Discussion for article #233083
"Iâm trying to move this state forward."Leaving aside the sincereness of this statement, itâs quite clear the people of Alabama do not want to follow.
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Sometimes regressives have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the presentâŚ
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Seems to me more a case of certain âleadersâ not wanting the people to follow because it undermines their moral authority, which diminishes every time a class of citizens has its officially sanctioned stigma lifted.
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Politics aside, hereâs to hoping Alabama truly does move forward (in the here and now, that is).
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Shorter Bentley âWeâre going to âwalk in placeâ like Marcel Marceau and sincerely hope nobody will call us out on it.â
Roy Moore was elected by the people, not forced on Alabamians from above. They chose him.
Also in 2000 40% of the voters in Alabama voted to not remove the section of the state constitution banning interracial marriage. So itâs certainly not just the leaders.
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Most of us just move away for a better life.
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You tell 'em, Governor! When we hear the word âprogress,â Alabama is the FIRST thing that comes to mind.
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Well, yes. I hear that Alabama is a lovely place, but itâs never exactly been the forefront of progress.
However, Alabama didnât have SSM last week and now it does.
Furthermore, the governor (if not the state chief justice)âa Republican, no lessâhas the sense to recognize that fighting SSM is not only a waste of the AGâs time and the stateâs money, but will reflect poorly on his state.
And:
âAlso in 2000 40% of the voters in Alabama voted to not remove the section of the state constitution banning interracial marriage.â
That was 15 years ago.
Alabama may not be a bastion of enlightened thought, but gay and lesbian Alabamans got married there yesterday.
Cultures may change slowly, but they do change.
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And yet still 50 years after the civil rights movement. 15 years is not that long ago for people over 30. Do you really think that opinions have changed there in 15 years? Thatâs some pretty slow change! While yes cultures may change and homsexuals as of yesterday can now get married (in some parts) itâs not because their culture supports it (Hell most of the counties are denying to marry anyone now). No, Itâs because once again we have to use the rule of law to stop the bigots in Alabama from proudly discriminating against people.
As Talibaptist said we have to drag them " kicking and screaming into the present". But theyâll still be kicking and screaming over the past.
Also the governor is not taking a position that gay marriage is O.k. just that he doesnât want to be the next Wallace. Not really a high bar there.
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True. I suspect there are more than a few citizens of Alabama who regret that they can no longer own slaves.
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Isnât this Gov completely anti-Obamacare too? He knows heâs beat but that doesnât change whatâs in his gut.
Moving Alabama forward is the equivalent of rolling boulders uphill. The state is actually dead in its tracks, the Union is moving forward and dragging them along however unwillingly.
The south will only rise if the north lifts them up.
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Well said. Thanks.
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He also is taking the position that federal law is the law of the land and he doesnât want to rebel, but to proceed only legally. Which is certainly progress for Alabama.
I suspect I go back a good bit further than you do (just cuz Iâm older than dirt). Yes, opinions have changed, just not enough of them to tip the balance yet about SSM, especially in some places. Heck, even after 50 years racism is fighting a huge rear-guard battle. Yet it is now rear-guard and will lose. Eventually. SSM wonât take as long; itâs a done deal already, all over but the shouting matches. Even unconverted states will soon find they canât function as part of the union without SSM being legal, even if the SCOTUS doesnât force their hands. Who remembers clearly when mixed-race marriages were anathema and totally illegal and severely punished, their children ostracized? Thatâs a done deal long ago, and general acceptance has grown enormously as well. Pot wonât take as long now either; itâs on a huge roll. Abortion? Round and round we go⌠but I suspect each iteration is actually firming up the foundations of choice in the long run. Still, like racism, because both have atavistic and religious roots, it will take a good bit longer.
50 years is only a couple of generations. As much as it matters to individuals who live today, it will be just a brief glitch in history in a couple hundred years, assuming weâre still around by then. Climate change isnât waiting for the usual cycles of human recalcitrance.
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Older than dirt maybe but also much, much wiser ; )
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Um, if Scotus doesnât rule at all, perhaps the split court situation could stand, but once they granted cert, that ship sailed. If the SCOTUS does not for the 6th Circuitâs hand (ie, Alabama) then they will be overturning the rulings in all other circuits and SSM will disappear in the states where it wasnât enacted at the ballot box.
I agree with you that there is a fundamental demographic shift underway to newer, younger voters who are neither homophobic, nor pot-phobic and that the culture wars are now settled, itâs just a matter of time. But if the SCOTUS doesnât force the 6thâs hand, the âuncoverted statesâ will be in the majority again, and the pressure and pace will be much, much more gradual.
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If more politicians considered how history will judge them, as Gov. Bentley has, weâd have more responsible representation.
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In nearly all the forced-conversion states, even if SCOTUS overturns those decisions, there are a great people who have entered SSMâs, plus their families and friends. I donât think you can put that egg back in the shell, nor can you put the state into an isolation ward, so the pressure to legitimize it in-state will be enormous. Even those recently âturnedâ will have to face up to it soon because of so many people nationwide in that situation. And because of the rapidly changing public attitudes. Theyâve lost. Period. âThe Peopleâ have accepted a redefinition of SSM as a civil right. Those who have not are left flailing and railing but less and less effective and influential. The laws will follow if they donât continue to lead. And I didnât say, and donât think, that itâs due to newer younger voters (most of whom arenât voting anyway, yet). IMO itâs due to gradual enlightenment, communication saturation, the dissemination of more and more personal stories, etc. so that gays, pot users, etc. are less and less âthe otherâ and more and more âsome of usâ. Agonizingly slow, but happening.
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Um, thank youâI think. Thatâs a low bar so I guess I can manage it. LOL
Dunno about wisdom, but lots of experience. 