The Racial Context for Joe Wilson's Outburst

[nuclearfm]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_R..._1964#By_party


Civil Rights Act of 1964

Votes in "Yay - Nay" format

By party


The original House version:

Democratic Party: 152-96 (61%-39%)
Republican Party: 138-34 (80%-20%)



The Senate version:

Democratic Party: 46-21 (69%-31%)
Republican Party: 27-6 (82%-18%)



The Senate version, voted on by the House:

Democratic Party: 153-91 (63%-37%)
Republican Party: 136-35 (80%-20%)

I don't know if that was supposed to be a counterpoint or not, but I'm glad you posted it.

[Yonivore]

I don't know if that was supposed to be a counterpoint or not, but I'm glad you posted it. Democrats had a stronghold in the south when many of them voted for it (obviously not as much as the Republicans as shown, still with the legacy of abolitionism and Lincoln) they then lost a lot of support. Republicans jumped in to fill the power vacuum. Strom Thurmond is a good example among many others of this landslide shift.

I think Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms were the only Dixiecrats -- and former segregationists (and, I'm not certain about Helms) -- to change party. Most of the rest of the Dixiecrats remained and died, retired or, were defeated as Democrats.

The 1956 Southern Manifesto, strongly defending white supremacy ninety-one years after the Confederacy had lost the Civil War, was signed by nineteen United States Senators and seventy-seven members of the House of Representatives opposed to racial integration in public places. Of the ninety-six members of Congress who signed the Southern Manifesto, two were Virginia Republican Congressman [three Southern Republican Congressmen refused to sign].

Some notables:

Senator Richard Russell, Democrat of Georgia authored the Southern Manifesto and, he voted against the CRA of 1964. Died a Democrat in 1971. As far as I know he never rebuked his racist past.

Senator Albert Gore Sr., Democrat of Tennessee, voted against the CRA of 1964. Defeated in 1970 and, as far as I know, never rejected his segregationist past.

Senator Sam Ervin, Democrat of North Carolina also signed the 1956 Sothern Manifesto and voted against the CRA of 1964.

Senator James O. Eastland, Democrat of Mississippi was a staunch segregationist and avowed racist who signed the 1956 Southern Manifesto and voted against CRA of 1964. Senate until 1978, when Jimmy Carter was in office. He held the prestigious positions of Judiciary Committee Chairman and the Senate office In line to assume the Presidency, President Pro Tempore. I don't think the Democrats ever ostracized him...he retired peacefully.

Senator J. William Fulbright, Democrat of Arkansas (mentor of President Bill Clinton), signed the 1956 Sothern Manifesto and voted against CRA of 1964 as well as voting against the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Suffered a primary defeat at the hands of pro-civil rights Democrat Dale Bumpers.

And, if Robert Byrd can be forgiven for his former association with the KKK, I think it's time the Democrats let go of the "Strom Thurmond was a segregationist" meme that normally begins by someone in here declaring that ALL Dixiecrats defected to the Republican party and took their racism with them.

The Republican Party was created by abolitionists. It has never supported racist legislation or policies. The Democrats cannot make that claim.