Just because something was socially acceptable didn't make it right. It's not like alternative views to Thurmond's didnt exist either, because there were white abolitionists dating back to 75 years before Thurmond was born. And we couldn't expect much from him when he was functional (notice that I use this term loosely in this case), as he was never a very good senator or person. Rumor from Washington was that for the last 3 or 4 years Thurmond was in office, Thurmond's hearing wasn't even good enough to hear the topic on the senate floor, so his aides transcribed the important parts and told him what to say later. The fact that the people of South Carolina voted him in so many times defies reason? and really worries me