Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) died at the age of 92 after having been the longest serving senator in U.S. history. He was first elected in 1958.

It never fails to amaze me how when a person dies, he becomes a saint and people stand up with straight faces and praise the “many attributes,” of the “dearly” departed. Nowhere is this more evident than at the funerals of politicians and celebrities. Sometimes when you hear the many accolades being heaped upon these individuals, one has to question whether the person in the casket is the same individual that we knew.

Cartoon by Taylor Jones - Cagle Cartoons (click to reprint)

Nowhere is this more evident than in the accolades that have been heaped upon the late Senator Robert Byrd.

“Sen. Byrd was a fearless fighter for the Constitution, his beloved state and its great people. He made a significant mark as a member of Congress in both our state’s and the nation’s history. His accomplishments and contributions will define history for eternity. “The Morris County Daily Record

God, I hope not.

“Robert C. Byrd possessed the quintessential American quality “” the ability to change.” ““President Barack Obama-{Change from what, grand Kleagle of the KKK to a more polished Kleagle?}

“For a quarter of the time our nation has existed, Senator Byrd has been there.”

Victoria Kennedy, wife of late Sen. Ted Kennedy

“Robert Byrd moved with our country, and he moved our country forward.”

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.

“I am a former kleagle of the Ku Klux Klan in Raleigh County and the adjoining counties of the state. The Klan is needed today as never before and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia.”

“(I would never fight)…with a Negro by my side. Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds.”

It has been my experience that leopards do not change their spots, they just learn to camouflage them better and nowhere is this truer than with politicians, the original chameleons.

Robert Byrd was the quintessential politician known for bringing billions of dollars of pork back to his beloved state. One has only to look at the number of roads and buildings that are named for him in that state.

Although many may consider building roads and public buildings a laudable accomplishment for a fifty year tenure in the Senate of the United Sates, I cannot help, but ask “¦”and what of the people, and what of the people?”

“¢ Per capita income in West Virginia has lagged behind the national income over the past decade. In 2006 the per capita income was $36,714 in the U.S. and $28,206 in West Virginia.

“¢ As of 2005, West Virginia ranked 10th in infant mortality with a rate of 8.1 per 1,000 live births. Thirty-six  counties in West Virginia had an infant mortality rate higher than the U.S. average, and 2 counties had a rate more than twice the  national average-  Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Information

“¢ The May, 2010 unemployment rate was 8.9 percent.

“¢ Poverty estimates for 2007 show that the poverty rate in the U.S. was 13 percent, compared to 17.1 percent in West Virginia.  Seventeen counties in West Virginia had poverty rates over 20 percent in 2007.

“¢ The high school dropout rates are 22 percent.

“¢ State job growth fell 1.1% in April 2010 from a year ago; national job growth fell 1.0%.

“¢ Personal income fell 1.2% to $58.3 billion in Q4 2009 from a year ago.

“¢ Tax revenue fell 2.6% in Q4 2009 from the previous year.

“¢ Exports fell 19.9% to $3.2 billion in 2009.

“¢ Venture capital investment in WV dropped 90% to $3 million in Q4 2009 from a year ago.

And this is record to be proud of and praised by the politicians and pundits in Washington?  Is this what the people of West Virginia got for 52 years of “dedicated” service by Senator Robert Byrd?

Again I must ask”¦And what of the people? Rest in peace, Senator Robert Byrd, wherever you are?

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Newspaper publisher White has published one book, Charlottesville: the African-American community and has a new book about to be published, Possum got big ears, which are short stories about a black child growing up in the 50s and 60s in urban America. They are stories of survival, faith and determination.

White is divorced and the mother of three children, Sherman, Jr., a computer analyst, David, president of Exit 10 Advertising Agency in Baltimore, Maryland and Dana, a foreign policy analyst with the Senate Armed Services Committee. She has one grandchild. If you would like more information, please send an email to tribune54@gmail.com