Jesse Helms, Dead

[crawdiddy]

I don't want to make distasteful comments upon the passing of Mr. Helms. Suffice it to say I was not a fan. As far as I know, he was an unrepentent racist, and he considered himself arbiter of the artistic vs. the profane.

Regardless of whether I respect the work of Mapplethorpe and Serrano, I will not be lectured about morality by a racist Bible-thumper.

Jesse, may you rest in peace, in the mercy you sought to deny to others.

 

[kshapero]

I don't want to make distasteful comments upon the passing of Mr. Helms. Suffice it to say I was not a fan. As far as I know, he was an unrepentent racist, and he considered himself arbiter of the artistic vs. the profane.

Regardless of whether I respect the work of Mapplethorpe and Serrano, I will not be lectured about morality by a racist Bible-thumper.

Jesse, may you rest in peace, in the mercy you sought to deny to others.

Actually i also am no fan of Jesse Helms but in his later years he worked hard on improving race relations especially in the South. He also worked hard to expose racism in the UN (which is ramped). Seems like hate is a two way street. lets be Civil. happy Fourth to All.

 

[crawdiddy]

... lets be Civil....

I gave it my best shot.

 

[gb hill]

Being from N.Carolina I was a supporter of Senator Helms. I didn't agree with him on everything but he was a friend to us N. Carolinans. He was for the farmer and as a vet. for the service man. As far as being a racist don't beleive everything you read on Wikopedia. though in his early career he probably was against segeration like most whites were. Wasn't a member of the KKK like Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of W. Virginia was. Glad Sen Byrd repented. Why do you have to bring the Bible into this? I was offended at R Mapplethorps work also & I wasn't thrilled on my taxpayer $$ going to the NEA for a photo of Jesus hanging on a cross in a glass of urine.

 

[xayraa33]

Imagine the hoopla when Eric Cartman passes away.😀

 

[timmyd18]

i dunno... does anyone remember the "hands" ad that he ran? that showed an angry pair of white hands crumpling up a rejection letter while a sarcastic voice says "you needed that job, but they had to give it to a minority."

it seemed pretty racist to me. you can have different views on affirmative action, but the contempt that voice had, i was sure disgusted by it.

i don't wish any ill on the man but after 14 years of his brand of republicanism its hard to say he or his cohort left a positive mark on the country.

 

[helen.HH]

Sorry but I must say: Good Riddance.......

Best to All -🙂 H

 

[35mmdelux]

He was for the farmer and as a vet. for the service man. As far as being a racist don't beleive everything you read on Wikopedia.

There has been a whole panoply of famous Southern racists, Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond are but two. As they got older and closer to their maker they chilled out.

Freeing the slaves totally upset the landed gentry elites and they have yet to get over it.

My condolences to the family.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I don't want to make distasteful comments upon the passing of Mr. Helms. Suffice it to say I was not a fan. As far as I know, he was an unrepentent racist, and he considered himself arbiter of the artistic vs. the profane.

Regardless of whether I respect the work of Mapplethorpe and Serrano, I will not be lectured about morality by a racist Bible-thumper.

Jesse, may you rest in peace, in the mercy you sought to deny to others.

Amazing.
You don't want to say anything distasteful and in the next sentence you call him a racist bible-thumper.

Can anyone of note die without someone starting a good riddance thread?
I've hardly known of a politician of any stripe that I'd cry over...but it seems uncivil in the extreme to use the occasion of a man's death to vent.

I don't mean to state too strong an opinion on this...but I think this sort of behavior is pure crap. 🙄

 

[timmyd18]

I have to disagree, Steve. Jessie Helms wanted the power force his opinion of what counts as art on other people, and as artists, his death and legacy is something that it is valid for us to discuss.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I have to disagree, Steve. Jessie Helms wanted the power force his opinion of what counts as art on other people, and as artists, his death and legacy is something that it is valid for us to discuss.

There were a great many chances to talk about the man's actions when he was still active. We can talk about others in a position to do harm to the arts at any time as well. We could even wait a decent interval and talk about any effect Helms may have had...but to ring out a "ding dong the witch is dead" sort of message is just in very poor taste to say the least.

 

[crawdiddy]

Amazing.
You don't want to say anything distasteful and in the next sentence you call him a racist bible-thumper.

Can anyone of note die without someone starting a good riddance thread?
I've hardly known of a politician of any stripe that I'd cry over...but it seems uncivil in the extreme to use the occasion of a man's death to vent.

I don't mean to state too strong an opinion on this...but I think this sort of behavior is pure crap. 🙄

Carol Mosely Braun is from Illinois, and she was the first African American woman elected to the Senate. Early in her tenure, she got into an elevator at the Capitol in which Jesse Helms, and several other people were already present. After the door closed, Jesse Helms began singing:

"O I wish I was in the land of cotton
Old times there are not forgotten
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land."

Nice guy, huh?

 

[dazedgonebye]

I have no reason or inclination to defend Helms over anything...though if you would like, I think I could find a few quotes from Carol Braun that should embarass anyone proud to walk on two legs.
The point is not what kind of a person he was, but the simple incivility of starting a thread to bash a person that just died while claiming not to bash him.
It's celebrating someone's death. The man had family like any other man. People loved him no less than people love you or I.
What are we when we can't give a short nod to humanity and restrain our passions just a bit?

I won't try to apeal any more along those lines. Either that makes sense to you or it doesn't.

You're welcome to the last word.

 

[Ken Ford]

Carol Mosely Braun is from Illinois, and she was the first African American woman elected to the Senate. Early in her tenure, she got into an elevator at the Capitol in which Jesse Helms, and several other people were already present. After the door closed, Jesse Helms began singing:

"O I wish I was in the land of cotton
Old times there are not forgotten
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land."

Nice guy, huh?

You're assuming the story is true. And I could tell you stories about CMB that would make your toes curl. What's your point?

I'm not about to defend the decedent, but your starting this thread smacks of trolling.

 

[Al Patterson]

Amazing.
You don't want to say anything distasteful and in the next sentence you call him a racist bible-thumper.

Can anyone of note die without someone starting a good riddance thread?
I've hardly known of a politician of any stripe that I'd cry over...but it seems uncivil in the extreme to use the occasion of a man's death to vent.

I don't mean to state too strong an opinion on this...but I think this sort of behavior is pure crap. 🙄

Amen! Some of the small minded can't just wish the USA a happy birthday, or let us wish condolances to the family of a famous person with which they disagree. It's too bad, but alas it is typical.


I hope Jesse rests in peace.