Sam, I could show you a picture of President Chirac standing with Saddam Hussein, as well as a couple other world leaders.
You're missing my point. The point wasn't who got pictures taken with whom, the point was that circumstantial evidence by itself isn't good enough to make a broad argument. Just because Byrd was in an organization doesn't mean that he performed any lynchings on anyone, or even that he did anything illegal.
Show me some evidence that the West Virginia wing of the Klan, circa 1942-1944, lynched anyone. Then show me that Byrd was the man responsible behind said lynching. In fact, show me anything tangible that disproves anything he said about his words and actions in the '40's being a mistake. To be exact, his comments from back in 1952 were "After about a year, I became disinterested, quit paying my dues, and dropped my membership in the organization. During the nine years that have followed, I have never been interested in the Klan." Once you do that, then you might have some basis for calling Byrd a liar, as Mud tried to do about 100 posts ago.
Just two short years ago, on the FOX news channel, Byrd told Tony Snow that there were "WHITE ni##ers" as well. He used the term twice on the show, so it was NO accident. Old habits die hard for old KKK members. But Democrats in Congress have no problem heaping praise on this loathsome creature. Now, THERE...is guilt by association.
No, it was no accident. But "guilt by association" is an oxymoron -- there is no such thing.
The entire quote, in context, was:
"They [race relations] are much, much better than they've ever been in my lifetime," Byrd said. "I think we talk about race too much. I think those problems are largely behind us... I just think we talk so much about it that we help to create somewhat of an illusion. I think we try to have good will. My old mom told me, 'Robert, you can't go to heaven if you hate anybody.' We practice that. There are white ni##ers. I've seen a lot of white ni##ers in my time; I'm going to use that word."
Clearly, he was talking about black stereotypes and how they can be applied to anyone. I wouldn't have use that word in any context, but I understand the larger point he was making, and I agree with that point. I'm certainly not going to go around hating the man and assuming he must have lynched people sixty years ago because of an offensive word he chose.
But, considering the bigoted tripe you've posted so far here about socialism and Islam, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you would.
You can live in denial of that if you want, but I have NO doubt in my mind that he knew damn good and well what the agenda of the Ku Klux Klan was, as any good recruiter would know the AGENDA of the organization they are recruting for.
Sam:"But, considering the bigoted tripe you've posted so far here about socialism and Islam, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you would."
- This is a typical tact of someone with a weak argument, go ad homonym attack, and make it personal.
Sam, did I call YOU a bigot, or make any other personal slurs or attacks on your character??? NO.
I haven't made this personal in any way, to you, but it's clear that that is where you want to go, with your debate.
So, it's now: "bigoted" to criticize Islam, huh?
Well my friend, tell me what do you know about the Islamic practice of "Dhimmitude"?
Do you even know what it means? In case you don't, I'll inform you:
"Dhimmitude" is the Islamic "order" that challenges the principle that all men are created equal; it is the Muslim hierarchy, which starts with Muslim men, then Muslim women, at the top of the order, down to Jewish women who are at about the same rank as animals.
Is Dhimmitude bigoted, or am I, for pointing it out to folks like you, who seem to be totally un-aware that it even exists?
Tell me, Sam what do YOU know about the teachings of the intellectual godfathers of radical Islam : Hassan al-Banna [1], (founder of the Muslim Brotherhood"), Sayyid Qutb, Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi, Abdullah Azzam, Ibrahim Madhi [1], Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjid [3], or Ibn Khaldun? ( See QUOTES below.)
What do you know, Sam, about female "circumcision" otherwise known in the civilized world as "mutilation" of the female genitals, in the Muslim world?
What do you know, Sam, about the Muslim Brotherhood, which was started in 1929 by Hassan al Banna [2} and his order to convert non-muslims by force?
Learn a little bit about this "religion", it's practitioners abuses of women, their hatred of Jews, Christians, intolerance of anything liberal, before YOU call ME a bigot, my FRiend.
[2]: ..."Al-Banna was in perfect accord with that of classical Muslim scholars such as Ibn Khaldun, who taught in the fourteenth century that “in the Muslim community, the holy war is a religious duty, because of the universalism of the Muslim mission and (the obligation to) convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or by force.”
[2] Al-Banna wrote in 1934:
“It is a duty incumbent on every Muslim to struggle towards the aim of making every people Muslim and the whole world Islamic, so that the banner of Islam can flutter over the earth..."
[3] Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjid :
"Muslims must educate their children to Jihad, educating the children to Jihad and to hatred of the Jews, the Christians, and the infidels; educating the children to Jihad and to revival of the embers of Jihad in their souls. This is what is needed ."