To presume you understand the perspective of another is one thing. To suggest that it is foolish to hold a perspective different to yours is another.
Unless you are a minority, who because of your status saw Thurmond’s words and actions in a different light, I really don’t think it is easy for you to wrap yourself around the concept.
John Lewis–a man who truly suffered at the hands of racists during the sixties–says that he believes that Strom changed and he forgives him in death. I don’t care to second-guess Mr. Lewis.
Interesting articles in the Times:
Older blacks seemingly more forgiving
This contains the John Lewis quote and the interesting fact that, since he came down like a ton of bricks on a lynching party, there have been no lynchings in SC since 1947.
Carry on, just wanted to interject some cool facts into this hot discussion.
I think the analogy is implicit in the question. I don’t think you can ask a question like that without suggesting that the two individuals are similar in meaningful ways. **
Do I respect life any less because I give soldiers in wartime a pass on the “do not kill” moral imperative?
So basically, I’m not allowed to have an opinion on this matter because I’m not black and/or gay?
I didn’t say that at all.
NOT. AT. ALL.
You force your opinion as if it is the only one, and I really do not see that you understand or are willing to put yourself in the shoes of someone unlike you who might have a different perspective.
What this thread needs is a filibuster.
Evil, huh? Was he a member of the Evil Party? Did he regularly introduce legislation to give every Americans’ soul to Satan? Was he dragging people off the back of his car? Did he lure little kids to his unmarked van? Seems to me he just disagreed that the Federal Government should decide privacy rights and instead states should. Sure he was wrong, but he was still a living breathing person. No one is asking you to mourn for him, just asking you stop acting like a drunken frat boy at a football game when your team just won the big game.
Please tell me which building Strom crashed a plane into.
And we don’t deserve to disagree with it? Now we are being treated like second class citizens! Way to help your cause! 
Now THAT is ironic. Or is it hypocritical? I forget…
Maybe it’s ironic that you sound like such a hypocrite while you say you won’t be hypocritical.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. You are attacking a dead man. Be prepared to get it back.
Fuck you, **JD[/] and Tars Tarkas.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Why is it you only say it to people who are angry because they have been discriminated against? Why did you never bother to say it to the person doing the discriminating? Why do you tell the people on the recieving end of bigotry to shut up and take it, yet you show no regret for the views Strom held?
So you have a bad opinion of me? Right back at you. Tars, don’t ever pretend you are against bigotry ever again on this board because you have shown that to be an utter lie. I already know where JD stands.
OTOH, if John Lewis is ready to forgive Strom, then I will, too.
Look up Chappaquidduck and Mary Jo Kopechne.
That’s a generous offer, but I don’t think i’m your type! ROFL!
Why should I regret what somebody else did or thought?
P.S. You don’t win any converts to your point of view by acting like a spoiled child.
How is anger at historic and continuing dicrimination acting like a spoiled child? I know you’d like to see gay people shut up and disappear back into the closet, but it’s not going to happen.
Because, Fucko, your trying to be the morally superior one and are resorting to the same dispicable tactics. You sink to the same level just to be covered in the same crap. And you are too blind with rage to see it. If you want to cite where i’m pro-bigatry go right ahead, but you will find nothing and are just blindly attacking anything that moves. Name one thing i’ve done anti-gay. I live in San Francisco, for God’s sake! I guess not wanting people to dance on people’s graves makes me a bigot. Well, then I’M A BIGOT FOR NOT WANTING GRAVE DANCING
Those poor grave dancers, why did i put them in camps…
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You just don’t fucking get it, do you? There is no burden of respect. What the fuck does “burden of respect” mean anyway.
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No, you dont get it. You are drawing moral equivalency between bigots and their victims. By your standard, bigots will always win because if the victims of bigotry react, you say they are as bad as the bigot, effectively telling them to shut up and take it.
Where were your lectures when the Iraqis wwre cheering Saddam’s downfall? Or is that you havce an approved list of bullies and tyrants who deserve censure and those who do not?
“Evil Iraqi dictator who killed tens of thousands, cheering his downfall is OK.”
“Evil American legislator who voted to keep blacks and gays second-class citizens, must be mourned.”
Look up the facts in the case of Lawrence v. Texas. A cop went into a bedroom and arrested two men having sex.
I grow weary of being lectured by people who don’t have the first clue of what they’re talking about.
No, you’re a bigot because you don’t care why we’re not sad. You’re a bigot because two pages back you said we don’t deserve rights if we act in a way that displeases you, as if our rights are yours to grant or take away. You’re a bigot because you prefer respect for a dead hophobe than a little space for living people to get some anger out of their systems.
But you’ve never been angry, have you? And you have always turned the other cheek when you’ve been wronged?
And of course living in San Francisco means you cannot possibly be bigoted in the slightest.
There’s a subtle difference between hating someone for things they have DONE and hating someone for what they ARE
Well, maybe not so subtle.