Democrats - how do you feel about your party's history? Your party protected the institution of slavery, gave rise to the KKK, allowed whites to

Discriminate against blacks and disfranchise Blacks from voting. How can you vote for such a party?

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Vittoria · 61-69, F

My dear, if you actually think that the Democratic Party of today is the party of the 1850s and 60s, you must have been sleeping through your American history classes. In fact, after the Civil Rights Act, bigoted southern Democrats and segregationists switched parties. They became Republicans. Today, the party platforms of BOTH Republican and Democrats are quite different from what they were 150 years ago.

Go back to school.

EmiliyStar · 31-35, F

@Vittoria i told em basically the same thing and got basically toled i was making things up

carpediem · 61-69, M

@Vittoria Robert Byrd long time Democrat senator and I quote

"As late as 1946, Byrd wrote to the Klan’s Grand Wizard: “The Klan is needed today as never before, and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia and in every state in the nation.”"

EmiliyStar · 31-35, F

@carpediem just because one Democratic senator was racist doesnt mean its the whole party

Pherick · 41-45, M

@carpediem Some of the switch between the parties was still happening as late as the 1960's and 70's. It didn't happen overnight, it was literally a 100+ year process that has only recently settled down in the parties we see today.

Also Byrd ...

By Byrd’s account, opposing civil rights legislation in the ‘60s was his greatest legislative mistake, and he would say his eyes were opened later upon seeing a father unable to get water for his young son when the “colored” drinking fountain wasn’t working. In his later years, he struggled to make amends and getting money to help finish the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial became a passion. And Byrd’s famously close relationship with his black Senate driver, Jim Allen, was part of this transition.

Again, none of this is new, please do some reading.

carpediem · 61-69, M

@EmiliyStar Hillary Clinton on Robert Byrd “my friend and mentor”

TheArbitrator · 36-40, M

@Pherick They never flipped. The Democratic party ideology today is very consistent to what it has always been. The only difference is that Democrats devised a scheme to secure the black vote. There's no flipping. You can't take what Democrats did and ascribe it to Republicans.

Pherick · 41-45, M

@TheArbitrator So you didn't read, nor do you seem to have any evidence for your claims, beyond .. well just running your mouth it seems.

Thats what I figured. Have a great day.

carpediem · 61-69, M

@EmiliyStar Byrd filibustered the Civil Rights act.

"during the senator's eulogy, Biden described Byrd as "fiercely devoted to his principles," a "friend," "mentor" and a "guide""

carpediem · 61-69, M

@Pherick With a little research, the actual voting record for both Houses of Congress shows that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed the Senate on a 73-to-27 vote. The Democratic supermajority in the Senate split their vote 46 (69%) for and 21 (31%) against. The Republicans, on the other hand, split their vote 27 for (82%) and 6 against (18%). Thus, the no vote consisted of 78% Democrats. Further, the infamous 74-day filibuster was led by the Southern Democrats, who overwhelmingly voted against the act.

An examination of the House vote shows a similar pattern. The House voted 290 to 130 in favor. Democrats split their vote 152 (61%) to 96 (39%) while Republicans split theirs 138 (80%) to 34 (20%). The no vote consisted of 74% Democrats. Clearly, the 1964 Civil Rights Act could not have been passed without the leadership of Republicans such as Everett Dirksen and the votes of Republicans.

Solana · 36-40, F

@EmiliyStar

just because one Democratic senator was racist doesnt mean its the whole party

And just because 1 Democrat senator switched after the civil rights act doesn’t mean the parties switched.