Posted on 06/15/2005 5:57:27 AM PDT by Theodore R.
Enzi, Thomas mum on anti-lynching bill
By Jessica Lowell rep5@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
CHEYENNE - Fred Lebsack isn't very happy with his U.S. senators.
The Cheyenne man said it was "pretty backward" that neither Sen. Craig Thomas nor Sen. Mike Enzi, both Republicans, signed on to support the Senate's apology, issued Monday, for that body's failure to take action when anti-lynching legislation first was proposed.
"This is waffling at best, weaseling at worst," Lebsack said, pointing out that Wyoming's nickname is the Equality State.
The U.S. Senate passed a non-binding resolution that apologizes to victims for the Senate's failure to take any action to halt lynchings. While the U.S. House of Representatives has passed several of the nearly 200 pieces that were introduced, the Senate failed to pass any.
Generally, lynching is execution by a mob without the benefit of a trial or due process as guaranteed by the Constitution. Often, the execution is by hanging.
The resolution comes as a number of crimes in the South during the civil rights era are being reexamined.
In Mississippi, prosecutors started jury selection Monday in the criminal trial of a reputed member of the Ku Klux Klan. He is accused of having a role in the 1964 slayings of three civil-rights workers outside of Philadelphia, Miss., during "Freedom Summer."
And earlier this month federal investigators exhumed the body of Emmett Till, who was 15 when he was dragged out of relative's house in 1955 Mississippi. His body was found a couple of days later in a nearby river. Investigators want to positively identify the body - rumors say it's not Till's - and to look for more evidence on the cause of his death.
The Senate's apology resolution had bipartisan sponsorship, and 84 senators signed on by Monday evening when it was passed by unanimous consent vote. No roll call was taken.
John Reed, spokesman for U.S. Sen. George Allen, R-Va., said Allen led the movement on the Republican side to gain support for the measure.
"He did make sure that everyone knew that Leader Frist had scheduled a vote on June 13," Reed said, referring to Senate Majority Floor Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.
The bill was also the focus of attention as it was introduced at the end of the last session and reintroduced at the start of this one amid a lot of media attention, he said.
"What distinguishes this resolution is that it's not about something Congress had no control over," he said.
Enzi spokesman Coy Knobel said his boss did not object during the vote.
"Sen. Enzi thinks that lynchings were tragic and certainly never should have taken place," Knobel said.
But he added that Enzi generally does not sponsor legislation that contains no specific direction or action.
Thomas spokesman Cameron Hardy said Thomas didn't really take a position on the resolution.
"So many people signed on, it was assured of passing," Hardy said.
He added that the senator does not sign on to every piece of legislation that passes through his office.
What's more, Hardy said, Thomas has been involved in two other weighty matters - the energy bill and negotiations over the Central America Free Trade Agreement. That is because of Thomas' membership on the Finance and Energy committees, which are working those bills this week.
Hardy said if a senator opposes a measure like this one, he or she could show up on the floor and put a stop to the vote, at least temporarily.
That did not happen in this case, he said.
This whole thing is a liberal feel good circus.I am tired of politicians pandering.Obviously we are sorry for lynchings.But for "conservatives" senators to team up with Kerry to pander like this to far left groups is a joke.
You are right. I suppose it was Democrats who masterminded virtually all of the lynchings. But there were lynchings in liberal IL too, and there may have been some non-Democrats involved in some.
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