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Byrd Fingered in KKK Cover-up
NewsMax.com ^
| Thursday Jan. 16, 2003; 12:03 A.M. EST
| Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff
Posted on 01/15/2003 9:15:44 PM PST by Jean S
A Washington, D.C.-based civil rights leader said Wednesday he has uncovered documents indicating that Sen. Robert Byrd, D-WV, was a member of the notorious anti-black hate group the Ku Klux Klan for a far longer period of time than he has admitted.
"Some people say that he was only in (the Klan) for a couple of months," said Kevin Martin, head of the African-American Republican Leadership Council, in an interview on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes." "But we have documentation that says he was in for almost two years," Martin revealed.
On Monday, Byrd's spokesman Tom Gavin insisted to NewsMax.com that the Senator's days in the Klan, where he served as a Grand Kleagle-recruiter, lasted for just "a number of months" in 1943. Gavin said Byrd came clean about his secret past in a series of private conversations the two had over the last five years.
But according to an expert on the Klan quoted by the Washington Post last year, Byrd was still advising Grand Imperial Wizard Samuel Green on Klan appointments and strategy until at least 1946.
On Monday Gavin maintained that Byrd had told him he had nothing to do with any lynchings or cross burnings during his days in the Klan. But he also revealed that Byrd insists he wasn't ever a racist - not even as a card-carrying member of the night-riding terror group.
AARLC chief Martin vowed that conservative civil rights groups like the Congress of Racial Equality, Project 21, and the Brotherhood Organization for a New Destiny would ferret out the truth about the Democratic Party's ex-Klansman.
"We're going to lay the records out," said Martin. "And it's (the Democratic) Party that is the party of dogs, night-riders and Bull Connors."
On Tuesday BOND chief Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson called for a congressional investigation into Byrd's Klan past, saying his bizarre claim that he was racially tolerant as Klansman undermined his other assertions that he never participated in lynchings or cross burnings.
That's why the top Senate Democrat needs to "explain his relationship with the Klan" to congressional investigators, Peterson said. Any probe into Byrd's activities should cover "not only the actions that he took, but he should identify the people that were involved in the Klan at the time," he added.
"I really would like to see him name the people who participated in the lynchings of black Americans during that time," the Los Angeles-based civil rights leader said. "Because some of those people could still be involved in the legal system of this country making decisions about Americans today. And we need to know who those people are."
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
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To: Ann Archy
bump
81
posted on
01/17/2003 7:25:16 AM PST
by
timestax
To: Paulus Invictus
bump
82
posted on
01/17/2003 11:15:47 AM PST
by
timestax
To: rdb3; Khepera; elwoodp; MAKnight; condolinda; mafree; Trueblackman; FRlurker; Teacher317; ...
Black conservative pingIf you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.
83
posted on
01/17/2003 11:20:14 AM PST
by
mhking
To: JeanS; mhking; Trueblackman
"Sen. Robert Byrd, D-WV, was a member of the notorious anti-black hate group the Ku Klux Klan for a far longer period of time than he has admitted. "Some people say that he was only in (the Klan) for a couple of months," said Kevin Martin, head of the African-American Republican Leadership Council, in an interview on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes." "But we have documentation that says he was in for almost two years," Martin revealed. On Monday, Byrd's spokesman Tom Gavin insisted to NewsMax.com that the Senator's days in the Klan, where he served as a Grand Kleagle-recruiter, lasted for just "a number of months" in 1943. Gavin said Byrd came clean about his secret past in a series of private conversations the two had over the last five years. But according to an expert on the Klan quoted by the Washington Post last year, Byrd was still advising Grand Imperial Wizard Samuel Green on Klan appointments and strategy until at least 1946." Way to go, Kevin!!!!
WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
FReegards...MUD
84
posted on
01/17/2003 11:29:43 AM PST
by
Mudboy Slim
(DemonRATS are EVIL Racists!!)
To: Temple Owl
ping
85
posted on
01/17/2003 1:50:20 PM PST
by
Tribune7
To: JeanS; mhking
I grew up in the Deep South, and my earliest hatred and loathing bloomed for the filthy Klan and its terrorizing and hypocrisy and stupidity. They directed their evil at innocent blacks, but it was also meant to keep cowardly whites in line.
To: Paulus Invictus
bttt
87
posted on
01/22/2003 12:43:46 PM PST
by
timestax
To: JeanS
One of the most prominent is the Senate president pro tempore Robert C. Byrd (D-W. VA) who was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. He was a Kleagle, or organizer, for the Klan during World War II and wrote as late as 1946 to Dr. Samuel Green of Atlanta, Imperial Grand Wizard of the Klan, recommending a friend as a Kleagle and urging promotion of the Klan throughout the nation. In his missive Byrd wrote,
"The Klan is needed today as never before and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia."
In 1945, a year earlier, Byrd wrote to Mississippi's virulent segregationist Sen. Theodore Bilbo that he would never serve in an integrated Army.
"Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."
88
posted on
01/22/2003 12:52:19 PM PST
by
kcvl
To: Howlin; sweetliberty; Budge; TheLion; kayak; BeforeISleep; MeeknMing
"Some people say that he was only in (the Klan) for a couple of months," said Kevin Martin, head of the African-American Republican Leadership Council, in an interview on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes." "But we have documentation that says he was in for almost two years," Martin revealed. You mean, another Rat lied? I just can't believe this. Why, I'm just so surprised!
89
posted on
01/22/2003 12:57:42 PM PST
by
nicmarlo
To: nicmarlo
90
posted on
01/22/2003 2:13:52 PM PST
by
MeekOneGOP
(9 out of 10 Republicans agree: Bush IS a Genius !!)
To: nicmarlo
Thanks for the ping Nic
91
posted on
01/22/2003 4:45:41 PM PST
by
firewalk
To: kcvl
5{I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."
Now of course he joined the KKK for its anti-communist stance. Im sure we can find some quotes where he slings the mud at Uncle Joe.
To: Howlin
Byrd Fingered in KKKYeah... That must have hurt. I don't want no fingers in my KKK ever.
To: MeeknMing
Simply amazing! : )
94
posted on
01/23/2003 5:04:44 AM PST
by
nicmarlo
(10 out of 10 Republicans agree: Byrd IS a Liar)
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