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'''Jesse Helms''' (born Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., October 18, 1921, d. July 4, 2008) was a five-time [[Republican]] [[U.S. Senator|senator]] from [[North Carolina]].<ref name="bioguide.congress.gov">http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000463</ref> Helms, throughout his tenure as United States Senator was known for his [[conservative]] principles, including his support for a strong defense, individual rights, the oppressed, and support for freedom. Like most conservative politicians who eschew political correctness, Helms was frequently the target of mainstream [[media bias]], despite his former career in the media.<ref name="jessehelmscenter.org">http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/jessehelms/biography.asp</ref> Helms was a staunch advocate for equality under law, but due to his Southern background and incorrect party affiliation, his positions were misrepresented through typically biased reporting.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080609062721/http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/jessehelms/fictionortruth.asp Fiction or Truth: Correcting myths about Senator Helms]</ref> However, Helms opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.<ref>[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-07-04-3453838024_x.htm Jesse Helms: Polarizer, not a compromiser], [[USA Today]]</ref> Helms also opposed extending the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Reagan called Helms a "lionhearted leader of a great and growing army."<ref>[http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/1755723/ Conservative icon Jesse Helms dead at 86]</ref>

'''Jesse Helms''' (born Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., October 18, 1921, d. July 4, 2008) was a five-time [[Republican]] [[U.S. Senator|senator]] from [[North Carolina]].<ref name="bioguide.congress.gov">http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000463</ref> Helms, throughout his tenure as United States Senator was known for his [[conservative]] principles, including his support for a strong defense, individual rights, the oppressed, and support for freedom. Like most conservative politicians who eschew political correctness, Helms was frequently the target of mainstream [[media bias]], despite his former career in the media.<ref name="jessehelmscenter.org">http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/jessehelms/biography.asp</ref> Helms was a staunch advocate for equality under law, but due to his Southern background and incorrect party affiliation, his positions were misrepresented through typically biased reporting.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080609062721/http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/jessehelms/fictionortruth.asp Fiction or Truth: Correcting myths about Senator Helms]</ref> However, Helms opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.<ref>[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-07-04-3453838024_x.htm Jesse Helms: Polarizer, not a compromiser], [[USA Today]]</ref> Helms also opposed extending the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Reagan called Helms a "lionhearted leader of a great and growing army."<ref>[http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/1755723/ Conservative icon Jesse Helms dead at 86]</ref>

Frequently Helms was the target of massive, heavily funded [[liberal]] efforts to defeat him at reelection, and every time Helms crushed the liberals and won handily. In 1990, a weak election year for [[Republicans]], polls just prior to the election suggested that his [[liberal]] African American opponent Harvey Gantt would prevail. Helms ran a final advertisement that became famous as the "hands" ad, showing a white pair of hands and a voice complaining that he lost a job opportunity due to [[affirmative action]], which his opponent supported.<ref name=npr>The voice in the ad stated, "You needed that job and you were the best qualified, but they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota. Is that really fair? Harvey Gantt says it is."[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92241325&ft=1&f=1003 Longtime Sen. Jesse Helms Was Conservative Purist], [[NPR]]</ref> The [[liberal]] press accused Helms of injecting race into the campaign, to which he responded:<ref name=npr />

Frequently Helms was the target of massive, heavily funded [[liberal]] efforts to defeat him at reelection, and every time Helms crushed the liberals and won handily. In 1990, a weak election year for [[Republicans]], polls just prior to the election suggested that his [[liberal]] African American opponent Harvey Gantt would prevail. Helms ran a final advertisement that became famous as the "hands" ad, showing a white pair of hands and a voice complaining that he lost a job opportunity due to [[affirmative action]], which his opponent supported.<ref name=npr>The voice in the ad stated, "You needed that job and you were the best qualified, but they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota. Is that really fair? Harvey Gantt says it is."[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92241325&ft=1&f=1003 Longtime Sen. Jesse Helms Was Conservative Purist], [[NPR]]</ref> The [[liberal]] press accused Helms of injecting race into the campaign, to which he responded:<ref name=npr />

:"Absolutely not. What am I supposed to do? Ignore everything that involves a black man? That would make me speechless in this campaign, and Mr. Gantt knows how to dish it out but he can't take it."

:"Absolutely not. What am I supposed to do? Ignore everything that involves a black man? That would make me speechless in this campaign, and Mr. Gantt knows how to dish it out but he can't take it."

While Helms might be called an Internationalist, his support can be understood more in terms of Western military alliances that strengthened US Security such as [[NATO]] as opposed to organizations such as the [[UN]].<ref>http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/jessehelms/fictionortruth.asp#fic1</ref>

While Helms might be called an Internationalist, his support can be understood more in terms of Western military alliances that strengthened US Security such as [[NATO]] as opposed to organizations such as the [[UN]].<ref>http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/jessehelms/fictionortruth.asp#fic1</ref>

Helms died at age 86 of natural causes on the [[Fourth of July]], 2008, in [[Raleigh]].<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/2008/07/05/former-north-carolina-sen-jesse-helms-dies-at-86.html Former North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms Dies at 86], [[Fox News]]</ref>

Helms died at age 86 of natural causes on the [[Fourth of July]], 2008, in [[Raleigh]].<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/story/2008/07/05/former-north-carolina-sen-jesse-helms-dies-at-86.html Former North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms Dies at 86], [[Fox News]]</ref>

== Early life ==

== Early life ==

=== Religious Freedom Restoration Act ===

=== Religious Freedom Restoration Act ===

In 1993, the RFRA was introduced and passed the senate by a vote of 97-3.<ref>[http://www.nationalreview.com/article/291310/church-and-rfra-brian-bolduc The Church and the RFRA], [[National Review]]</ref>  Helms was one of the three votes against the bill at the time, and for specific reasons which are usually not mentioned<ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/01/everybody-s-lost-their-goddamn-mind-over-religious-freedom.html]</ref>

In 1993, the RFRA was introduced and passed the senate by a vote of 97-3.<ref>[https://www.nationalreview.com/article/291310/church-and-rfra-brian-bolduc The Church and the RFRA], [[National Review]]</ref>  Helms was one of the three votes against the bill at the time, and for specific reasons which are usually not mentioned<ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/01/everybody-s-lost-their-goddamn-mind-over-religious-freedom.html]</ref>

Helms noted:

Helms noted: