Tongue in Cheek

By The Tongue

I have sat and listened for days to Liberals, Democrats and certain members of the African American community demanding that Senator Lott resign for a statement made by him at the 100th birthday party of Senator Strom Thurmond. His statement was that had Senator Thurmond been elected to the presidency in 1948, we Americans would be better off. This has started a furor because in 1948, Strom Thurmond was a separationist. He did not believe that the races should be mixed at schools and other places. I have listened Senator Lott's statement several times and have yet to hear what these people say he meant. Am I to believe that in fifty years of service, Senator Thurmond has done nothing else we Americans can be proud of? Apparently a racist idea from fifty years ago that 87% of the Americans of the time believed in is the only legacy this man has to offer. In my opinion, by their own logic, if I now say that I admire Bill Clinton (I don't), I'm now an adulterer and a liar, and those are the principles I support. What about current Democratic Senator Byrd, who was a KKK member, but has renounced those beliefs - just like Senator Thurmond had done? So what if I say I think Byrd has done a lot for his country, like Bill Clinton, Al Gore and others have said? Are they all racist pigs who want us to join the KKK? Personally, I have always tried to listen to what someone says, and not call Miss Cleo to interpret what someone means. Mr. Thurmond has served for fifty years in the Senate. At 100 years old, he is an institution in Washington. Once, by his own admission, he made a mistake in some of his beliefs and was sorry for it. Sir, apology accepted.