FELIX TAYLOR JR. OP-ED: No Tributes To Jesse Helms Here

The Canadian moderate-conservative blogger questions tributes to the late U.S. Senate Jesse Helms: "I don’t understand why conservative Republicans feel a need to praise recently departed former U.S. Senator Jesse Helms. This African Canadian up here in Canada, who hold some conservative views don’t see a need. [T]o be blunt, I am very relieved that he is gone. I have held very strong feelings against this man. I even on a couple years ago on the Booker Rising blog [said] I wished this man would go to hell. A fellow person of faith on the blog objected to that idea and wished God’s mercy for the man. It is tough to praise a man who was indifferent, insensitive and even actively promoted the stifling of visible minorities, African Americans in particular. He said, 'thank you' to a caller on The Larry King Show when the caller was praising this 'Senator' 'for keeping the n—–s in their place.' Was unapologetic about his ant[i]-civil rights past saying that segregation was going to end anyway."

He continues his commentary: "Yeah, yeah–he was anti-communist, so I am I. But there [are]smart anti-communists and he was sure a dumb anti-intellectual anti-communist. He was so fanatical about the embargo against Cuba and that do[ing] it away with it would be tanatamount [sic] of appeasing Hitler in the late 1930’s. Nonsense. Cuba needs an economic bombardment from the United States—very badly. This is the way to get rid of both Castros (but that is another post). I am rather disturbed that a friend of mine (and a fellow bloggist) who is conservative joined the throng of other conservatives who felt a need to give tribute (in which I was offended) saying that Helms was pivotal in the conservative movement. I would add he was one of the leaders of the dark side of the force in the Republican party.

Mr. Taylor Jr. zeroes in on the Republican Party: "Some in the party need to learn that the means does not in ANY WAY justifies the end—meaning that maybe Jesse Helms may have given the Republican party attention—but sometimes certain attention shouldn’t be embraced and celebrated at all! As one former friend said of Jesse Helms, 'He’s a dinosaur!' He sure was and I am glad that this dinosaur has gone to rest. Upward and ownward to the rise to Republicans who are progressive and conservative, unlike Helms who was regressive and ignorant."

My response: Make that white conservative Republicans. Are there any black conservative Republicans who are doing tributes? Even the usually outrageous Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson is keeping mum (so far, at least).