Alabama Politics in
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NOTE: Sen. Hank Sanders has written a weekly column for papers in his legislative district for the past twenty years. These rural, weekly papers lack a web presence, and links to the columns are not typically otherwise available. The column below is provided by Sen. Sanders’ office for inclusion in the Daily News Digest.

Senate Sketches # 1097

By

Senator Hank Sanders

**********************

“Daddy, I did not ask you because I did not want to get my hopes up and be disappointed.” This was my daughter Ainka’s response to my question of why she did not ask me to come to her swearing in ceremony. “When we are in public service, our lives are not our own,” was my unspoken thought. I struggled to make my family a priority for just one day.

As I drove the three (300) miles to Nashville, TN on Monday night, I was very thankful, deeply concerned and profoundly pained. I was thankful that I would be with my family on an important occasion. I was concerned that it was so difficult to achieve. I was pained because my daughter had refused to ask me to come to the ceremony for fear of rejection.

Ainka was being sworn in to practice law in Tennessee. It was important so her friends and family gathered. I was not asked to come, but I was determined to go because it’s an important milestone. I was more determined because of guilt.

Last year, Ainka graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School. I was determined to go to her graduation. All her family and friends were gathering. Her grandmother literally got out of the hospital to go. Then the Senate went crazy and adjourned for lack of a quorum, automatically bringing us back on the Friday of the graduation. We almost never meet on Friday so I struggled mightily but everything was a matter of one vote. I did not go to my child’s graduation.

I called Ainka and explained. She told me it was alright; she said that I had always been there for her; she convinced me that she understood. I eventually learned that it was not alright; that she didn’t feel that I was not always there for her; that she didn’t understand. How can anyone understand our lives are not our own when we are in public service?

I wrote about that painful experience in Sketches # 1041. Ainka, however, refused to read it until a week ago, more than a year later. She told me that she had finally read it. There was a special joy in her voice. I knew she finally understood. Our lives are not our own. Our service comes before our families.

I was scheduled for double knee surgery in early November. My blood platelets were low so I could not have the surgery. I needed at least eight weeks before the session. I put it off until late May because the 2008 Regular Legislative Session would start February 5^th. We also put our service before ourselves, even our health.

The Legislature failed to pass an education budget in the Regular Legislative Session which ended on May 19^th. I did not hesitate to reschedule the May 27^th surgery even though it had been put off before. I scheduled it for June 9^th, in the hopes that we would be through with the Special Session.

Senator Bobby Denton’s back surgery was scheduled for May 19^th, the last day of the legislative session. He had put it off until he could not put it off again. Still he put the surgery off again when he learned that his vote may be crucial on that last day. He has since had three operations. Our lives are not our own.

Senator Larry Means was scheduled for hip replacement surgery. He scheduled it after the Regular Session. Then we had a special session. He rescheduled it again so he could be there for critical votes. Our lives are not our own.

As I drove to Nashville, I reviewed the challenges I had overcome just to spend one day with my family on a special occasion. I had a criminal case scheduled in Clarke County for that Tuesday. It had been continued several times because of the Regular Legislative Session. I was not sure the court would give me another continuance. Yet, I knew I was going to Ainka’s Swearing In Ceremony whatever the consequences.

Then I was scheduled to go to Washington, D.C. on a mater involving the Black farmers. It was the last opportunity to impact this matter before the surgery. I worked to get it set for the latter part of the week so I could fly up on Wednesday to be present for a series of meetings beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday.

I was also involved in a matter in Federal Court. The judge would not continue it even for us to attend our daughter’s swearing in. I had gone back and forth with his clerk on Monday all to no avail. Yet, on Monday night I was on my way to Nashville with the matter still unresolved.

There were other crises bearing down on me. I was caught in the crunch between the recent legislative sessions and the looming knee operations. So much had been put off. Still, I made it to Ainka’s Swearing In. I am just glad I was able to do so. She was glad, too. Our lives are not our own, but sometimes our lives must at least be our family.

Now on to the Daily Diary.

Saturday - I hoped this would be the last day of the Special Session. I was at my office before 6:00 a.m. working on several matters before driving the 50 miles to Montgomery for an 8:00 a.m. Senate Democratic Caucus meeting and a 9:00 a.m. Senate Session. I also participated in three other meetings in that hour. I left the Caucus meeting to meet with Representative John Knight, Chair of the House General Fund Budget Committee, and then with Dr. Paul Hubbert of the Alabama Education Association (AEA), and a third with Representative Richard Lindsey, Chair of the House Education Budget Committee. I was involved in negotiations all during the day’s session. The Education budget passed the House and so did a version of the Rainy Day Education Fund, which was killed in the Senate two days earlier. I talked with other Senate and House members including Representative Richard Lindsey and Representative John Knight, and Joyce Bigbee on multiple occasions. As soon as the session ended, I took out for Selma to participate in the Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) Grant Awards Ceremony where I shared with a large group from across the Alabama Black Belt. Among those I talked with were the following: Arzula Johnson of Wilcox County; Demopolis Mayor Cecil Williamson; Dr. Carol P. Zippert and Felecia Jones of BBCF. I worked into the night.

Sunday - I did Radio Sunday School with Dr. Margaret Hardy and Radio Education with Perry County Superintendent John Heard. I participated in Sunday School before traveling to Brent for the funeral of Willie Mae Whitsey, mother-in-law to my brother, Charles. I returned to Selma to meet with Representative John Knight, Acting President of Alabama State University. I worked into the night on Sketches and other matters.

Monday - I completed Sketches and communicated with the following: Lorraine Capers of Selma; Dr. Roberta Watts of Gadsden; Khadijah Ishaq of Selma; Gloria Pompey of Selma; Lowndes County Administrator Jackie Thomas; Judge Marvin Wiggins and his wife, Zena Wiggins; Lester Brown of Greene County; Youlanda Curtis of Washington County; and Dr. I. B. Hopson of Selma. I had lunch with Dr. James Mitchell of Wallace Community College Selma (WCCS). I had intense struggles on many fronts before traveling to Nashville, TN and arriving well after midnight.

Tuesday - I spent the day in Nashville, arriving back in Selma well after midnight. We attended Ainka’s Swearing In Ceremony and shared lunch with her friends. I was often on the phone handling various matters including the matter in Federal court. That night I received election reports from the following as I drove back to Selma: Dr. Carol P. Zippert and Lester Brown of Greene County; Collins Pettaway, Jr. of Dallas County; and Sharon Wheeler of Montgomery. I also communicated with the following: Sophia Bracey Harris whose husband died; Greene County Board member Elzora Fluker; and Leo Branch; and Bobbie Morgan.

Wednesday - I handled many matters before driving to Birmingham and flying to Baltimore, and traveling by car to Washington, D.C., arriving well after midnight. I shared lunch with Jason Davis and others of Alabama Power Company and talked with the following: Joyce Bigbee of the Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO); Billy Atchison of Alabama Power Company; Reporter Dave White of the Birmingham News; and Dr. Ernest Okeke of Selma.

Thursday - I was in Washington, D.C. all day for a series of meetings concerning newly passed Black Farmers legislation. I had five (5) meetings starting at 8:00 a.m. I returned to Selma by way of Baltimore and Birmingham.

Friday - I began writing Sketches early and I talked with the following: Gulla Gaines Sanders of West Blocton; Billy Atchison of Alabama Power Company; Sharon Calhoun of Montgomery; and Joyce Bigbee of LFO. I spent the day trying to move the mountains of crises that gathered driving my intense legislative service.

EPILOGUE - I am at peace sacrificing myself for to serve. I am alright sacrificing my friends to serve. There is no peace when I sacrifice my family, especially my children. Yet, family is usually the first to be sacrificed.

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