Mourners Weep For "Southern Gentleman"

Jesse Helms Represented N.C. In The Senate For 30 Years, And "Always Stood His Ground"

(AP)  Vice President Dick Cheney and a delegation of U.S. senators joined hundreds of other mourners who paid their respects Tuesday at the funeral of former Sen. Jesse Helms, a five-term Republican who died on the Fourth of July.

Helms' family sat in the front pews of the packed 800-seat sanctuary at Hayes Barton Baptist Church in Raleigh, where Helms worshipped for decades and served as a deacon. A bipartisan group of federal and state officials listened during a nearly hour and a half service as friends an family recalled the conservative icon, who inspired both love and disdain for his strong views.

"Jesse Helms always stood his ground," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said from the pulpit. "He put duty above all else - duty to God, to country, to family ... the simple duty of treating other people well."

Helms, who spent three terms in the U.S. Senate, died at age 86 after years of declining health.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who took Helms' seat when he chose not to seek re-election in 2002, attended the service with her husband, former Republican presidential candidate Kansas Sen. Bob Dole. Her counterpart, GOP Sen. Richard Burr, sat nearby.

Democratic Sens. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Joe Biden of Delaware also were seated in the pews, along with Gov. Mike Easley and several state political figures. Cindy McCain, wife of presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain, also was on hand as others gathered to watch the funeral service remotely from a church gym.

Jimmy Broughton, Helms' former chief of staff, recalled for the crowd how a woman from Raleigh needed help with Social Security benefits. Her neighbor, a Democrat, couldn't help her with the problem, but advised her to call Helms for help.

The neighbor told her, "I despise the SOB, but I think it's high time you call Jesse Helms," Broughton said, drawing laughter.

The coffin of Helms, who served in the Senate from 1973 to 2003, was covered with a U.S. flag as the front of the sanctuary was decorated with flowers sent by U.S. senators and a painting of Helms at work. Choir members, in red silk robes, stood behind friends and family who spoke during the service.

Cheney did not speak at the funeral nor issue any statements to reporters. But his spokeswoman, Lea Anne McBride, said, "The vice president went just to pay his respects and spend some time with the family."

Helms won his first election in 1972 after a career in newspapers, radio and television commentaries and rose to become a powerful committee chairman.

Helms is remembered by many for his opposition to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and was considered a polarizing figure both at home and in Washington.

He never lost a political race, but his margin of victory was never large. In the Senate, he forced roll-call votes that required Democrats to take politically difficult votes on cultural issues, such as federal funding for art he deemed pornographic, school busing and flag-burning.

He also ran racially tinged campaigns in his last two runs for Senate, defeating former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, who is black, in 1990 and 1996.

In the first race, a Helms commercial showed a white fist crumpling up a job application, as a narrator said, "You needed that job, and you were the best qualified. But they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota. Is that really fair?"

As he aged, Helms was slowed by a variety of illnesses, including a bone disorder, prostate cancer and heart problems, and used a motorized scooter to navigate the Capitol as his career neared an end. In April 2006, his family said he had been moved into a convalescent center after being diagnosed with vascular dementia, in which repeated minor strokes damage the brain

Helms was born in Monroe on Oct. 18, 1921. He attended Wingate College and Wake Forest College, but never graduated and went on to serve in the Navy during World War II.

Raleigh resident Wallace Holloway, 68, waited outside the church for about an hour before the doors were to open. He said Helms will be greatly missed, in part because he believed there's no longer anyone in Congress with his conviction.

"We need more men like Jesse Helms," Holloway said. "He's an icon - a Southern gentlemen. He'll be remembered for integrity and truth."

[raoul12-2009]

Oh and another thing, he was definitely opposed to making Martin Luther King, Jr. a national holiday. He didn''t like black people either.

Posted by Avigil2 at 04:39 PM : Jul 09, 2008
______________________

The exact same things could be said about McCain; he also voted against a MLK holiday.

[raoul12-2009]

Poor soul. I hope God had mercy on him.

Posted by Avigil2 at 04:28 PM : Jul 09, 2008
_______________________

If there were a God, which there is not, he would let this ****** be re-born, just so he could die again.

[avigil2]

Oh and another thing, he was definitely opposed to making Martin Luther King, Jr. a national holiday. He didn''t like black people either.

[avigil2]

Oh and another thing, he was definitely opposed to making Martin Luther King, Jr. a national holiday. He didn''t like black people either.

[newtagagain]

I would say that Helms must have had a good side - he was married to the same woman for sixty-something years and he adopted a son with cerebral palsy. Too bad he never showed this side in his years of racist, bigoted statements and actions. Here''s hoping the true God is not the one he worshipped all those years.

[avigil2]

I don''t wish death on any poor soul, but good riddance to Mr. Helms. He was notorious for spreading his hateful words and bigotry on mostly homosexuals. He succeeded in passing a bill that banned anyone with HIV to entering the country, which major health organizations (such as the US Public Health Service, Word Health Organization and the International Red Cross to name a few) deniably opposed. He convinced the Bush administration not to lift the ban and as of today, we are the only industrialized nation in the world to prohibit travel based on their HIV status. Mr. Helms had a chance to but refused to speak to the mother of Ryan White, the boy who died of AIDS in 1990. And he has said all along, "There is not one single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy." Poor soul. I hope God had mercy on him.

[raoul12-2009]

"Should''ve known the absolutely soulless libs would be on this forum saying the most vile and wicked things about Sen. Jesse Helms. They hate Christian Conservatives so much they''d like to see them all

Posted by globalcool08 at 11:27 PM : Jul 08, 2008"
____________________

I would have loved to have been there to see that ****** laid up dead in his decorated box. It would have been just great to pisss on his face as the rest of the "Christian conservatives" looked on. This so-called "Christian conservative" was Christian in no sense of the word.

[Gary Kempf]

fsw3 ;
Amen!!!!

[aldon61]

Jesse Helms was a bigot; he was also arrogant and defiant. He will not be missed by most of us, but we should LEARN from his life so we are not bound to repeat history. As for him going to h/e/l/l/, that''s not up to us, just be glad that he is now gone from the earth. I hope his family can find some closure.

[parrot123-2009]

It is a shame Helms is dead...I would have liked him to watch in horror as the Democrats sweep the GOPer NEOCRONIES from power before he croaked! Now that would have been justiced.
Posted by ozilot at 09:15 AM : Jul 09, 2008


This is really Sad .....

As he aged, Helms was slowed by a variety of illnesses, including a bone disorder, prostate cancer and heart problems, and used a motorized scooter to navigate the Capitol as his career neared an end. In April 2006, his family said he had been moved into a convalescent center after being diagnosed with vascular dementia, in which repeated minor strokes damage the brain.

Me thinks he suffered a great deal. Cheers!

[taddles3]

"Should''''ve known the absolutely soulless libs would be on this forum saying the most vile and wicked things about Sen. Jesse Helms. They hate Christian Conservatives so much they''''d like to see them all

Posted by globalcool08 at 11:27 PM : Jul 08, 2008"

Should have known you "Christians" would be here defending Helms''s hateful racist message. Just like followers of Christ to ignore Christs message and make up your own to justifiy their narrow minded world view.

Christ would puke if he came back and saw the travesty you''ve made of his message and his name. He would cast you down to spend eternity with Helms in contemplation of your vicious disrespect for your fellow man. You have no shame, you have no honor, you are a christian in name but not deed.

Pity the Romans ran out of lions.

[undermyboot]

soulless atheist libs
Posted by globalcool08 at 11:27 PM : Jul 08, 2008
----
Globalfool08- Another hater sitting in front of his computer wondering why the world could care less about his foaming at the mouth hatred.

Go with Jesse. He will need the company in hell.

[taddles3]

"Christ tells us that His road is the narrow path in the Gospels, unlike you godless libs who choose the path of this wicked world system, and not Christ.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by globalcool08 at 11:31 PM : Jul 08, 2008"


Spoken like a true supporter of this vile racist scumbag. I''m sure you share his ignorant narrow minded views to a T.

I''m sure Christ would be very proud of the racist hateful message of Jesse Helms, I''m sure that''s what Christ would be all about were he to come back to day. You certainly are forgetful when it comes to the true word of Christ. Of course who needs Christs words when you can just make up your own, right scumbag.

[undermyboot]

They hate Christian Conservatives so much they''''d like to see them all dead.

Posted by globalcool08 at 11:27 PM : Jul 08, 2008
---------

This monster was neither Christian nor conservative. You libel Christians by tying this piece of garbage to them. I am a Christian, and like so many others of us, we would never consider this unrepentant bigot with a heart full of hate a Christian. Maybe if he confessed his sins and showed repentance, but he did not. He was Satan wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross. It does not make him a Christian.

He was no conservative. He was a representative of the worst of a small percentage of Americans- let them grieve for their monster. Conservatives can only hope that Helms is quickly forgotten, and any association with him disavowed. True conservatives do not hate based on race. They do not suborn the Principles of America. They do not pizz on the Constitution.

Good riddance Jesse. May Satan show you the error of your ways- forever.

[fridak-2009]

Jessie Helms was a racist POS pig. Good riddance....

[shingles1]

Someone snuck into wikipedia and wrote this (before it was taken down):

He died on July 4, 2008, slitting his wrists in a washtub out back beneath the pecan tree and writing "I''ve been a bad boy" in his own blood. The skins of several children were found drying in his attic, swarms of horseflies going in and out of the eaves. His wife was quoted on CNN as saying "I always wondered about Jesse''s collection of little shoes."

[ubrew12]

How fitting that Cheney was among the mourners. He needs the practice: so much that he values is going to be buried in the next few months. Truly a new day for America, the defeat of the fascist forces that nearly took our country down.

[misspp-2009]

Good riddance to a piece of trash!

[stn_sage]

I must agree with ALL previous posters---in their suggestions that Helms was NO gentleman, he was arrogant, racist, uncaring toward those different from himself, bigoted, lived the ''low road'', is not deserving of respect just because he died, in deed acted as a minion to Satan, acted in Congress to hurt America, that he probably shouldn''t be honored, that it''s appropriate that Rich Cheney is there to ''honor'' him, and finally that---unfortunately---the nation is better off because this man is no longer amongst us performing evil!

And it pains me to have to say these things, but they are the truth, and I refuse to pretend that he was a great man! He wasn''t.

[cheetah-man7]

If nothing else, he certainly does not deserve the title of gentleman. He was anything but......