Rep. Senfronia Thompson, the Houston Democrat who won approval for the bill in the Texas House, said she's thrilled at Haywood's sudden turnaround. The speeches followed news that a predominantly black church in Dallas had been defaced by swastikas before dawn. The politician looks to the next election. The statesman looks to what is the right thing to do and what's good for the whole. The world has changed.
People are more tolerant.
Meanwhile, Byrd's sister, Louvon Harris, sent an angry letter of protest to Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine. Staples spoke out against Ellis' version of the hate crimes bill during his speech on the Senate floor earlier this week. You told my mother that you wanted to vote for the bill. Then you argued against it on the Senate floor the next day. You called it an empty promise.