Former Georgia Gov. Lester Maddox, Dies

AP | 6/25/03

[CanadianFella]

Maddox became famous in the 1960s when he closed and then sold his Pickrick fried chicken restaurant in Atlanta rather than serve blacks

nuff said.

[Cagey]

nuff said.

Not "nuff said" when the article goes on to say that Maddox went on and pursued a policy of relative moderation on race.

But fears of racial strife during his 1967-71 governorship proved unfounded when Maddox pursued a policy of relative moderation on race.

I don't know what was really in the man's heart as he grew, but there were many people who changed their course on segragation issues. I'll give him some slack.

[RJCogburn]

In one incident, customers armed themselves with pick handles to bar blacks. Pick handles became his trademark, and later he sold them as souvenirs.

As I recall, he handed out these to patrons. I don't think his death is much of a loss.

[GaConfed]

May he rest in peace. This man is the only politician that I can truly say had the best interests of the people at heart when he severved in high office. We he met folks on the street he looked you in the eye and told you how good it was to see you, not that it was good to meet you, because no one was a stranger to Gov. Maddox. He is also the only politician who left office with less wealth than when he went in.

Lester Maddox was demonized by the liberal news media like no other person ever has been, but through it all he retained his humor and grace. But of course, evil is always trying to destroy the good. Y'all all know that.

Lester Maddox was a great human being, and a great American. May he rest in peace.

[KCmark]

I don't know what was really in the man's heart as he grew, but there were many people who changed their course on segragation issues. I'll give him some slack.

---

Byrd?

[Labyrinthos]

"relative moderation"

Code for something short of a full-fledged lynching.

[Labyrinthos]

...there were many people who changed their course on segragation issues. I'll give him some slack.

Should we assume that you have also given some slack to Sen. Robert "KKK" Byrd?

[Cagey]

Should we assume that you have also given some slack to Sen. Robert "KKK" Byrd?

If you think Byrd is still a racist, don't give him any slack. To me, Byrd is hypocrite in everything political and I won't give him any slack in that department.

[Amelia]

nuff said.

Maddox claimed he had nothing against blacks, just forced integration. In the end, he sold the restaurant rather than comply with the public accommodations section of the Civil Rights Act.

"As well as a constitutional human right to associate with whomever you please, there should be a corresponding right to disassociate if you please," he once said....

As governor, Maddox interested himself in prison reform and teacher pay, and appointed black musician Graham Jackson to the state Board of Corrections - a high post for a black man at the time...

Later, he embarked on a short-lived nightclub comedy career with a black man he pardoned from jail while he was governor.

The man was not prejudiced, he simply didn't like the Federal government forcing things down his throat. Surely you can relate to that?

[Broker]

Wrongo. The old man grew up. He learned not to take himself to seriously. His life mattered. This is Maddox Country and Maynard Country. Lester was our man on the street. The street changed and so did Lester.

May he rest in peace.

[Broker]

You know Lester. He signed a t-shirt for me in underground Atlanta back in 1972. It was a picture of Lester riding a bycycle with him sitting on it BACKWARDS. Lester was a very funny, nice guy. I would meet him in Marietta stores, doing his own shopping. He never went for the glory. He made friends and accepted change, reluctantly.

[OldFriend]

Oh how sad, Sheets Byrd lost his best friend and mentor.

[Amelia]

You don't know what you're talking about.

[Amelia]

Half the people in Long County still haven't forgiven Lester for the billboards; and the other half are still cheering him for it. ;-)

[eddie willers]

Oh how sad, Sheets Byrd lost his best friend and mentor.

You say this and then place this in your tagline...

(Liberal bias in the media????)

I assure you that it is your tagline that is correct, not your NY Times approved comment.

Here's what the most liberal in the South had to begrudgingly admit today:

1967-1971: As governor, Maddox surprises many by appointing more blacks to state boards and commissions than all prior governors combined. He named 38 blacks to local draft boards at a time when only two had ever been appointed before and named the first black member to the Board of Pardons and Paroles. He also opened the governor's office to ordinary Georgians, meeting with them on weekly "Little People's Days".

BTW....Neal Boortz used to work for him and can tell you the truth.

[OldFriend]

Did you ever see the ax handle he kept at the ready?

I am of an age to have actually been there!!!!!

Don't lecture me about my bias.

[Zeppo]

Anybody else notice that it took the AP writer until the 17th paragraph to mention that Maddox was a Democrat?

[eddie willers]

Cleaning up typo:

'Here's what the most liberal newspaper in the South (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) had to begrudgingly admit today'."

[eddie willers]

Don't lecture me about my bias.

When you get it wrong, I will.

Did you ever see the ax handle he kept at the ready?

They were PICK handles and it was the theme of the restaurant to have the staves in barrels. Kind of like the Hard Rock Cafe hanging guitars.

I am of an age to have actually been there!!!!!

I am of age and WAS actually there. I ate in his Pickrick Two that he later opened on Roswell Road after his term as Governor ended.

Let's face it....you drank the liberal cool-aid....nothing to be ashamed of....that's what they're there for.

Free Republic is here to correct them.