Below is a press release by Senator Joe Manchin paying respects to Bob Byrd on the 5th anniversary of his death. Followed by information on Byrd's KKK background. There will never be true equality and justice in America as long as privileged white males continue to protect white power and privilege at the exclusion of people of color. Clearly, there are white power sympathizers like Joe Manchin within the Democratic Party. That's why Shit Never Changes. Paying homoge to a Klansman by threatening voting rights for all -- is really what Joe Manchin wants. It has nothing to do with Bipartinship because he knows GOP will not give an inch on Voting rights.
JUNE 28, 2011
MANCHIN STATEMENT ON ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ROBERT C. BYRD'S DEATH
following statement on the one-year anniversary of Senator Robert C. Byrd’s death.
“One year ago today, the people of West Virginia and our nation lost a beloved pillar in our nation’s history – U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd. Indeed, the senator’s influence stretched well beyond the borders of the Mountain State, and today, we remember a fine statesman and his many contributions.
“As the longest serving member of Congress, we are continually reminded of his historic legacy – a legacy that shaped our state’s infrastructure and improved the lives of so many.
“No one will ever fill Senator Byrd’s shoes; we can only strive to follow in his footsteps. Senator Byrd was a guardian of the U.S. Constitution, and his wisdom serves as a beacon for us all. Even in my short tenure as a U.S. Senator, Senator Byrd’s words and dedication have guided me throughout my time here in the Senate. After much studying and consideration, I found that I share his concerns on the war in Afghanistan and the need to rebuild America, as well as his concern for protecting our Constitutional system of checks and balances.
“Senator Byrd's contributions have inspired us all and they give us an amazing handbook to public service. Like fellow West Virginians, I continue to carry his memory and legacy with me on life’s journey.
“In commemoration of Senator Byrd's 63 years of outstanding public service, I encourage all West Virginians to honor Senator Byrd's legacy by giving back to their communities.”
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Robert Byrd: The Ku Klux Klan Leader
In the early 1940s, Byrd recruited 150 of his friends and associates to create a new chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in Sophia, West Virginia.
As a young boy, Byrd had witnessed his adoptive father walk in a Klan parade in Matoaka, West Virginia. While growing up, Byrd had heard that "the Klan defended the American way of life against racemixers and communists".He then wrote to Joel L. Baskin, Grand Dragon of the Realm of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, who responded that he would come and organize a chapter when Byrd had recruited 150 people. Byrd's house couldn't fit 150 people, so he arranged to hold the ceremony at the home of C.M. "Clyde" Goodwin, a former law enforcement officer who lived in Crab Orchard, West Virginia.
It was Baskin who told Byrd, "You have a talent for leadership, Bob ... The country needs young men like you in the leadership of the nation." Byrd later recalled, "Suddenly lights flashed in my mind! Someone important had recognized my abilities! I was only 23 or 24 years old, and the thought of a political career had never really hit me. But strike me that night, it did." Byrd became a recruiter and leader of his chapter.When it came time to elect the top officer (Exalted Cyclops) in the local Klan unit, Byrd won unanimously.
In December 1944, Byrd wrote to segregationist Mississippi Senator Theodore G. Bilbo:
In 1946, Byrd wrote a letter to a Grand Wizard stating, "The Klan is needed today as never before, and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia and in every state in the nation."[ However, when running for the United States House of Representatives in 1952, he announced "After about a year, I became disinterested, quit paying my dues, and dropped my membership in the organization. During the nine years that have followed, I have never been interested in the Klan." He said he had joined the Klan because he felt it offered excitement and was anti-communist.
Byrd later called joining the KKK "the greatest mistake I ever made." In 1997, he told an interviewer he would encourage young people to become involved in politics but also warned, "Be sure you avoid the Ku Klux Klan. Don't get that albatross around your neck. Once you've made that mistake, you inhibit your operations in the political arena." In his last autobiography, Byrd explained that he was a KKK member because he "was sorely afflicted with tunnel vision—a jejune and immature outlook—seeing only what I wanted to see because I thought the Klan could provide an outlet for my talents and ambitions." Byrd also said in 2005, "I know now I was wrong. Intolerance had no place in America. I apologized for a thousand times ... and I don't mind apologizing over and over again. I can't erase what happened." Wikipedia
NOTE: We need this country to be more a Biden-Harris, rather than a Manchin, Byrd, and Trump America. KILL THE FILIBUSTER for Real Democracy to have a chance in the United States.
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