Dick Gregory wants to Change the Name of the Russell SOB. I don't condone or agree with Russell's civil rights record. But I think history is what is being attacked here. He served in Congress from 1933 through 1971. My dad was a government official in the Kennedy Administration (and he still considers himself a New Dealer) when he met with Russell once to discuss location of a water laboratory in Georgia. According to my dad, Russell and so many others of that time were anti-civil rights. Maybe even personally racist. But Russell and the rest of them were recognized for a lifetime of service and many realized they were wrong and changed their votes.

If Gregory prevails, we should review the names of every building named since 1964 and change it if the person voted against civil rights at any time. As my dad points out, this would eliminate Robert Byrd, the Senator from West Virginia who it is said once belonged to the Ku Klux Klan and now has many edifices named for him in his grateful state. And what of Howard Baker of Tennessee? Baker was one of the finest men to ever call himself Senator. He and Byrd sponsored the bill to name the building for Russell. And it passed 99 to 1, and that one was honored later when SOB #3 was named for him -- Phil Hart of Michigan. I'm all right with making sure no buildings are ever named after Trent Lott but that's another story. And my Dad says don't be too sure about that either.

It got my dad thinking. Maybe they'll have to change the name of the Dirksen SOB too. His was a sorry civil rights record...until the end when his vote helped pass the bill. And what about the Rayburn and Cannon and Longworth buildings over on the House side? All named for Speakers of the House - ALL of whom opposed civil rights legislation in their day. And what about the monuments, streets, parks and schools named after Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington? Honest Abe emancipated the slaves only because he needed troops and wanted to show the Irish mob in New York that the Civil War wasn't about freeing the slaves. It was about saving the Union. George Washington owned more slaves than almost anybody (although they were freed upon his death - not sure what that means exactly but you can look it up.) And Jefferson. Well, don't get me started about Jefferson.

Dick Gregory should focus his attention on real issues that will benefit and improve race relations around the world and conditions for African-Americans in this country. Now that would be a worthwhile effort.