Strom Thurmond

[Fastfly]

Strom Thurmond has died at the age of 100 I believe. Oldest Senator. Kind of sad if you think of it.

[M. A. Dockter]

Although I never liked the guy's politics, he served the country for a good portion of his life. I gotta respect that...at the very least.

[boxcarracer767]

Yeah, Thurmond's from my state, He was old and an alright senator, I'm more republican than democrat, its all over the news here in SC.
Check this article if you want to know more about the guy:

http://www.thecarolinachannel.com/news/542244/detail.html

[sleepypost]

I am a Republican and I think that guy was terrible. I do not respect him one bit. I'm sorry if that seems too harsh but he was a racist. period. Once a racist always a racist. He just did a good job of hiding it (Trent Lott is a good example of how that is possible).

[swhite]

I don't have any reaction at all. I don't know a thing about him except that he was in politcal office for 48 years. That in itself does not endear him to me because there are a lot of people in office that I don't like or haven't liked in the past. I really don't know if I would have liked him or not. I don't have much sympathy for people who are well to do in the first place.

[Sauron]

I didn't know him that well, but what I did know, wasn't that great, but like Dok said, have to respect him for all of his years in congress.

Personally, if he was a racist, that was a viewpoint, as long as it doesn't interfere with someones judgement, I don't think it matters if a person thinks hes higher then God. Everyone has the right to their own viewpoints. We got plenty of "gods" in the white house.

[sleepypost]

Sauron, no offence, but that is terrible logic. If you are a politician (in America), your job is to use your beliefs and abilities to better the standards of living for the majority of the people. Strom Thurmond tried to use his influence as a politician to create hate and segregation in our country. (He as you should know ran for the presidency a long time ago). One cannot defend a racist standpoint unless one is a racist himself. He IS entitled to his hateful views, however he IS NOT entitled to try to spread those flames throughout our country.

Born a racist and died racist. That is the ONLY thing his gravestone should say.

:(

[Sauron]

Jesse Jackson creates hate and segregation, so I don't really see much difference. But like I said, I never knew much about him *shrug* So I am sorry if my logic is faulty.

[sleepypost]

Don't apologize one bit. That is just how I felt about it. Jesse Jackson in my opinion is a terrible man as well. His motives are dilluted by his obvious lust for money. He is one of the Nation's beiggest sell outs. He doesn't care about anyone but himself and his image. Same with Malcolm X.

I basically think that people who go to the extremes (Strom and Jesse) often lose sight of what they wanted so bad in the first place. That is why Liberal Hippies turn to drugs. They lose their sense of belonging to society. They feel as if they don't owe society anything.

If you live at the extreme end of any spectrum, you are very close to the edge, so close that no one is surprised when you fall to a sudden death.

[sleepypost]

One more thing

That is why I am a Republican BTW. I am intelligent enough to see that this country needs change and I am REASONABLE enough to see that change comes very slowly when balanced on a large scale. Republicans are just Democrats who believe in rational ideals rather than pipe dreams....

[glc]

Let's cool it with the politics, folks.

[SARGE]

A man's walk upon this here earth is short and amounts to a grain of sand you might hold in your hand. During that walk you will touch many lives - some in a positive way and vice-versa. I've always based one's life in a 100 year increment. A Sunday stroll through a cemetery will offer up many stones with names you never heard, but at one time they were important to someone. Indeed there are those that standout in history books, but at the end of the day the grain of sand is just that. That said, it is all the more important that one touches someone that brings a smile and a moment of warmth each day, every day. One gets only one shot at this walk.

[Sauron]

So very true Sarge. So very true.