I called back and spoke to someone else, and she took my message:

Even though Sen. Byrd gave-up his Klansman hood (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd#Participation_in_the_Ku_Klux_Klan) and repudiated racism, all he has done is trade it for homopobia, a more acceptable form of bigotry.

Senator Byrd has a 13% rating with The Human Rights Campaign, and he needs your calls!

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=S0950103


Contact Information
Key Staff Contacts

Washington DC Web Address:
http://byrd.senate.gov/
Washington DC Web Mail Address:
http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_em ...
Campaign EMail Address:
info@byrd2006.com
Campaign Web Address:
http://www.byrd2006.com/

Washington DC Address
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3954
Fax: 202-228-0002

District Address - Charleston
300 Virginia Street East, Suite 2630
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: 304-342-5855
Fax: 304-343-7144

Campaign Address
Post Office Box 2572
Charleston, WV 25329
Phone: 304-344-1111
Fax: 304-344-2620

for that on National TV, fercryingoutloud. That really IS a RW talking point when the wackos talk about Byrd.

Is he voting in favor of the Marriage amendment? Has he said one way or the other how he plans to vote?

It discredits the person who attempts to sneak it in to a discussion, in my view.

thus his 13% rating from HRC(apparently you didn't pay attention to the OP's post)

I can remember him ranting against the evil homosexuals, bible in hand, in the 90's during the DOMA debates.

He gives a good anti-war speech but he is a major homophobe.

My argument is about DUers spewing the KKK crap here. He's apologized for it. It needs to be dropped. His stance on homosexuality SUCKS. That's where the debate should be.

a bigot is a bigot with or without the sheets..

It must be very freeing to him.

He's abandoned the robes but he's still a bigot. Not much of an apology, IMO.

to the more fashionable Bigotry-du-Jour.

It makes his "apology" ring hollow.

What can Byrd say? "I'm sorry I joined the Klan and was mean to the coloureds. But I still hate the damn homos. Forgive me."

FUCK BYRD!

That is a VERY VALID argument, but starting the debate with his KKK connections isn't right and you don't NEED that to further your point. Do you? A homophobe is a homophobe is a homophobe and that alone is enough to make your point.

between his klansman negrophobia and his current-day homophobia.

The ONLY difference is HE DOES NOT NEED THE HOOD.

It's an unfair comparison. If he was still in the KKK, THEN the argument would be a fair one. Does past Moral behavior dictate one can never change? This is just my opinion. I think it's an unfair comparison today. You have every right to be outraged over his homophobia..it's OUTRAGEOUS, but the KKK issue isn't a good comparison and is unfair.

in certain situations... you know, at the water cooler, in the restroom.... and believes they don't belong in the classroom with white children.

Get the point?

It's the same thing.

Only, in order to be "homophobic," he doesn't need the hood. It's "socially acceptable".

Go ask some gay black people if they're more comfortable being discriminated against for being gay, than for being black!

any post about Byrd and the KKK I just flip by without reading the rest of the OP. I came back to this one, because I almost always agree with your opinions, and have respect for your opinion. While I'm not comfortable with the KKK business, I have a better understanding of why you mentioned it. I am sorry that I included your post into the larger group of discredited "Byrd/KKK" threads. You raise a valid point. Hate is hate, prejudice is prejudice, and the denial of one group of people their human rights is out-and-out wrong. There are many similarities in the organized hatred of gay and lesbian people in this country, and the historic examples of hatred of other groups, including blacks, Jews, Indians, Irish, women, etc. While I still feel uncomfortable with the Byrd/KKK thing, I think that it is valid. Sometimes we need to feel discomfort.

and I've never before met someone who "almost always" agrees with my opinions.

Be forewarned, though, that I am wrong precisely 1/12 of the time.

Thanks!

Stick to the homophobia. (period emphasized) The rest is unnecessary and unproductive.

The "Sheets Byrd" is a favorite of the Cons. It's right on par with the relentless stick poking of Teddy K and Chappaquidick (sp).

Not for nothing ... But the man is the senior senator from WEST VIRGINIA ...

......then maybe Senator Byrd isn't the one with the problem. Keep in mind no one is perfect - not even you.:spank:

We've all disagreed with individual Democrats on a vote or two or ten or twenty. That's not the problem here.

Byrd is an aggressive homophobe, and he's willing to express his hatred openly, and eager to vote his hatred in the Senate. That's a big difference from "not perfect," IMO.

......before we worry about the rest of the world?? I don't get it. I want OUR CITIZENS to have good paying jobs!! People at DU don't seem to notice that Vicente Fox encourages the flood of illegal aliens over that southern border. It helps his country more than it helps ours obviously. So if wanting to put an end to Vicente Fox's economic war on this country and provide for my own countrymen first and foremost is "homophobic" then I'll wear the title with pride.