Robert Byrd 90th birthday coming up. It would be a great time for him to announce..

[IndianaJones]

he is leaving the Senate.

[rainy]

1. I love Robert Byrd. He is still making more sense than the rest of them. nt

[dsc]

2. I am no fan of Byrd but the people of WV voted for him for a full six year term

with eyes wide open. He has every right to serve his term.

[IndianaJones]

3. of course he does. just wishful thinking. nt.

[hlthe2b]

4. Once again.. this must be about your 6th post attacking Byrd

and demanding his retirement.

Question: Are there any other issues affecting the Nation, the world, that concern you, IndianaJones? ANY? :eyes:

[IndianaJones]

5. 6 whole posts? OMG!. nt.

[hlthe2b]

6. 6 entire threads... and that's only the ones I have seen

You seem absolutely obsessed.

[IndianaJones]

9. well thats outrageous. let me start a dozen or so HRC/Edwards/Obama threads instead....

will that satisfy the post police?

[hlthe2b]

11. You'd only find a way to work in your obsessive disregard for

Byrd..... But, it would be nice to see you could converse on at least one other issue.

Did you have an elderly family member that annoyed you and reminds you of Byrd? Why the obsession?

[IndianaJones]

12. its not so much his age as his disgusting bigotry. nt.

[hlthe2b]

13. Once again.. He has denounced those views...

Do you not believe in the ability to change one's viewpoints and philosophies?

[IndianaJones]

14. which denoucement are you referring to? which decade? which century?

has he denounced his homophobic views at all?

[hlthe2b]

16. So now you can no longer stick to one issue...

You brought up racial bigotry; I answer and you reflect to homophobia....

In reality I think you have some very personal and deep seeded ageism-related issues. I'll let you sweat them out on some well paid professional's couch.

[IndianaJones]

18. I never said anything about race. He is a bigot, which encompasses his views on race and sexuality,

perhaps you feel that one is not as hateful as the other?

hmmm.

[hlthe2b]

19. I said nothing of the kind...

Support your positions with facts, not insinuation.

[IndianaJones]

20. you asked a question....I asked for clarification, then you made some crap up....

its hard to defend a bigot.

[hlthe2b]

21. I made up NOTHING... It appears you are beginning to project

a bit...

I don't defend Byrd's views on everything anymore than I can any other politician. He is far from the only Democrat that does not support gay marriage, yet he is the one you single out constantly. Thus, that signals to me, it is ageism more than his views on this one issue.

The fact is that Byrd has done more to call the current administration on their encroachments against the constitution (and all of our constitutional rights) and the war than nearly any other. He's a very mixed bag on some other issues, including the bankrupcy bill and some other pro-corporate policies, in addition to his views on gay marriage. The question once again, though is why the obsessive focus ONLY on Byrd?

[IndianaJones]

22. "You brought up racial bigotry" your response...

I used the term bigot, which includes racism and homophobia. Can you at least acknowledge he is a homophobe? Does that make him a better man to his defenders?

[hlthe2b]

23. I was very clear in my views.

It seems that discussing Byrd with you is distressingly similar to trying to tell someone with OCD not to wash their hands. You do not help build new support for your viewpoints by kicking these old saws continually and obsessively.

Likely the overwhelming majority of liberal/progressives, I support gay rights. I support women's rights. I support ethnic, racial and other minority rights. I support the rights of those advanced in years to continue to do the work they are qualified and able to do. I also believe in the ability of progressive and Dem politicians to change their views and attitudes over time-- if we allow them. But, I also know I will never find a politician or candidate whose views coincide with mine 100% of the time on 100% of the issues. One needs often to educate them, influence them with thoughtful debate, and give them that chance to change their views.

Feel free to put me on ignore. I'll do the same.

[IndianaJones]

24. At least you are adamant in your defense of his bigotry. nt.

[hlthe2b]

25. My last post to you as your dishonesty reflecting my posts

is unconscionable. You are showing your true stripes, my friend. Very very disingenuous.

[rocktivity]

7. If he's still of sound mind and sound enough in body, let him stay.

I understand Strom Thurmond was pretty much a vegetable towards the end of his tenure. Besides, havne't there been plenty of 80- and 90-year-olds on the Supreme Court?

:headbang:
rocknation

[Benhurst]

26. Strom Thurmond was NOT a vegetable.

He was a nut.

[hedgehog]

8. His hands and voice are shaky, but as far as I can tell, his mind is

clear. He may be ready to weep at times over what is being done to this country. Is that really a bad thing?

[IndianaJones]

10. depends on what he's weeping about...is it minorities making progress or the Iraq war? nt.

[hedgehog]

15. I have no answer for this. I do have a question. What has

Senator Byrd done against minorities in the last 40 years?

[IndianaJones]

17. Byrd on same sex marriage....

"reflects a demand for political correctness that has gone berserk. We live in an era in which tolerance has progressed beyond a mere call for acceptance and crossed over to become a demand for the rest of us to give up beliefs that we revere and hold most dear in order to prove our collective purity. At some point, a line must be drawn by rational men and women who are willing to say, 'Enough!' "

[LiberalArkie]

27. Byrd is from a different generation. My dad who was the least bigoted person I ever

knew, would make statements like "she sure is a beautiful nigress". He forced himself to stop calling black them "niggers" and "colored" and called them instead "blacks" They did not mean anything it is just that so many years causes a certain thought process. The ones you have to worry about are the ones who are always "politically correct"

[Hippo_Tron]

28. Find me a Democrat who is better than Byrd than can win

Because I guarantee you that any Republican that is elected in his place will vote for the same bigoted legislation and there's a good chance that most Democrats elected from WV will as well. He represents a conservative state. I'd certainly take another person like Nelson Rockefeller but that's not an option. Rockefeller has years of seniority and popularity that gives him a lot of leeway on how he votes.

[MadAnne]

29. That would be Jay Rockefeller, n/t

[Hippo_Tron]

30. Thx, I often confuse the two

Nelson Rockefeller was one of the higher ups in the GOP before Raygun.