Neas pointed to several crucial votes in which
Thurmond and Lott were on opposite sides of
issues with important substantive and symbolic
importance:
In 2001, Lott cast the only vote against the
confirmation of Judge Roger Gregory, the first
African American judge ever seated on the 4th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals. Thurmond voted for
Gregory.
In 1983, Lott voted against creating a federal
holiday for civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
Thurmond voted for the holiday.
In 1982, Lott voted against the Voting Rights Act
extension, which Neas called “the most important
civil rights vote in the 1980s.” Thurmond supported
it.
In 1978, Lott voted against the 1978 District of
Columbia Voting Rights Constitutional
Amendment. Thurmond voted with the two-thirds
majorities in both houses that passed the
amendment, which eventually failed to win
approval in enough states to be ratified.
(Sent in by The Hamster)
While GLAAD tells us:
On Monday, June 15 [1998], Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott told The Armstrong Williams Show that "he believes homosexuality is a sin," and that "You should try to show them a way to deal with that problem, just like alcohol... or sex addiction...or kleptomaniacs."
(insert obligatory Armstrong Williams joke here).
Trent Lott is apparently babbling to objectively pro-lynching radio host Sean Hannity now. Actually, I should be fair to Sean given that he is a board member of this prominent African American group.