Thurmond Family Struggles with Difficult Truth

[kskiska]

COLUMBIA, S.C., Dec. 19 — After Essie Mae Washington-Williams told the world this week that she was Strom Thurmond's mixed-race daughter, she walked away "completely free" of a burden she had borne privately for decades.

Now members of Mr. Thurmond's sprawling family, a well-connected dynasty in South Carolina, say they are the ones struggling.

The sudden, very public arrival of Ms. Washington-Williams to the family has stirred a mix of frustration, curiosity, discomfort and shame, several relatives of the late Mr. Thurmond said today, speaking about the news for the first time.

Mary T. Thompkins Freeman, a niece of the late senator, who died at 100 in June, said Ms. Washington-Williams's announcement "was like a blight on the family."

(snip)

Ms. Freeman also said that had the secret daughter been white, "it would be a whole other situation," because public criticism would not have been as harsh.

"Strom rose to such stature, you just wonder how in the world this could have gone on," said Ms. Freeman, 64, a retired teacher in Lugoff, S.C. "My family always had help around the house. But it just seems Strom would have been above that."

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/20/national/20STRO.html?hp

[koopie57]

1. I don't think that the announcement was the problem

I think Thurmond's behavior was the problem and then his arrogance, hatred and bigotry compounded it. I can't help but remember how this self-rightous pompous fool was so indignant at President Clinton getting the bj in the oval office. Morals ... I wonder how some of the republicans define morals anyway.

[kskiska]

4. And at the same time

Strom was hitting on Clinton's attractive black attorney, Cheryl Mills (who gave the eloquent statement rebutting the Repug's "civil rights" argument), giving her candy and flirting outrageously during the impeachment hearings.

[Punkingal]

2. Ms Freeman,

sounds like someone Strom would have been proud of, bigoted and snobbish to the core.

[Bucky]

3. Well bless their poor little hearts

Dammit, she's family. She's lived 78 years away from them, but she's still family. A REAL southerner would be gracious and invite Ms Washington-Willliams to Christmas dinner. I wonder how her 31 year old brother, Strom Jr., is reacting.

[kskiska]

5. I liked Ms Washington-Williams' remark to Dan Rather

when asked about prospective meetings with Strom's family. Dan said that she questions who is welcoming who to the family. She said, "Yeah, Nancy and her children want to welcome me to the family. They were nowhere around during all those years (back in the 20s, 30s, and 40s) . I've been here all along." (paraphrased)

Strom didn't father any legitimate children till he was past 60, having married two beauty queens.

[Nay]

6. Well, rich white guys have always f*cked the help, and

it is a true Southernism to act shocked about it. The morals of men in power have rarely been exemplary. Half of them went after power and money just so they could screw (literally and figuratively) anybody they wanted, including the forbidden (other races, same sex, kids, etc.)

The human race can be an ugly bunch.

[Nomad559]

7. I found this Video of Strom Thurmond today

:puke:

Strom Thurmond

[otohara]

10. Hypocrit Rapist Pig

I would not be at all proud to have this man to be my father, who raped my mother, then denounced her race over and over in a most vicious manner.

[readmylips]

12. He didn't rape a woman, he raped a child...

I'm glad the Thurmonds are ashamed, they should be. On TV they're making it sound as if that old rapist had an affair with a black woman. The child was not a maid of the Thurmonds, her mother was the maid and Thurmond raped the maid's child, mother of Mrs. Williams.

I read that in SC the Thurmonds are considered as the Royal Family. Now they can be the Royal Rapist Family. Karma is Good!

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Essie-Mae had just as much right as any of Thurmond's children

to be recognized after his death. I heard her speak and the lady is grand. No doubt the result of a good home environment.

[grok]

9. One of the saddest comment from a republican i heard

I just saw Strom's "Black" Grandson(now a doctor)on TV. As O'Reilly was lambasting Thurmond as a hypocrite, his grandson commented quietly that he himself IS a Republican, will voted for Bush, and will do so again! Guess who shut up and smiled!

They are stretching family loyalty a bit to far.

Go figure

Grok

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. Would it be in bad taste to say...

..that maybe the 10% of blacks who vote Republican do it because they have close ties to the Republican party?

tee-hee. I couldn't resist. Me bad.

[grok]

16. Hey, Clarence Thomas's wife is white.

Maybe not that much of a stretch. Bunch of little mixed race republicans being born.

Grok

[readmylips]

11. I'm glad you're talking about this subject...

I tried talking to my hubby, who is a repug, about this subject and he said 'that happened long time a go, no sense in talking about it.' I wanted to talk about it but he sounded like Rush Limballs.

Ms. Washington-Willaims is to receive 1M from Thurmond. I thought it was odd that she wanted to clear her mother's name but all she said was how great that rapist Thurmond was. Someone is being blackmailed here.

[Demeter]

13. Let's Hope the Right People are the ones being blackmailed

Wouldn't want to compound the original crime by raping the child of rape.

[salin]

15. He is right in that it happened a long time ago.... but it also happened

long before he chose to run for president on a segregation ticket. That alone merits conversation. Especially today as some visible republicans indulge in race baiting, in feminist baiting and gay baiting.

[Skittles]

17. OH GIVE ME A F***ING BREAK

EVERYONE WAS AWARE OF THIS BLACK DAUGHTER. What these bigots are "struggling" with is it is now OFFICIALLY KNOWN that their beloved Strom was a F***ING LOATHSOME HYPOCRITICAL RACIST PIECE OF SHIT.

[progressiveJim]

18. Exactly what Party did Strom belong too?

When he was doing all this raping and destroying exactly what party allegiance did he have? Wasn't he a Democrat, Dixie at that during these times? Wasn't him and Al Gore Sr. like good friends and didn't he attend them KKK meetings with his bud Byrd from W. Virginia.

Progression into some truth telling here. No wonder the Democratic Party has faultered in the South.

We need to take our Party back, Democratics should refute the likes of Dean. We need S. Nunn to run for president and bring some maturity back to the party.