney General, and initiated an ex parte communication with a high-ranking Justice Department official to complain about the case. A Justice Department letter released after the hearing revealed a series of "off-the-record" efforts by Pickering to pursue his complaints, including a direct phone call by him to the home of one prosecutor the day after New Years' Day, 1995. Senator Edwards expressed serious concern that Judge Pickering had violated Rule 3.A.4 of the Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges, which specifically forbids ex parte contacts between a judge and attorneys for one side of a case about that case...

Senator Durbin was concerned about the extreme lengths to which Pickering went to assist the defendant to obtain reduced punishment for conduct - the cross-burning -- that Pickering at one point called a "drunken prank." Senator Schumer stated that Pickering's explanation concerning the sentencing disparity "doesn't wash," particularly in light of other sentencing disparities when one defendant pleads guilty in a case, the invidious nature of the crime, and the fact that Congress had established a mandatory minimum sentence that Pickering was trying to avoid. Pickering's conduct in the cross-burning case further militates against his confirmation.

<http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/05/12/pickering/index.html>

The new evidence, housed at the University of Mississippi Library, shows that Pickering's decision to defect to the Republicans -- a key turning point in his public career -- came at the strong urging of Gartin, who as lieutenant governor from 1956 to 1960 and again from 1964 until his sudden death in 1966 was a leading member of Mississippi's notoriously racist Sovereignty Commission. Gartin's papers -- including his personal letters and other private documents, plus memos, press releases and news clippings from the time -- also confirm, in more detail than ever before, that Pickering became a Republican in 1964 to protest the national Democratic Party's support for civil rights and its attacks on segregation -- a motive the judge refused to acknowledge in his testimony last year.

[chester2003]

6. Don't get PO'ed, but the GOP helped get civil rights passed.

The big obstacle to getting the Civil Rights Act passed was the "Southern Bloc" a group of southern Dem's who were opposed to the Act. In the Senate 6 Republicans and 21 Dem's voted against the Act! In the House 80% of Republicans and only 61% of Dem's voted for the Civil Rights Act. Southern Dem's have an awful record on civil rights.

[auburnblu]

8. Its a truth that should cause outrage but not towards you

It is a sad reality, but still reality.

[auburnblu]

2. With Strom and Helms gone, Byrd kind of is the example

The example of a prior racist, he was in the Klan, being embraced by a major party, Trent Lott is of course an example too. Wasn't Byrd the Senate majority leader as recently as 1988? What is very scary to think about on the official MLK holiday is that while Reagan was signing MLK day as an official holiday in 1983, the highest ranking Senate Democrat, was Senate Minority leader Robert Bryd. Why did it take a Republican president and the Democrats being in the senate minority to get this passed.

Bryd was Senate Majority leader from 1977-1980, was this a main reason Carter never pushed or was not able to get through an officially recognized day for MLK? On a day observing the legacy of MLK, I do question, what in the hell were the Democrats thinking between 1977-1988? A former KKK memeber as the senate minority and majority leader, yikes.

The appointment of Pickering by Bush right during the annual MLK celebration of MLK is sure in poor taste. But damn, the Democrats continue to exercise poor judgement for cheering on Byrd.

[veggiemama]

4. Byrd repudiated the Klan in '52 . . .

which was actually an enlightened position for a Southerner in those days. I don't know where you're from or who old you are, but in many parts of the South in the days before MLK, it was practically essential for white men who wanted to succeed in business or politics to join the Klan--and the Masons, too! My grandfather, who was born in 1898, was practically ordered to join the Klan by his employer, which was Gulf Oil--a company based in PA, so that he would have better access to contact. And my grandfather was NOT a bigot, never burned crosses, never wore the sheet; he was at worst a hypocrite in the days when hypocrasy reigned supreme.

There is an historical context here that is conveniently and consistently missed by the whore media concerning Byrd's KKK ties, but when it comes to the likes of Thurmonc, Lott, Barbour, all of a sudden context is everything! Robert Byrd is a national treasure!

[auburnblu]

7. Sorry but no he is not a national treasure

He still uses the N word sometimes, quit being an apologist. What the hell was the party thinking, a former Klan member as minority/majority leader as late as 1988, just damn shameful?

And guess what, I'm from the south.

[Timefortruth]

3. Freepers have no interest in the truth, give it up.

Our hope resides in getting Democrats to act like Democrats.

Any information that contradict their view is not valid.

[Yupster]

5. No use for Byrd

He's just as big a bigot as he ever was. Read some of his recent quotes about gays. He's just figured out who he can be properly bigotted against these days.

[veggiemama]

9. Could you please provide links to those quotes?

I'm an unabashed Byrd-watcher, and I'd like to see them.