I don't understand this "graceful accomodation" line. I haven't found any mea culpas or apologies from Thurmond. His having hired an African American aide isn't particularly telling (segregationists were always perfectly happy to employ black subordinates; and if the stories about Thurmond are true, his brand of racism was perfectly consonant with sexual intimacy with blacks), nor is the fact that he took till 1982 to vote for a civil rights bill.
When did this accomodation take root? Was it sudden or gradual? How is it to be distinguished from Thurmond simply learning a new vocabulary with which to preserve as far as possible the racially unjust status quo? I've spent a good deal of time looking for a copy of Thurmond's 1948 acceptance speech; it doesn't appear on the web anywhere, near as I can tell, nor is it Vital Speeches of the Day or in other reference works. I finally had Clemson University's "Strom Thurmond Institute" (gag!) fax me a copy from their special collections area. I'd like to get a better feel for what Trent Lott is waxing nostalgic for -- the States Rights Party platform of 1948 (on SmokingGun.com) was singularly opposed to integration and interested in nothing else. Kendall Clark, Editor, http://www.whiteprivilege.com/ -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
