"So, don't let the Independence Day paeans fool you. Jesse Helms was a bigot, a racist, a homophobe -- and a media charlatan. America would be a much worse place if he'd had his way on his many signature issues. Our nation's birthday is brighter for him not in it."
-- Firedoglake blogger Teddy Patridge in his post Jesse Helms: Bigot, Racist, Homophobe






