Roger Banks
Athenaeum Guest Columnist
id you hear what Senator Byrd said on TV?" That's all I was able
to pick up from the conversation I overheard where I work. So, out
of curiosity, I went to the Web to research what our distinguished senator
of the past 42 years had been up to. I have to admit I've never been
particularly fond of either the politician or the man.
My voting behavior, however, stands in stark contrast to my dislike of the senator. I've voted for Byrd in every election he has run in since I was old enough to vote. Who else was I supposed to vote for? Nobody runs against the mighty, all-powerful Fiddlin' Bobby Byrd. Just look at how much in West Virginia is named after him. I actually expect the name of our state to be changed to "Byrdonya" when he dies. My recent research has led me to conclude that West Virginia Republicans should hang their heads in shame for not targeting Byrd's many vulnerabilities.
I was able to determine what all the current commotion was about. The senator, in a recent Fox news interview, made an ass of himself. More importantly, he disgraced the state he claims to serve so honorably. In the interview, Byrd stated, while expressing his views on U.S. race relations, he had met "white niggers" in his lifetime. The context in which Byrd made this shocking statement was an absurd attempt by the senator to remind us of the great strides our country has made in improving race relations. The Senator's inappropriate use of an offensive racial slur has, for me, had the opposite effect.
Senator Byrd's insensitive use of this word is proof of the great amount of work still awaiting us as a nation in healing the wounds inflicted on race relations by hundreds of years of hatred. The very concept of "nigger" is one born of white bigotry and ignorance. It is a word that should be used sparingly and with concern given its horrible history and inflammatory nature. Senator Byrd, by his glib use of the word “nigger,” gave clear indication that he, also, stands to benefit from overdue work on his own stance on race relations.
As stunning as the senator's use of this word was, my research uncovered still more. I was shocked to learn that Senator Byrd has a dark, yet strangely under-scrutinized past. Senator Byrd was a member of the Ku Klux Klan, a deplorable organization responsible for unknown numbers of murders and ruined lives. My shock turned to disgust when I read an excerpt from a letter ex-Klansman Byrd wrote to a U.S. senator of the day. The future honored and venerated senate historian, keeper of Constitutional integrity, wrote that he would rather die than to serve in a racially desegregated military, a bad idea, he wrote, promoted by "race mongrels." My disgust was magnified when I learned of the champion pork barrel politician's long-lived opposition to early civil rights legislation.
In trying to excuse himself, Byrd has, on the few occasions his KKK membership has been raised as an issue, suggested his membership was the result of bad judgment and youthful indiscretion, even though he was in his mid-twenties. Byrd has at least acknowledged the inappropriateness of his views and membership in the KKK, which, he reminds everyone, occurred a long time ago.
I cannot accept the senator's anemic excuses for his past behavior. I'm not suggesting the Senator should not be forgiven. However, as we all know, sometimes saying you’re sorry and making excuses for yourself isn't enough. My mother always taught me that sometimes my bad behavior has consequences even though she always forgave me. Had I researched Robert Byrd's life and background, I would never have voted for him. I find myself wishing I could take back my past votes for Byrd. I apologize to those my vote for Robert Byrd violated. As restitution, I vow never to vote for him again, now that I know the truth.
I would also like to ask to ask all of us how we feel about having Robert Byrd's life memorialized by naming so much in our state after him, including schools and federal buildings. In particular, I want to know how we feel as a University community about having the entire WVU Health Sciences campus named after a former Klansman. I believe we should examine the appropriateness of naming public institutions after a former member of a hate group. If we don't, I'm convinced people in other states will start thinking that West Virginians must be a bunch of inbred, backward racists to have a former Klansman as our U.S. senator and hero.
So, Byrd's past actions can be added to my ever-growing list of political embarrassments that include such gems as the Watergate tapes, Ollie North's and Ronnie Reagan's lies, Monica's stained dress and the Florida election farce. This collection constantly reminds me I can't take my eyes off any politician. I've also learned I can't trust the politicians or the media to tell the trusth about themselves or their agendas.
And just where the hell was the media on this one? And don't think I'm not wondering how the Democratic Party, the party which claims to be the best hope for human dignity, equality and self-worth could allow and support Robert Byrd as a Democratic Party member.
This incident has taught me to look carefully and to research thoroughly the backgrounds of people I vote for. I must accept the harsh responsibility of being a cynic of the present shame that is U.S. politics. I must also accept the responsibility of being a participant in taking our government back from people like Robert Byrd.
Banks is a guest columnist.
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