Jesse Helms

It's funny, isn't it, that we are tempted to lie about the dead? To deny those parts of complex personalities that made us uncomfortable, or reminded us of their humanity? Instead, at the end of a life, we all gather and feel pressure, from somewhere, to pretend we loved the person, even if we didn't. To remember that one time the person was decent, rather than the 99.99% of the rest of the miserable experiences you had with her.

So, I expect even the N&O, the long-time foresworn enemy / tango partner of Senator Jesse Helms, will pull out all the hagiographic stops as Jesse Helms is laid to rest over the next few days. I guess we should expect it.

What I had to say three years ago about the man, however, I am still willing to say today. And you can read it at The Stinging Nettle, or below the fold.

Conventional wisdom shows us that when a politician makes a personal connection with a citizen, and provides a personal service – the politician will gain that citizen’s support regardless of whatever differences they may have on the issues. Fortunately, that one enduring quality didn’t faze me in the least and I’ve spent most of my professional life fighting everything that Senator Helms stood for.

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing


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Crossposted on Pam's House Blend

Jesse Helms has died. As a native and current resident of North Carolina, even today many people I run into outside of this state who know little about it -- recognize the name Jesse Helms. He leaves a long, dark trail of professional racial bigotry (he opposed the MLK national holiday, and civil rights legislation) and homophobia (that list is so long, you don't know where to begin).

Former U.S. Sen. Jesse A. Helms, the son of a Monroe police chief who rose to national prominence as one of the leading lions of the American right, died early this morning. He was 86.

During a political career that began with his election to the Raleigh City Council in the late 1950s and included 30 years in the U.S. Senate, Jesse Alexander Helms endeared himself to conservatives throughout the country.

Helms became known as "Senator No" for his constant battles against everything from increased government spending to civil rights legislation to communism to the National Endowment for the Arts.

I viewed the late Senator many a time when he was a commentator on WRAL. For me, as a young child of color, his blunt, unforgiving, unacceptable views were distressing and surreal to watch.

Jim Neal is a Democrat running for US Senate in North Carolina. He is running against Kay Hagan in North Carolina’s primary on May 6th. Many people have discounted Jim Neal because he is openly gay. Sure, he is openly gay. He is also openly white, openly male, openly down-to-earth, openly progressive, openly against the status-quo, and openly an AMAZING candidate.

I watched the "Senator No" documentary on WUNC and strongly recommend it.

It aired last night at 9:00 pm but I believe it will air again, as most UNC shows do, maybe in another time slot this weekend.

It's pretty even-handed -- probably won't change anyone's mind about Helms' legacy, but it is interesting. It's always interesting to me to see people fleshed out a bit. At times Helms did seem human.

From the News and Observer

Titan Barksdale, Staff Writer

As a federal prosecutor, Sam Currin spent six years prosecuting drug dealers, pornographers and other criminals. Now, he will spend nearly the same amount of time in prison himself.

Currin, 58, whose career included stints as a judge and as chairman of the state's Republican Party, became the latest North Carolina leader to be sent to jail when he was sentenced this week in federal court to 70 months behind bars on money laundering and obstruction charges.

His attorney, Mark Calloway, would not comment about the sentence.

Little Patty McHenry, the miniature pit bully of North Carolina is back in the news. He's mentioned prominently in today's New York Times Politics Blog under the heading "It's not Whining."

After a discussion of Steny Hoyer's move into the grander quarters of Tom Delay's former office, Kate Phillips, who hosts the The Times' blog, reports that there was a gathering of disaffected Republicans upstairs. She describes seeing our Rep. McHenry "waving his hands and stomping his feet" for the benefit of the press, and then he whined at the very highest register of his irritating little voice, "It is so hypocritical, just on its face!"