Former Ku Klux Klan and Senate Leader Robert Byrd (D-WV) Dead at 92

[bobbyw24]

Byrd was haunted throughout his political career by his brief stint in the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s, and he acknowledged late in life that it would be a part of his obituary. Byrd briefly served as his local chapter’s leader, or “Exalted Cyclops.”

He would go on to filibuster the landmarks Civil Rights Act of 1964 for more than 14 hours, and he also opposed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Several years later, however, he voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1968.

He would later cite his membership in the Baptist church as the cause of his conversion on race relations. The race issue never completely left Byrd, though. In 2001, he had to apologize for comments about “white *******.”

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/105771-sen-byrd-dies-at-age-92

[cindy25]

his seat could be the key to who controls the senate, and he died before July 3 that seat will be on this years ballot

[qh4dotcom]

The Democrats are down to 58 Senate votes now....a little more cushion for the filibusters.

[cindy25]

the appointed senator will be a Democrat, as WV has a Dem gov.

[roho76]

Yahoo!!! This is the best news I have heard all day and it just started.

[qh4dotcom]

the appointed senator will be a Democrat, as WV has a Dem gov.

True, well until the new senator is sworn in they are temporarily down to 58 votes

[Cowlesy]

YouTube - Senator Byrd's Speech Opposing Iraq War 3/19/03 Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxWfawiufK0)

Don't agree with all of it, but some of it.

[AuH2O]

It's not yet clear whether the appointed replacement will serve out the remainder of his term or whether a special election will need to be held.

[specsaregood]

We need a liberty candidate to quickly change his name to R. Byrd, register as a Democrat and get on that ballot!

[Cowlesy]

We need a liberty candidate to quickly change his name to R. Byrd, register as a Democrat and get on that ballot!

^^^^^^^^^^This.

[Scofield]

I think the title of this thread is a bit disrespectful.

The man was in the KKK before my father (who is 60 years old) was even born. He hasn't been connected to the Klan in what amounts to an entire lifetime. It's ridiculous to still grasp onto that piece of his history. The only reason it was included in the title was to slam him, not for any other purpose. Very tacky tactic and disrespectful to a man who just died.

I loathe the vast majority of Byrd's policies, but I'm not going to revel in his death or take pot shots at a guy who is no longer here.

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

Fuck him. He was a Statist, racist asshole. Good riddance.

[roho76]

I think the title of this thread is a bit disrespectful.

The man was in the KKK before my father (who is 60 years old) was even born. He hasn't been connected to the Klan in what amounts to an entire lifetime. It's ridiculous to still grasp onto that piece of his history. The only reason it was included in the title was to slam him, not for any other purpose. Very tacky tactic and disrespectful to a man who just died.

I loathe the vast majority of Byrd's policies, but I'm not going to revel in his death or take pot shots at a guy who is no longer here.

"Well that's like...your opinion, man" the Dude

Not me. I'll dance on his grave if I ever see it. Just like he did to so many others. Even though he voted against going to war in Iraq he has voted since to fund it and a vote to fund it is just as bad as voting for it in the first place. He has helped strip this country of it's greatness and should be frowned upon for it. Shame on him. Nature taking him out saves us on resources to try and have him thrown out or replaced. Now all we have to do is fund replacing his seat against some other statist hack.

[Nate]

Fuck him. He was a Statist, racist asshole. Good riddance.

+100000000000000000000000000000000000000

This world is a better place without him. This POS doesn't deserve ANY respect, even in death.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Byrd was the poster child/advocate of personal rights for the medically Brain Dead... since that's how he has served the past 5 years in the US Senate. Another silver-tongued devil lawyer.

Also proves that at least 51% of West Virginia voters are clinically Brain-Dead too!

This POS has stolen BILLIONS in American Taxpayer money to serve himself best. $27+ billion wasted as of 2008 just on that West Virginia V-22 Osprey failure.

Rot in hell Byrd

[Elwar]

I think the title of this thread is a bit disrespectful.

The man was in the KKK before my father (who is 60 years old) was even born. He hasn't been connected to the Klan in what amounts to an entire lifetime. It's ridiculous to still grasp onto that piece of his history. The only reason it was included in the title was to slam him, not for any other purpose. Very tacky tactic and disrespectful to a man who just died.

I loathe the vast majority of Byrd's policies, but I'm not going to revel in his death or take pot shots at a guy who is no longer here.

there aint no rest for the wicked

[fisharmor]

Fuck him. He was a Statist, racist asshole. Good riddance.

King of the pork.
The nicest rest stop I've ever visited is in West Virginia.



It's still not as good as a bad truck stop.

[bobbyw24]

I think the title of this thread is a bit disrespectful.

The man was in the KKK before my father (who is 60 years old) was even born. He hasn't been connected to the Klan in what amounts to an entire lifetime. It's ridiculous to still grasp onto that piece of his history. The only reason it was included in the title was to slam him, not for any other purpose. Very tacky tactic and disrespectful to a man who just died.

I loathe the vast majority of Byrd's policies, but I'm not going to revel in his death or take pot shots at a guy who is no longer here.

Hold on--he was calling poor white people "white nig--rs" as late as 2001

[Stop Making Cents]

It's ok for a Democrat to be a former member of the KKK, but if a Republican had been a former member, they'd be run out of town, the national press would have orgasms describing how evil and vile he is, and he'd be forced to resign and commit suicide.

:rolleyes:

[bobbyw24]

it's ok for a democrat to be a former member of the kkk, but if a republican had been a former member, they'd be run out of town, the national press would have orgasms describing how evil and vile he is, and he'd be forced to resign and commit suicide.

:rolleyes:

where is rachel maddow when you need her?

[low preference guy]

//

[DeadheadForPaul]

I'll pray for his soul

Racist and thief

[messana]

92 years too late.

[rich34]

I'm a West Virginian and I've been a member here for longer than most and I agree like most, that his policies were statist, but it still saddens me to read some of the complaints and "dancing on his grave" type of comments. I'm not going to tell anyone how to talk, but that's not needed nor cool.

Trust me, Byrd is not as bad as the guy that will be replacing him! I gurantee you that! And for those that don't know, there will be no election, only an appointment. My money is down on Joe Manchin being the next U.S senator and even though he's a democrat, he's imo a big time neocon! Trust me, we'd rather have Bryd than the guy that will fill his seat.

[roho76]

Joe Manchin

Who is easily replaceable at the next election. Byrd had name recognition who ever they replace him with will not. Oh yeah, I forgot, fuck Byrd.

[MelissaWV]

Manchin does have name recognition, and he'll gain more when he appoints someone who ISN'T him to the post. That someone-who-isn't-him will, of course, graciously step down when it's time for Manchin to run for the Senate seat.

I agree with you, Rich; people have so little class anymore. "Glad he's dead" sorts weren't around helping to oust the guy, or at least I didn't see them in such numbers. People seem more content to sit at home and wish ill on others lately, than to get out and do something themselves.

He should have gotten a lot of help retiring ... years ago. In the meantime, people should have been grooming potential replacements. We don't have anyone in a good position to advance liberty at that high an office in the state yet that I'm aware of. It's just going to be another placeholding crony until Manchin gets his shot.

[Romantarchist]

I'm a West Virginian and I've been a member here for longer than most and I agree like most, that his policies were statist, but it still saddens me to read some of the complaints and "dancing on his grave" type of comments. I'm not going to tell anyone how to talk, but that's not needed nor cool.

Trust me, Byrd is not as bad as the guy that will be replacing him! I gurantee you that! And for those that don't know, there will be no election, only an appointment. My money is down on Joe Manchin being the next U.S senator and even though he's a democrat, he's imo a big time neocon! Trust me, we'd rather have Bryd than the guy that will fill his seat.

Thank you. We should not rejoice in the death of Byrd, Kennedy or any other statist politician. We should be hoping that they are with God now, that He has redeemed them from their silly ways. We should also be praying for the Byrd family and that the next WV senator be someone more committed to liberty. Besides, even though Byrd stalled WV's economic development with 50 years of pork barrel spending, he also was one of the strongest voices against the Bush administration's policies (check out his March 2003 speech against the Iraq War, it is EPIC) so that redeems him somewhat in my eyes.

[stu2002]

YouTube - Senator Robert Byrd says "white *******" on TV (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FIBJt-c2o0)

[Flash]

Any chance a Republican will replace him?

[PatriotOne]

I'm a West Virginian and I've been a member here for longer than most and I agree like most, that his policies were statist, but it still saddens me to read some of the complaints and "dancing on his grave" type of comments. I'm not going to tell anyone how to talk, but that's not needed nor cool.

Trust me, Byrd is not as bad as the guy that will be replacing him! I gurantee you that! And for those that don't know, there will be no election, only an appointment. My money is down on Joe Manchin being the next U.S senator and even though he's a democrat, he's imo a big time neocon! Trust me, we'd rather have Bryd than the guy that will fill his seat.

Boo f**cking hoo. You don't know Byrd as well as you think.

Senator Byrd was the owner of Cathy O'Brien who was a victim of our Government's MK Ultra program. She was a sex slave for him and many others since she was a child and her child was forced into the same program. Before you shed a tear you should hear what Cathy O'Brien suffered at the hands of that monster.

Read her book "Tranceformation of America" or "Access Denied for Reasons of National Security" or listen to her speeches she gives about her involvement in MK Ultra.

Mind Control & MKULTRA, Cathy O'Brien and Mark Phillips, (Edmonton 2006-07-21)
Mind Control & MKULTRA, Cathy O'Brien and Mark Phillips, (Edmonton 2006-07-21) (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7461738120783343519#)


The fact he was allowed to live until he was in his 90's is the only thing sad about his demise.

[BlackTerrel]

He would later cite his membership in the Baptist church as the cause of his conversion on race relations.

Dead is dead so I'm not going to go on a tangent. God will judge him now.


Byrd was haunted throughout his political career by his brief stint in the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s, and he acknowledged late in life that it would be a part of his obituary. Byrd briefly served as his local chapter’s leader, or “Exalted Cyclops.”

But this part just cracks me up - I keep laughing. Maybe it's just me but the KKK sounds like the least intimidating group of dorks on the planet.

Exalted Cyclops? Grand Dragons and Wizards? What is this a fucking Lord of the Rings convention :D

YouTube - funny star wars nerds part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugk37TvIR8E)

[Anti Federalist]

Fuck him. He was a Statist, racist asshole. Good riddance.

Yah, that.

[Pericles]

It seems like the only way to get these guys out of office. They don't have the decency to at least retire when no longer capable of even showing up.

[Golding]

Like with most of his ilk, I say good riddance.
The only tragedy to me is how long it took.

[FSP-Rebel]

So, no vid yet?

[michaelwise]

Ding dong the witch is dead the witch is dead, ding dong the wicked witch is dead. Thank God the wicked witch is dead.

[libertybrewcity]

I'm a West Virginian and I've been a member here for longer than most and I agree like most, that his policies were statist, but it still saddens me to read some of the complaints and "dancing on his grave" type of comments. I'm not going to tell anyone how to talk, but that's not needed nor cool.

Trust me, Byrd is not as bad as the guy that will be replacing him! I gurantee you that! And for those that don't know, there will be no election, only an appointment. My money is down on Joe Manchin being the next U.S senator and even though he's a democrat, he's imo a big time neocon! Trust me, we'd rather have Bryd than the guy that will fill his seat.

bump for respect.

[libertybrewcity]

The last time Byrd was up for election was 2006. He won by about 140,000 votes. It 64 to 34 and that is with decades of name recognition. West Virginia seems to vote for a republican in the presidential election every time.

So, now that Byrd is gone a good candidate that will bring freedom to their state will arise! Go liberty in West Virginia!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_West_Virginia,_20 06#Results_3