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Read other letters about this article
As someone who lived in NC for almost all of Helms' "service," I have three comments with respect to this article and the letters about it:
1. There was a cognitive dissonance to Helms' graciousness that was revealed in spades come election time, i.e., he would lie, cheat, and steal to hold on to power. For example, when running against Jim Hunt in 1984, one of his ads included a chart of NC tax revenues under Hunt's governorship. Revenues increased dramatically over this range because- in a large part thanks to Hunt- NC was growing rapidly in terms of both overall population and new businesses opening shop (most notably in Research Triangle Park where companies like IBM and predecessors of GlaxoSmithKline established large presences). In the ad, however, rather than crediting Hunt with helping to fuel the growth the ad deceitfully and incorrectly claimed that these were tax increases that occurred under Hunt. And if things were really tight, he could always be counted on for a late-in-the-campaign underhanded surprise, like the now famous "white hands- you had to give your job to a minority" ad run against Harvey Gantt in 1990. These are just a couple of numerous examples of ads designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator and give that slice of the populace considering taking the high road for a change excuses for staying in the ditch. To me, cognitive dissonances like this equal disingenuousness to the extreme. When self-righteousness is another ingredient, it becomes the hypocrisy so typical in ideologues. You can't be gracious part-time and genuinely be gracious.
2. This is your typical posthumous, sugar-coated article where they have gone to the deceased's disciples for their information without doing any further research. Take, for example, this statement: "He ... was in the Navy during World War II." Sounds great, doesn't it? In NC it was well known to those willing to listen that Helms' was stationed in NC for the whole of WWII where he served as a "radio recruiter." That's not to say he didn't serve his country, but considering the sacrifices made by others it's at least worth some qualification.
3. While I think some of the comments in the letters are mean-spirited, those of you calling for civility should consider Helms' example. From comments like "she's not your garden variety lesbian" to saying President Clinton would need a body guard to come to NC, Helms was unsparing in his attacks on people who disagreed with him or didn't live by his "principles." I'm not sure he'd be any more civil than some of those here if his ideological opposite had been the one who died.
