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| A 1964 photo of African-Americans protesting Robert C. Byrd for filibustering the Civil Rights Act bill. (source) |
Leading the Democrats in their opposition to civil rights for African-Americans was Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) (wiki). Byrd, who got into politics as a recruiter for the Ku Klux Klan. At 9:51 on the morning of June 10, 1964, Senator Byrd completed an address that he had begun 14 hours and 13 minutes earlier.
Democrats still call Robert Byrd “the conscience of the Senate.”
As Senator Byrd took his seat, Georgia Democrat Richard Russell offered the final arguments in opposition. Minority Leader Everett Dirksen, who had enlisted the Republican votes that made cloture a realistic option, called on the Democrats to end their filibuster and accept racial equality.
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| Cots filled the Old Supreme Court Chamber during the civil rights debates. |
Never in history had the Senate been able to muster enough votes to cut off a filibuster on a civil rights bill. Nine days later the Senate approved the act itself—producing one of the 20th century's towering legislative achievements.
Much more detail on the Civil Rights bills (there were four of them) and the back and forth on approving the 1964 version here and here.
Related: Here's a bit of Americana for you - the 1920's KKK Application Form.
Which party did the president who sent Congress the Civil Rights Act a year prior belong to?
ReplyDeleteWhich party did the president who signed the Act belong to?
Which party, in 1964, nominated a candidate who had voted against the Act?
Which party, in 1964, nominated a candidate who had, as Senate Majority Leader, shepherded the 1957 Civil Rights Act through the Senate?
Which party did the president who segregated the military belong to?
ReplyDeleteWhich party did the governor who sicced the national guard on black school children who just wanted to go to school belong to?
Which party did the Senator who commented on Barack Obama being "light skinned" and having "no negro dialect" belong to?
Which side of the political spectrum did the person who said "Birth control must lead ultimately to a cleaner race," belong to?
Which side of the political spectrum did the person who said "You must all know half a dozen people at least who are no use in this world; who are more trouble than they are worth. Just put them there, and say, now sir or madam, now will you be kind enough to justify your existence? If you can’t justify your existence; if you’re not pulling your weight in the social boat; if you’re not producing as much as you consume or perhaps a little more, then clearly we cannot use the big organisation of our society for the purpose of keeping you alive, because your life does not benefit us, and it can’t be of very much use to yourself," belong to?
The point is that Democrat party plays a game of trying to paint the Republican party with their past sins. When people have walked up to random young people and people of color on the street and asks who they think the party of slavery was, they say "Republican." Because the Democrats have lied and misdirected to hide their own despicable racist past.
The reality is that there were a lot of wrong ideas that were pretty commonplace among everyone in the past. But the right is not the side trying to convict people for the sins of the past. So nice try bro.
What is the "Democrat Party"?
ReplyDeleteI agree with "Anonymous". It is mis-spelled. It should be "demokkkrat" party.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anon too.... I looked most of this up, its accurate
ReplyDelete