| And Good Riddance |
30 June 2003
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Thurmond, Maddox Dead, Bigotry Still Alive
Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC) passed away last week at the age of 100. It is tempting to say that he finally did something a civilized person can support, but instead it is enough to point out that the Lord chose to put off calling the Senator home for as long as possible. Also, Governor Lester Maddox (D-GA) left this world at the age of 87. The departure of these two men heralds the end of an era -- one that should cause no tears.
Mr. Thurmond ran for president in 1948 in the nation's last truly interesting election if one judges by the issues. President Truman sought election in his own right having succeeded to the White House on the death of FDR, Governor Thomas Dewey carried the Republican banner, but Henry Wallace ran to Truman's left backing a soft-on-Russia foreign policy, while Mr. Thurmond ran against racial integration. The good guys won.
Mr. Maddox ran a chicken restaurant at one stage in his life and chased black people out brandishing an ax handle. When ordered to serve blacks, he chose to quit the business rather than deal with it.
Apologists for both men note that they moderated their views in later years, and that they should be forgiven for being products of their time and their environment. It is a tempting thing to believe, and out of respect for their age and their deaths, one is willing to accept their improvement as human beings.
Nonetheless, their actions against racial harmony in the US, a country that needs it more than most by the nature of its population, were far more damaging than any good they did afterwards. The best news is that men with their views will never again run much of a chance at the chief executive's job either nationally or locally. With any luck, they are literally a dying breed.