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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
Before you compare the nasty comments about Helms with what he said and did, you need to remember that none of us had the power to anything that would diminish his life in any way. On the other hand, Helms's words and actions had a very real affect on many people's lives to this very day and dancing on his grave is a small consolation.
"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."
He lived a disgusting, ugly life. His political career was based on the destruction of 3 or 4 men by vicious racist, homophobic and jingoistic garbage.
When a person dies, we should celebrate his life in all the manner in which it was lived. I'm going to go take a shit. That's the best way to celebrate the life and accomplishments of this repulsive asshole.
"Jesse Helms was a kind, decent, and humble man and a passionate defender of what he called "the Miracle of America." So it is fitting that this great patriot left us on the Fourth of July. He was once asked if he had any ambitions beyond the United States Senate. He replied: 'The only thing I am running for is the Kingdom of Heaven.' Today, Jesse Helms has finished the race, and we pray he finds comfort in the arms of the loving God he strove to serve throughout his life."
— President Bush.
What a pompous, treacherous, hypocritical bastard.
Good riddance.
Conservatives use their political power to irrationally and sadistically inflict pain on people they dislike - liberals, the poor, blacks, gays, environmentalists, drug users, etc. Why then should they expect the victims of this hate to respond to the death of a conservative icon with tea and sympathy?
Clearly there is a difference between irrational hatred and justified hate. Unfortunately, conservatives - as well as many liberals it would seem - would have us believe that irrational hatred is justified and justified hate is irrational.
is how many of the ones crying "you're so mean!" are the folks who regularly point fingers and call others nasty names in these pages. They are themselves no strangers to the kind of ugly bigotry that Helms made popular, but let people who are different from them take a single opportunity to lambast a monster, and suddenly they're on the side of civility.
As Captain Buck Murdoch said, "I guess irony can be pretty ironic."
I'm not going to whip myself into a frenzy trying to be civil about his death.
He was good ol' southern boy who hated blacks, whites, gays,women and anyone who didn't vote for him.
He was a bigot. He was a racist. He was a hateful man, who deserved to die earlier than this.
He dragged himself to his job (he wouldn't retire) because he felt God told him to.
The world is better off without him or his ilk. Unfortunately, there's millions more where he came from-and they still vote.
That's why we have Bush in the White House with all his buddies.
Thanks to all the Southern rednecks, we have suffered for 8 years under this regime, and I'm glad one of the prime architects of it is gone.
No, I'm not going to apologize at all for this letter. To hell with civility. It's my opinion, and it stands.
Good riddance.
"First, I'd just like to say I have admired you by way of your posts since I first found you here. I contiue to do so. Thanks for the intelligent and well-reasoned response. This is precisely what I was hoping for."
Wow. I am flattered, but if you have read my letters, then you know that praise of me isn't warranted... I am neither well-behaved or entirely reasonable. Thanks nonetheless.
As for your comments about use of the term "tolerance," I use it because conservatives do, usually accompanied by a smirk. It's standard practice on their part when they are faced with a liberal angry about some obscenity or another... they cock their heads and say "So much for being tolerant, huh?" It's how they try to defang us of of any justifiable rage we feel. Because, of course, rage is reserved for them only.
"When blacks develop a Super Ego then they can talk. When liberals mature a bit then they can talk. When women stop thinking through their vagina then they can talk. Until then, leave Jesse Helms alone." -turnip
So, AJCalhoun, the central question remains: How do you tolerate someone, like turnip here, who not only disparages and dismisses your beliefs, but disparages or dismisses YOU YOURSELF?
Truthfully, I don't know the answer to that question. But I do hold firm to one principle; reciprocity. Regardless of beliefs, I do try to hear out anyone who addresses me as a person and tries to listen to me, if not accommodate me.
I don't believe that Jesse Helms cared for reciprocity. I think he was one of many unreconstructed folks who was courteous and kind to those who looked like him, talked like him, and thought like him.
To anyone reading this, let me emphasize: civility is not about being kind to those who are like you... that's just tribalism. It's about being decent to those who are different than you.
I won't go into who or what I am, but I know if I was one of Jesse's constituents, those anecdotes about his approachability and courtesy wouldn't apply to me.
So I won't be extended any sympathy for him this evening. My regards to his family, however.
Sincerely,
Diomedes
"If you're saying that agents of violence, like the KKK, are spurred by mouthpieces of violence, like Helms, I agree."
Yes, absolutely. I am reminded of the central role the short-wave radio broadcasters in Rwanda played in coordinating and motivating the violence of the '94 Genocide.
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