Jesse Helms Dies

[Steve]

Won't mean much to non Americans. He was a former senator from North Carolina that, to some, represented the 'old south'. He was unabashedly conservative, and of course Republican. Seen as a hold over from the racist pre civil rights era to some and a beacon of American values and conservatism by others.

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/04/politics/main4234069.shtml

 

There was even a song once that was titled 'When Will Jess Helms Die' they got their wish.

[Flashermac]

What a shock! RIP Bro. Jesse ... the last of the Confederates.

 

 

 

[bust]

Glenn McGrath's wife Jane died last week too....

[rogueyam]

Jesse Helms truly loved America. May God bless him.

[Old Hippie]

It's about god damned time.

[Steve]

Some would argue he only loved an America of a certain era and only loved some Americans.

 

His popularity was waning at the end as North Carolina had a large influx of progressive minded people and the younger generation grew up in a different south than he did. I recall a particular nasty and race baiting campaign he ran against the mayor of Charlotte for the senate.

 

Still, I agreed with him on some things but for different reasons. I was never for a law to make illegal a state's right to have whatever it wants on its own state flag. Georgia and I think perhaps South Carolina, I'm not sure, had the conferdate flag on part of their plan. I think if the people of that state voted for it, then so be it. However, they do have to bear the brunt of any political or economic fallout for their decisions. If conventioners, vacationers, companies and the like boycotted that state for their decision, that is a legitimate way of opposing it.

 

I vehementally opposed his stance that schools should allow prayer...at least public prayer. A student can bless his food or students can get together on their own time for bible study or prayer. Moment of silence is fine but not prayer. As a christian I want to distance any government institution from religion. They'll muck it up anyway, like they do everything else.

 

 

 

[rogueyam]

It's about god damned time.

 

Well, Hippie, I suppose you're busy today out there on Fruitvale Ave. wolfing down sausages, but if you want to understand the real Jesse Helms check out this little anecdote:

 

I think you can get a clearer picture of what made Helms unique â?? and how he came to be respected by millions both inside and outside his home state, often to their surprise â?? by considering the story of Aleksandr Solzhenitsynâ??s visit to the United States in 1975. Solzhenitsyn was a hero to Helms. After just one year of service in the Senate, Helms introduced a resolution to make Solzhenitsyn an honorary American citizen. It failed in the House. Then Helms helped to arrange a Washington visit for the exiled Soviet dissident the following year. At every turn, he faced obstruction by key figures in the Ford administration, led by secretary of state Henry Kissinger. When, thanks to the diligent work of Helmsâ??s staff, Solzhenitsyn was indeed brought to the country, Helms tried to set up a meeting for him with President Ford.

 

Not only was he rebuffed, but the State Department even forbade its employees to attend Solzhenitsynâ??s major speech (to the AFL-CIO). So what did the freshman senator from North Carolina do? He went to the floor of the Senate, called it a â??sad day for our country,â? and accused Ford of â??cowering timidity for fear of offending Communists.â? It was a public-relations disaster for the White House. Among the conservatives angered by the administrationâ??s parade of limp-noodle lickspittles was Ronald Reagan, who lambasted Ford in his newspaper column. Trying to rectify the situation, the White House approached Helms about a meeting with Solzhenitsyn, but refused to issue a written invitation for fear of supplying tangible evidence of caving in. Lacking such an invitation, Solzhenitsyn refused.

 

Jesse Helms: Freedom Fighter

 

[rogueyam]

Here's some typically straight talk from Jesse Helms on the Middle East.

[Old Hippie]

No, not on FRruitvale Ave...what['s going on there? The Hell's Angels may have their annual shin dig later on, over near there, are you down on 2?

 

Anyway, I am just making a pork shoulder roast with Saurkraut, and later BBQ some chicken. Stop over!

 

Anyway, yes, Helms was right on a few things, that doesn't excuse his over all attitudes and desire to "hang on to the past" with some other things such as civil rights/integration etc. On second thought, he might not have been an out right racist, he might have just been a bigot, and there is a difference.

[driftwood]

Jesse Helms was my senator for many years and while I was in the navy people would would ask me why we kept on re-electing him. They failed to realize that "all politics are local". In the end he looked out for the interest of the farmers and his constituents. Whenever he stuck his foot in his mouth people would just say "well, that's uncle Jesse".

 

In the end his health was waning more than his popularity. In his 1990 and 1996 senate races against Harvey Gant, he beat him by a larger in margin in 96 than '90. If he had ran in 2002 and was healthy I would have been willing to place a large wager that he would have won. Political correctness is so engrained in American society, with Jesse Helms what you saw is what you got.

 

I don't want to say he didn't have his negatives, and as chocolat steve suggests he is a produce of his time.

 

Just for fun here is an article Jesse Helms wrote about U2s' Bono.