Senator Byrd is an old coot...

[Virginia Dare]

but he's a lovable old coot...:kick:

[madokie]

1. I kind of have a thing for old people too

as I'm getting there myself

[Hubert Flottz]

21. Ageism is a common form of bigotry.

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, weed-hopper!"

[Ian David]

2. No, he's not. He's an evil bigot and a waste of a seat in Congress.

I do not caren HOW old he is.

Old age does NOT excuse bigotry.

Bet you a dollar he votes against the hate crimes bill.


See related thread:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I really wish Robert Byrd would retire
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3551403

[Atman]

3. I'm not (that) old, I'm not a bigot, but I'd vote against the hate crimes bill, too

I'm not sure what one has to do with the other. Byrd, love him or hate him, has served his country and the Democrats well over a long and storied career. People do change. If you don't believe that, then you don't believe in rehab, or therapy, or the healing power of church for some people.

Times were very, very different "back in the day." Give the "old coot" a break. He's done more to defend your constitutional rights than most of the other members of the Congress combined.

.

[lonestarnot]

6. Yes he has.

[Ian David]

12. If you'd vote against the hate crimes bill, why do you feel you beling here? n/t

[Atman]

14. You have a star. Do a search for my posts.

I've posted about it extensively here.

In a nutshell, I believe if my white, male, middle class child was murdered that his life should be considered just as important as anyone else, regardless of whether that other victim is a person of color, in uniform, homosexual, or anything else. I am disgusted that people feel the need to assign what amount to point values for certain classes of people.

Murder is murder. The law already provides prosecutors with various degrees of murder. Now we want to add sub-sections and special provisions which, quite frankly, amount to discrimination against people who don't fit these certain categories. If you don't believe me, read the bill. It provides prosecutors with extra investigative resources to go after crimes against people based upon their race or sexual orientation, resources that would not be available to investigate the exact same crime against me or my family.

That is wrong. We already have penalties for murder and assault. I'd prefer to focus on equally enforcing the laws for all Americans.

.

[Ian David]

15. That's well-intentioned but wrong-headed. n/t

[Atman]

19. Well, I respectfully disagree.

And I think it's not your place to say I'm "wrong-headed." I simply hold a different opinion than you do. It's not as if I'm advocating clubbing kittens or raping children...that would be "wrong-headed."

.

[Ian David]

20. I've had this debate with too many other people who held the same wrong-headed idea that you do...

to feel much like going over it yet again.

You, too can do a search on my prior postings if you are so inclined.

And I did not say that YOU were wrong-headed. I said your IDEA is wrong-headed.

The difference is, that I am assuming that there are other topics you are not so profoundly and morbidly wrong about as this one.

[Katherine Brengle]

18. The difference is, a non-hate crime murder may perpetuate a culture of violence, but a hate-crime

perpetuates a culture of hate *as well as* a culture of violence.

[Virginia Dare]

4. True, he is a holdover from the bad old days..

and being a member of the Klan is something that can never be lived down.

But I guess I was just specifically talking about his actions yesterday.

Agreed, he probably does need to retire soon, I just don't know what our chances are of getting another Democrat in there unfortunately.

[goclark]

5. Exactly!

[Odin2005]

8. He has repented for his racist behavior back in the day.

[Ian David]

11. I didn't say racist. I said Bigot. n/t

[Beelzebud]

13. I agree.

[MazeRat7]

7. I can only hope to have some of his "coot-ness" when I'm that age -nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

9. He's a mixed bag

He's got as big a stain on his past as you could imagine, albeit decades ago. And he's certainly not a model of an elected representative refraining from pork barrel projects or self-aggrandizement. Plus he's old as dirt. Whatever jokes we made about Strom Thurmond could just as easily be thrown back at Senator Byrd.

But, on the other hand, some of his speeches, particularly on the Iraq issue, are just about as eloquent and spot-on as you can ever find.

[Virginia Dare]

10. Agreed..

and welcome to DU Peter!

[Bitwit1234]

16. What I can't understand is why in the hell this Code Pink

if they are such wonderful protesters dont' go after the real cuplrits..the republicans. Why don't they show what the republicans are doing. Are they a bunch of wussies also. Knowing that the democrats won't have them arrested or jailed, and the republicans would.....They only make themselves look silly targeting democrats. I guess if the public thinks the democrats are do nothings, then they have to thing Code Pink who prances around in the democrats offices instead of the republicans is just as bad. Til they start on the republicans. I feel they are wimps.

[Beelzebud]

17. They protested the Republicans when they were the majority...

You just showed how little you've been paying attention...

Code Pink has been at this for YEARS.

When the Democrats took the majority, the responsibility fell on them to do the right things. They are failing us, and they need every reminder they get.