General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This is what a REAL Democrat sounds like. [View all]MADem
(135,425 posts)So what should we do? Turn back the hands of time, and turn our backs on a substantial portion of our population....? Those racist, conservative Democrats and those that followed them who were part and parcel of that "40 years" switched sides.
In the old days, there used to be liberal Democrats, and liberal Republicans, conservative Democrats, conservative Republicans, and a mess of moderates from both parties too. The liberals favored civil rights--the conservatives didn't. It had nothing to do with party affiliation, it was more a regional and ideological thing.
People forget that Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms started out as Democrats. So did young cheerleader Trent Lott. Democrats ruled the south back in the day. And they were, most of 'em, mean, racist, and conservative Democrats.
I mean, come on. You can't seriously cry over losing those folks. Some of those Southern Democrats were a disgrace to the ideals that we hold near and dear today. We didn't become a "liberal" party until we got rid of that dead weight.
We paid a price for Civil Rights, but I think it was worth it.