Saturday, June 28, 2003
:::Strom Thurmond Legacy
If you are from the South, and you liked US Senator Strom Thurmond, that said all you'll ever need to know about that person. Many remember that he was a racist for much of his long life, as well as an opponent of the civil rights movement. He made efforts to change some of his blatant bigotry later on, but southern purists scoffed at those attempts. Had other positions changed in his life, it may have been easier to swallow.
There are many people from SC that remember Strom very fondly as the Senator who led all the parades riding his horse; as a man who took time for everyone, and as a man who *wink* *wink* married a much younger lady and fathered a son at age 70-something.
I was raised with basic genteel southern manners, like 'would y'all care for some tea,' and 'don't speak ill of the dead,' so I vacillated over posting an unflattering comment about someone who's so recently passed. I'm sorry to see anyone pass from this good earth and can truly sympathize with the Thurmond familys' breaking hearts.
But just as the media-hyped, party line Thurmond legacy is being remembered, it's important to remember people for who they really were. I remember a different legacy about Strom Thurmond and the notoriety he was synonymous with. A legacy of narrow-mindedness that reeked from his segregationist pores. A legacy of a man who thought "niggrahs" should have separate water-fountains and stay on the back of the bus. This is how I'll remember Strom Thurmond's legacy.
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::
:::"Strom Thurmond murdered by shock of Supreme Court integrationist sodomy ruling."
:::"We have a tendency, as a people, to not speak badly of those who have passed away, but it's important to remember people for who they actually were, not some rose-colored vision of who they were, or pretended to be." Christopher George, Alternet in his 'Strom Won't Be Missed' piece.
If you are from the South, and you liked US Senator Strom Thurmond, that said all you'll ever need to know about that person. Many remember that he was a racist for much of his long life, as well as an opponent of the civil rights movement. He made efforts to change some of his blatant bigotry later on, but southern purists scoffed at those attempts. Had other positions changed in his life, it may have been easier to swallow.
There are many people from SC that remember Strom very fondly as the Senator who led all the parades riding his horse; as a man who took time for everyone, and as a man who *wink* *wink* married a much younger lady and fathered a son at age 70-something.
I was raised with basic genteel southern manners, like 'would y'all care for some tea,' and 'don't speak ill of the dead,' so I vacillated over posting an unflattering comment about someone who's so recently passed. I'm sorry to see anyone pass from this good earth and can truly sympathize with the Thurmond familys' breaking hearts.
But just as the media-hyped, party line Thurmond legacy is being remembered, it's important to remember people for who they really were. I remember a different legacy about Strom Thurmond and the notoriety he was synonymous with. A legacy of narrow-mindedness that reeked from his segregationist pores. A legacy of a man who thought "niggrahs" should have separate water-fountains and stay on the back of the bus. This is how I'll remember Strom Thurmond's legacy.
:::"Strom Thurmond murdered by shock of Supreme Court integrationist sodomy ruling."
:::"We have a tendency, as a people, to not speak badly of those who have passed away, but it's important to remember people for who they actually were, not some rose-colored vision of who they were, or pretended to be." Christopher George, Alternet in his 'Strom Won't Be Missed' piece.
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