Ta Ta Jesse Helms

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Well, yes, and I quite agree. But my point is: he didn't. He thought that just by being engaging in homosexual activity, they were doing evil. I'm certainly not defending his point of view - just pointing out that not much can be gained by the "OK to talk **** about the evil" argument. Evil is in the eye of the beholder, and he believed his POV just as strongly as you believe yours.

So I'm not going to go by the "OK to talk **** about the evil" rule - I'm going to go by my person rule: be respectful but honest. So: honestly and respectfully, Mr. Helms, we always disagreed and the things you said made me angry. I'm not mourning your death but I'm not celebrating it either.

Nothing can be gained? The one thing that can be gained is the reminding people (be it four days later or four years later) of what a scumbag this guy was. There's no way I would want history to remember him as some sort of hero. The country can move forward when we identify where we went wrong in the past and not make the same mistakes again. If Helms is that identifier, then so be it.

What exactly has Helms done to earn your respect? Or is it the thinking that one should be respectful of the dead? (BTW, I'm not mad at LSPE, I am challenging her stance.) He hasn't earned my respect.