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Who is Robert Byrd?

Robert Byrd was a US Senator from West Virginia, the longest standing member at the time of his death. He served from 1959 up until 2010, and prior to that he was in the House of Representatives from 1953 to 1959. He was a popular Democrat in the Senate, and at the time of his passing, many paid tribute to him. Hillary Clinton is on tape describing him as a friend and as a mentor. But the problem about the senator is that he has a checkered past. Prior to politics, he had an interesting upbringing in Sophia, West Virginia.

Recruiter for the Klu Klux Klan

In the 1940’s, Robert Byrd was a young man in his 20’s. He was approached by many in the Klu Klux Klan and was told he had the potential for leadership. They would eventually use him as a recruiter. During his time, Robert Byrd recruited up to 150 members to the KKK in the town of Sophia. He would eventually become a Top Official. In a letter to Senator Theodore Bilbo in 1944, he would write that “he would never fight alongside a negro” in reference to WWII going on. Eventually, in old age, he would apologize and say he was wrong for his efforts. But this isn’t where his racism ends.

Racist Politician On The Hill

In 1964, as a Senator on Capitol Hill, Robert Byrd made a move that cemented his position as a racist. With the Civil Rights movement in full swing, he would filibuster the act for 14 hours, the longest anyone has ever tried to stop a bill from going through. His efforts would fail, as the Senate would approve the bill, and give African Americans the equality they had been searching for since the end of the Civil War. His strong opposition to end segregation in the South even as a 47 year old Senator is an obvious clue that was a lifetime racist. It is a bit scary to see that Hillary Clinton considers this man a mentor and friend, and has even had a photo taken in which they were caught sharing a kiss. Makes you wonder about the future of our nation.