Senator Strom Thurmond Dies

[Boomhauer]

Senator Strom Thurmond has died

He was 100 years old

 

[Boomhauer]

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/special_packages/strom/

 

[ShawnC]

Well that was unexpected.

 

[Boomhauer]

After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Thurmond joined the Army. He’d just turned 39.

In 1944, he landed in Normandy on D-Day with the 82nd Airborne Division, receiving the Purple Heart because of wounds suffered when his glider crashed.

For his service in World War II, he was awarded five battle stars and 18 decorations, medals and awards, including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Bronze Star for Valor.

 

[Boomhauer]

I know politics divide us at times but when a man with as much history as Strom passes on can only stop and reflect.

Here is a man who, literally went from horse and buggy to the space age.

 

[46Driver]

Just saw the news myself - its a sad day for all us South Carolinians.

 

[chperplt]

Good riddens to one of the most anti-semetic, racist men in America.

 

[Boomhauer]

Good riddens to one of the most anti-semetic, racist men in America.

Wasn't it South Carolina's Senator Ernest Hollings who said, "Slavery was only Nature's Way of ending the argument about whether or not to raise the Minimum Wage."

 

[46Driver]

I believe Strom was the first senator to hire a black staffer - his views changed substantially over the years. As for Fritz Hollings, didn't he draw a picture of a mushroom cloud and say, "made in America, tested in Japan"?

 

[wil]

Hey Chperplt- What about Democratic Senator "Sheets" Byrd from W. Virginia? The ol' Grand Wizard never gets the same disrespect as Sen. Thurmond. What a constant moral struggle it must be to be a liberal!

 

[Typhoon1244]

Good riddens to one of the most anti-semetic, racist men in America.

Well, I wasn't going to say that, but...

Anawful lot of people completely forgot that R.M.N. was a crook after he died. (Even Oliver Stone transformed him into a tragic figure...instead of a criminal.)

It's okay to remember the good things Mr. Thurmond did...but let's not forget that he was once America's foremost bigot.

Yes, he hired black staffers, but that's not because he'd had a change of heart. He simply saw which way the political wind was blowing.

 

[Vladimir Lenin]

Shoulda been gone sooner

 

[350DRIVER]

I know politics divide us at times but when a man with as much history as Strom passes on can only stop and reflect.

I agree, hands down.... Like him or hate him, republican, democrat, or independant, he still deserves the respect and honor in my opinion. I think he made quite a few contributions to this country and he also "served" to help us have and enjoy the freedom that we currently have present day. Alot of history will always be mentioned when his name is brought up in the future.


c h e e r s

3 5 0

 

[Paladin]

Rest in Peace Strom

Cheers,
Markus

Greenville, South Carolina

AMERICAN by birth...SOUTHERN by the Grace of God

 

[Typhoon1244]

I agree, hands down...like him or hate him, republican, democrat, or independant, he still deserves the respect and honor in my opinion.

I want all you die-hard conservatives to look me straight in the eye and say that when Slick Willie kicks the bucket!

 

[RUhiring?]

The real tragedy here is that his replacment, appointed by the SC governor, might be a Democrat.

 

[flywithruss]

Strom retired at the end of the last Congress ... he did not run in the last election and a Republican, Lindsey Graham, was elected to his seat. Strom had been home in SC since January. So the Democratic Governor will not be able to replace him and shift the balance of power.

He did a lot of great things for America in his career and was often a larger-than-life figure in politics. He certainly held some unpopular views in his time, but on the matter of race relations he did experience a transformation from his "Segregation now, segregation forever" past to a more modern, enlightened outlook later in life.

 

[46Driver]

The current governor is a Republican: Mark Sanford. His predecessor was a Democrat (Jim Hodges) - and the only reason a Democrat was elected is that the Republican (David Beasley) before him brought down the Confederate flag flying over the State House - something he explicitly promised not to do.

And for those of you who do not like Strom, I would advise you not to speak ill of him if you are in South Carolina - he was a beloved figure and symbol of our state.

 

[chperplt]

Hey Chperplt- What about Democratic Senator "Sheets" Byrd from W. Virginia? The ol' Grand Wizard never gets the same disrespect as Sen. Thurmond. What a constant moral struggle it must be to be a liberal

Wil

The topic was Thurmond.. My response was about him without thought of anyone else.

What makes you think I'm a liberal?? Not at all.. Just anti racist.

 

[wil]

chperplt- OK I see your point. Glad to hear your not a lib! I think your remarks were harsh, though. Afterall, he did have a change of heart.

typhoon- Clinton never treated the Presidency with respect and "honor" is a word that will never appear in the same sentence with Clinton unless it is preceded by the words, "lack of".

Fly safe all- Wil

 

[chperplt]

He had a change of heart.. so what??? Would you jump on the hitler bandwagon if he had a change of heart? Granted, this guy didn't kill anyone and the comparison is a stretch, but they both thought of anyone not exactly like them as third class people.

 

[crash-proof]

Did you know you can re-arrange the letters of "Strom Thurmond" to read "Don't rot, Mr. Mush"?

Too late, he did.

 

[wil]

Crash- Who operates that SD3-30? Classic photo!!

 

[A Squared]

Crash- Who operates that SD3-30? Classic photo!!

Was wondering the same thing myself, except I think it's a skyvan, not an sd3. Great Paint job, I bet it's a jump plane

 

[ShawnC]

Yep it's a Jump plane.

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=OE-FDE&distinct_entry=true

 

[crash-proof]

Darn...secret's out.
Was gonna say i took that pic myself.

 

[ShawnC]

I have the large version saved on my computer, so it was pretty easy to track down the pictures.

 

[d328pilot]

It is a real shame that someone would are happy that Sen. Thurmond has passed. How do you know his change was not sincere? Did you ever meet the man? He would not be the first southern political figure to have a change of hear about segregation. George Wallace also had a change of heart. Thurmond served his country since the 2nd world war. until almost the day he died. You should show a little respect. Cherplt you should be ashamed.

And will slick willie does go, I will show him the proper respect. Even though i dislike his political views more than anyone, he was still president. And that deserves some respect.

 

[FLYnMONKEYS]

Dead??? **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** I thought he was already dead. I was under the impression the last few years of his political life was some sort of "Weekend at Bernies" type stunt. I figured the old guy just started to smell too much so they pulled the plug on the act. So what was the smell all about then? Was he also French?

 

[WrightAvia]

I hear chperpilot hates racism so much..

He's going to buy some land...donate it to some American indians and hop a one way flight to Europe.