Senate Sketches # 1220

Senate Sketches # 1220

by

Senator Hank Sanders

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“I heard if the Republicans win the election, their first act of business was going to be sending this monkey back to his cage …”  These words were posted on a web site (ala.com) in response to a robo ad I sent.   There is a mean spirit on the loose.

I am a history buff of sorts.  I have pondered how the meanest of spirits are sometimes unleashed when people become fearful.  The meanness is most often directed at those on the bottom of the totem pole, but the least responsible for the situation that gives rise to the fear.  When the Great Recession hit three years ago, a lot of people became scared.  People are scared of losing everything for which they have worked.  They are scared for themselves, their children, and their children’s children.  They are scared for the present and scared for the future.  Fear is on the loose, putting meanness on the loose as well.

I referred to this mean spirit in one of my robo calls.  In response to this spirit, I said, “Hell no, I am not going back to cotton fields and Jim Crow days!”  That apparently incensed the above mentioned person.  It is not enough for him to take me back to Jim Crow days but he wants to take me back to a monkey cage, a place neither me nor my ancestors inhabited.  This response is symptomatic of the mean spirit now on the loose.

I am not surprised that someone would refer to me in monkey terms.  After all, they regularly refer to the President in monkey terms.  They even create pictures with his face on a monkey’s body.  It reflects the mean spirit on the loose and, in my opinion, race is very much a part of it.  President Obama has received five times more death threats than any President of this country in a similar time frame.

The Republican Party attacked and twisted my robo ad.  They said I was “race baiting.”  Their response proved my point.  In their minds, I am not permitted to even say “I am not going back” to such days.  On the other hand, the Tea Party constantly says they are going to “take the country back.”  It’s acceptable for them to say they are going to “take the country back” but it is unacceptable for me to say “I ain’t going back.”  I have not heard Republican Party leaders say one word about the Tea Party mantra. There is a mean spirit on the loose.

Each time I see the statement, “Take our country back,” I perceive a double meaning.  One meaning is to “take the country back” to the so called “good old days.”  These “good old days” were not so good for a whole lot of us for they meant:  not being able to vote; being in constant terror of violating some unwritten rule that would bring on a vicious attack; being powerless; constant reminders of our lowly status by signs and words and facial expressions; limitations on where we could and could not go; and third class citizenship in every way.  Since we African Americans were the last ones to achieve full citizenship, “take the country back” means taking us back to that oppressed condition.

The other meaning of “take our country back” is equally offensive.  Take the country back from whom?  We have an African American President but he does not “have” this country.  Does “take our country back” mean stopping some of us from voting?  Does “take our country back” mean that it will be theirs exclusively rather than ours collectively?  Whatever it means, for many American citizens it does not mean anything good.  There is a mean spirit on the loose.

The Republican Party, while accusing me of race baiting, is actually the one race baiting.  One of the new tricks being widely employed is to accuse those fighting racism of being racists.  I have worked all my life to include those left out, to lift those beaten down, and to give hope to all.  I do not intend to back up one inch from my life long commitment and work.

I did not seek out the media concerning the robo ad.  I would rather not have talked with them.  However, when the media sought me out, I decided I would talk directly with each.  When people, including reporters, don’t have the facts, they too often assume the worst.

The robo ad I recorded does not mention any individuals by name that made me “mad as hell.”  This is not about individuals but the growing spirit of meanness that we must stand up to and fight.  And a strong vote for people who include everyone is the best way to stop that spirit.  If we do not stop it by such voting, we will have to stop it in other more challenging ways.  There is a mean spirit on the loose.

Some media wanted me to back up from my statement in the robo ad.  I would not back up one iota.  I will not back up.  I said what I meant and meant what I said.  When Representative Robert Bentley, the Republican nominee for Governor, issued a statement calling on me to apologize, I said emphatically that I would not apologize.  I cannot apologize because I stand by every word:  I will not go back and I hope others will take a stand, refuse to go back and go forward.  We do not diminish such a mean spirit by being quiet.  We diminish it by fighting back.  I intend to fight back.

Now on to the Daily Diary.

Saturday – I worked on many matters, the election in particular:  writing, talking in person, talking on the phone, etc.  Among the many I talked with are the following:  Sam Walker of the Dallas County Chapter of Alabama New South Coalition (ANSC); Lester Brown and Dr. Carol P. Zippert of the Greene County ANSC Chapter; Senator Vivian Davis Figures of Mobile; Catrena Norris Carter of Birmingham; and Cathy Moore of Wallace Community College Selma (WCCS).  I worked into the night until I learned that Faya Rose had been involved in an auto accident in Birmingham.  She is alright except for soreness and such.  I prepared to go to Birmingham but didn’t have to.

Sunday – I did Radio Sunday School with Dr. Margaret Hardy, Radio Education with Perry County School Superintendent John Heard, and Sunday Review.  I participated in Sunday School before sharing Sunday Dinner with Dr. Fannie McKenzie where we talked about education.  I then traveled to Birmingham where I met with Catrena Carter and Faya Rose Toure’ about the election and on to Huntsville to speak at the Alabama Community College Presidents meeting.  I also talked with many others:  Pearlie Cook of Georgia; Dr. Douglas Chambers of Ingram State Technical College; Dr. James Mitchell, President of the Alabama Association of Community College Presidents; Dr. Frieda H. Hill, Chancellor of Two Year Colleges; Joan Davis of the Two Year College System; State School Board Members  Dr. Mary Jane Kaylor and Ella Bell; Dr. Helen McAlpine, President of Drake Technical College; Judy Merrit, President of Jefferson State Community College; and Dr. Perry Ward, President of Lawson State Community College.  I also attended a reception where I talked with many other community college leaders.

Monday – I was still in Huntsville where I discussed issues over breakfast with Community College leaders.  I attended one session of the conference where Dr. Paul Hubbert spoke and another where Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Ron Sparks spoke before returning to Selma.  I talked with the following:  Dr. Paul Hubbert of the Alabama Education Association (AEA); Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Ron Sparks; Eric Duster of Birmingham; Ezell Smith of Tallapoosa County; Sharon Calhoun of Montgomery whose mother is in the hospital; Dr. Roberta Watts and Roger Watts of ANSC; and Susan Price of  the Two Year College System.  I did a radio program in Birmingham and worked into the night.

Tuesday – I had breakfast with businessman Jim Hodo and met with Wayne Vardaman of the Selma Centre for Commerce.  I talked with the following:  Lobbyist Greg Jones; Ollion (Trell) Wright of Missouri; Dr. David Jones, former School Superintendent; Charles Watson of Selma; David Stout of AEA; and Don Chamberlain, Seventh District Congressional Candidate.  I finished Sketches and handled various other matters before traveling to Panola (Sumter County), AL where I spoke and returned to Selma.  I stopped briefly in Eutaw at the Greene County Democrat to talk with John Zippert and Dr. Carol P. Zippert.

Wednesday – I talked with the following:  Consultants Rick Heartsill and Collier Craft; Laura Fenton of the Selma Times Journal Newspaper; Corey Jones of the Perry County School System; Bill Kendricks of Hale County; Lowndes County Sheriff Charlie Williams; Margaret Fails of Selma; Franklin Fortier of Z105.3 Radio Station; Joyce Bigbee of the Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO); Joe Jackson of Nashville; Ginger Avery Buckner of the Alabama Association for Justice; Gloria Pompey of Selma; and Ardie Dial of Jackson State University.  I handled many matters including the writing of several robo ads.

Thursday – I talked with the following:  Shawanda Armstead; Ed Moore King of Lowndes County; John Lovett of Selma/Montgomery; Deborah Anthony of the Legislative Reference Service (LRS); Frank Jenkins of Montgomery; and Floyd Tolbert of Selma.  I wrote seven robo ads.  I traveled to Greene County where I talked with the following:  School Board Members Elzora Fluker, Leo Branch, and Morris Hardy.  I returned to Selma and participated in a 9 p.m. Twenty First Century Youth Leadership Movement (21C) conference call.

Friday – I had a working breakfast with Dr. James Mitchell, Ola Morrow, and Rita Lett about the Jubilee Unity Breakfast.  I talked with the following:  Dave White of the Birmingham News; Clarke County Commissioner Tyrone Moye; and TV reporters in Selma, Montgomery, Birmingham and Mobile.  I handled many matters, recorded seven robo calls, had lunch with Dallas County Probate Judge Kim Ballard, and worked into the night.

EPILOGUE – Logic takes us only so far.  Reason takes us only so far.  Sometimes we perceive beyond logic and reason.  When we know, we must speak even if others do not immediately receive it.

NOTE: Sen. Hank Sanders (D – Selma) has written weekly columns for papers in his legislative district for over twenty years. They are not available online from the rural, weekly papers which publish them. This column is provided by Sen. Sanders’ office to Doc’s Political Parlor for inclusion in the Daily Headlines.