Posted on 01/09/2003 11:39:55 AM PST by victim soul
Senator fought boldly for opportunity and freedom, not intolerance
More than a decade ago, friends of U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms decided to establish an organization (The Jesse Helms Center) whose purpose would be to preserve and promote the values Sen. Helms championed throughout his career.
What are those values? They are the ones that built this country -- a passion for freedom that gives us the right to pursue our highest goals, freedom to worship as we choose and confidence in the strength of our nation which enables us to live without fear.
Standing firm for your principles is not always popular, or always fairly characterized. But Sen. Helms was willing to pay that price, even when those closest to him urged him to respond in kind to personal attacks or inaccurate characterizations. He has always been comfortable to trust his record to history, and his reputation to those who know him.
For those of us who have worked with Sen. Helms, attempts to denigrate the senator's record and character like those that appeared in recent Observer letters and columns are impossible to ignore, especially when they imply that he promotes religious or racial intolerance.
No less respected a leader than the Dalai Lama could testify to the foolishness of such characterizations. The friendship and collaboration for freedom of these men is a matter of public record, as is Sen. Helms' work to promote religious freedom around the world.
The same litmus test could be applied to other "examples."
For years critics have misconstrued the point of that well-known political commercial dubbed the "Hands" ad. They ignore the fact that courts have struck down quota laws like the one the ad challenged. They also ignore Sen. Helms' commitment to support free enterprise as the path open to anyone who pursues a better future.
Ask any of the thousands of students of all races who have benefited from their week as guests of the Helms Center's Free Enterprise Leadership Conference if they would rather be part of a quota or have the freedom to succeed by their own efforts.
Similarly, editorialists and others repeat as truth discredited stories about Sen. Helms, and base their conclusions on these distorted reports.
The most egregious assertion was that Sen. Helms was a defender of the illegal activities of the Ku Klux Klan. This is an ugly and total lie. Not only did he never do any such thing, but he was, in fact, personally responsible for the appointment of numerous federal attorneys and judges who vigorously prosecuted the Klan's despicable activities.
Perhaps Sen. Helms' critics have confused him with their friends at the American Civil Liberties Union who have defended the Klan's rights in court on numerous occasions, or the well-known record of the senior senator from West Virginia, a Democrat.
The critics also ignored Jesse Helms' public praise of Harvey Gantt for the way he, as a college student, peacefully integrated Clemson University.
Forgotten or ignored as well are the legions of personal anecdotes about Sen. Helms' friendships with people of every station and race. His kindness, caring and genuine friendship are well known by the people who have seen him every day for his three decades in the Senate.
What they saw was a reflection of the senator's upbringing. The only intolerance in the Helms family was directed toward those who failed to treat every person with dignity.
Finally, these negative columns have failed to acknowledge that Sen. Helms never slowed his pace as a public servant. In his last years in the Senate he made international history as the first legislator ever to address the U.N. Security Council. He earned that honor because the U.N. recognized his leadership in this nation and the world. He gained their respect because he stood firm on the idea that the U.N. should responsibly handle its funds, including the money that came to it from U.S. taxpayers.
Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., expressed this most clearly when he stated: "Just as only Nixon could go to China, only Helms could fix the U.N."
During his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (January 1995-June 2001), the committee had one of the most productive periods in its history. It approved 477 nominations and 143 treaties (one was rejected and 17 returned to the president); 164 resolutions were agreed to by the Senate, 597 hearings were conducted and 50 bills were enacted into law, including a major reorganization of the State Department.
For his leadership, Sen. Helms received widespread bipartisan praise. He is credited with restoring this committee to a position of prominence on Capitol Hill.
Long after his critics have retired and their comments have been forgotten, the impact of Jesse Helms' career on the world stage will be remembered and revered. North Carolina can take pride in its wisdom in trusting him to work for what was best for them and their country, and letting his legacy take care of itself.
John Dodd is president of the Jesse Helms Center Foundation in Wingate (www.jessehelmscenter.org).
Perhaps Sen. Helms' critics have confused him with their friends at the American Civil Liberties Union who have defended the Klan's rights in court on numerous occasions, or the well-known record of the senior senator from West Virginia, a Democrat.
So true. Excellent article, Paul.
Thanks for the ping. (I love your bump)
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