On July 4th one of the most controversial members of senate - Sen. Jesse Helms, North Carolina (R) - died.
And I am shedding no tears for him or his legacy.
This is a person who willingly promoted elements of bigotry and ignorance under the disguise of conservatism, publicly through opinion and laws. Because of him and his actions HIV-positive persons are NOT allowed entry to the U.S. either to visit, study of reside. He was known to oppose school integration, the Civil Rights Act, the commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr Day, homosexuality and gay rights, abortion, foreign aid, and other notable social achievements of modern times.
His death, while mourned by some, is seen as the end of a hateful era by others.
Some may argue that his way of thinking was influenced by events in an era of days gone by and we should move on.
Really? I guess I could use the same argument that Hitler's views and his influence on Germany also represented a by-gone era and we should just say, "Aw, that's history...let's move on..."
Bullshit. Thanks to him social conservatism is seen as prejudice and persecution and we should use it as a measuring stick of what NOT to do when making social decisions.
Having an opinion and voicing it is one thing; using your political powers to enforce hate-mongering and bigotry is another.
I hope that he really does receive his just rewards from his Maker.
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