Senator Jesse Helms, a five-time senator from North Carolina, who many view as a stalwart patriot who diligently fought communism, had a poetic 4th of July death. For his public service, I suppose we owe him our gratitude.
But for being so vilely racist, we owe him our scorn. Many rightfully wish he would have served the public less. I often wonder whether we would be still awaiting our first black president had Helms lost to African-American Mayor of Charlotte, Harvey Gant, back in 1990. But in truth, if not Helms, someone else would have carried the baton for segregation and racially divisive thought in North Carolina.
With respect to Senator Helms, I say quite simply that we all fall short in God's eyes. But we serve a forgiving God. May He sort out the conflicts of service to some and hatred to some, see your real heart, and have mercy on your soul, as needed.
9 comments:
Not that I speak for Him...but, He's going to have to look real deep to find redeeming qualities in this man.
Let us not forget his work with Dan Burton on the Helms-Burton Act. You know what they say about birds of a feather...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helms-Burton_Act
Jesse's in a better place ~~ the Devil has called him home ~~ Helms is at one with his maker...
Not RIP but RIH Rot in Hell, Jesse.
If he's in Hell for being a racist, he's waiting for Byrd to join him.
Soon I hope
...and lots of others including one local blogger.
Ah yes -- the GOP CYA for its current racism: "what about Byrd?"
Byrd has repented many times for his racism of many years ago. Jesse Helms never admitted he was wrong about race. He died a hater. But embarrassed Republicans still just holler "what about Byrd?"
Lest it be forgotten: the GOP has NO Black Indiana legislators and still has NO Black Republicans whatsoever in the US Congress. It is a lily-white party at the Statehouse and in the U.S. Capitol. It is still the party of racists and racism.
Jesse Helms still has his prejudiced GOP acolytes, most notably local blogger Gary Welsh: his continued venom for Black elected officials is notorious!
Wilson, watch channel 16 at the various commission and board meetings. There is only very rarely a minority sitting on any of those. Not many women either. The GOP is surely the party of old white men. I am an old white man but I am a DEMOCRAT!! Even Strom Thurmond and George Wallace admitted that they were wrong but never Jesse Helms.
Check out Roland Martin's commentary on the CNN website. It pretty much sims up Jesse Helms and his racist ideological bent.
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