I have been a Democrat even before I knew that I was. You may think that sounds kinda stupid, but…I grew up during a time when you had to register to vote and choose your Party. You also had to be 21 years old. I was always politically interested in what was going on. Growing up in the 60’s was a great time to be an open minded Liberal with the Civil Rights Movement busting wide open, especially here in Alabama. The Vietnam War was going strong, and not all of us were fans. The only voice we had was VOTE! I could not wait. I thought this was the coolest thing ever!!!
I arrived at my parents’ house that Saturday morning, and Daddy was sitting in his recliner watching the Braves game. I said to him, “Daddy, I can go register to vote.” He said, “Yes, you sure can. So, how are you going to register?” I said, “What do you mean?” He said, “You have to register as a Republican, Democrat, or Independent.” I said, “What difference does it make?” He said, “It makes a lot of difference.” I said, “Well, fine. What are you?” He said, “I’m a Republican.” I said, “Okay, I’ll be a Republican too.” He sat his tea glass down on the end table and said, “Girl, go get in the car.”
We went down to the Winfield Public Library, and Daddy said good morning to Mrs. Moore, asked her, “Can you give Lynda Ann a book on the political parties?” Mrs. Moore came back with four books, and I checked them out.
I got back home, and my husband, Gerald, was getting ready to leave for work. I said, “Daddy took me to the library and got me these books. I am not reading this boring crap.” Gerald left around 2 p.m. for 3M, and I made myself a glass of iced tea and started thumbing through the books. I was mesmerized!! OMG, why didn’t they teach us this in school? The next thing I know, here comes Gerald through the door, and I had sat there over eight hours reading “this boring stuff.” I was hooked.
I read all four of those books and returned to my parents’ house the next week. I said, “Daddy, I read those books, and I’m ready to go register to vote.” He said, “Okay, we’ll go first thing Monday morning. So, what Party are you?” I said, “I’m a DEMOCRAT!” Daddy laughed and said, “Oh yes, I knew that. I just wanted YOU to know that.” He knew that, alright, after years of my rebellion against the Vietnam War, when he had to go to Birmingham and get me for protesting, and we all got picked up by the police. He knew it from driving to Meridian, MS, to pick me up from marching for Civil Rights. He knew from picking me up in Montgomery for burning our bras for Women’s Rights. You see, back when I was a teenager, we didn’t have Juvenile Detention, or I would have lived there.
I knew that I was a Democrat because we believed in equality for all. I found out early on that I was a feminist and that women deserved equal pay and equal opportunities. I believed with all my heart that Dr. King was right and we should be judged by our character and not the color of our skin. I truly felt with all my soul that being an American was the greatest thing that I could ever be. I looked up to our Veterans as my heroes and admired their courage and commitment. I had two parents who worked hard to provide me with a good life, and I respected them for it. They taught me that there was no shame in a blue-collar job like my Daddy or being a waitress like my Mama. I was and still am proud of where I came from.
One of the best lessons that I learned from being raised by a Republican Daddy and a Democratic Mama was that we can disagree on certain things in this world and do it with respect for one another. I always believed that until Donald Trump came down from his golden tower and said that he wanted to be my president. From that day on, I have watched my country become a different place.
I saw my country come together the day they murdered my president in broad daylight in Dallas, Texas. I saw it when Dr. King was murdered, and Robert Kennedy was shot dead. I saw it when the Twin Towers came down, and thousands of my fellow Americans died for no reason. When those bodies were being pulled from the ruins, it didn’t matter what color their skin was or if they were Democrats or Republicans or which God they worshiped. We were all Americans that day.
It brings us here to where we are today. Since Trump opened his door to allow the racist, bigot permission for cults like the Proud Boys and all of his red hat-wearing MAGA followers to be given their green light to be total assholes. We saw all the proof of that on January 6th when our Capitol was brutally attacked by ordinary people who were programmed to believe the lies that Trump kept spewing out of his little round lying mouth. For the first time in history, we had a president who preached hate and violence against our own fellow Americans. The hallowed and sacred halls of our justice system, where legends had walked, were violated by a mob of haters who, like little lab rats following Trump down his hole of hate. To no surprise of mine, he later opened the doors of our prisons and gave them all unconditional freedom. This was a disgusting time in our history.
Today, I am still a Democrat, although at times, I do not recognize the Party that I have always paid my loyalty to. Our State Party is divided by the Jim Crow of an era I had hoped was gone. The division is unmistakable. The leadership now promotes a lot of the doubts that linger in all of our minds and hearts of what the hell is going on?
In this election, we have violations on both sides. The Republican Party Chairman, John Wahl, admitted to voting in TWO different states, Tennessee and Alabama, with a fake ID. The Attorney General of Alabama, Steve Marshall, knew it and didn’t charge his fellow Republican with the felony that he had committed. Now, Wahl is an illegal candidate for Lt. Governor of Alabama.
Tommy Tuberville is not qualified to run for Governor of Alabama, and any half-wit person with a fifth-grade education knows it. His track record traces him from Auburn, Alabama, to Texas, to Ohio, to his home in Florida. Guess what? He is on the ballot and raking in money like the bandit he is.
Then here we come, the good ole Democrats who cannot dare throw rocks at a glass house. Kyle Sweetser made his name famous at the DNC, admitting that he is a Republican endorsing Harris for President. The Bylaws of the Alabama Democratic Party are clear that to qualify to run for the United States Senate, you must have been an active Democrat for a minimum of four years, that include not voting against a Democrat or contributing to a candidate’s campaign against a Democrat. Sweetser fails to meet these requirements. He was approved by Chairman Randy Kelley of the Alabama Democratic Party and is illegally on the ballot.
This is only the beginning of the hot mess this has become. We have a Party who acts as if we have only ONE Democratic candidate for Governor, and that is Doug Jones. But we have other candidates on this ballot, and one of them is Dr. Will Boyd. Those of us who have a great respect for Dr. Will Boyd know beyond a doubt that he would be the best Governor Alabama could have since Gov. Don Siegelman. But…..Dr. Boyd is “Black”! Here in Alabama, not all of us took Dr. King seriously when he said that a man should be judged by his character and not the color of his skin. The best president in my lifetime was an unknown junior Congressman with a funny name and black skin known as Barack Obama. One of the most devoted men to this country in American politics was John Lewis, another “black man” who stood for dignity and integrity. Dr. Boyd is all of these and more. But…he’s a “Black man.” Where else in this country would be a better place to put the Jim Crow ideas to rest than in Alabama?
All we hear is Doug Jones….Doug Jones….Doug Jones. Before you come to burn your cross on my lawn, let me say that I have nothing personal against the former Senator. I did not like a lot of his voting choices when he was in the Senate. I don’t favor some of the things that he says today; however, I know that Doug Jones is a good man. And he’s White. We cannot ignore that fact, and that this is one reason why he is getting so much more media attention than the other candidates. He also has name recognition. There is a lot to say about the former Senator’s achievements as a Prosecutor when he was practicing law.
The division comes when I have fellow Democrats talk to me like I am a bastard at a family reunion when I say that I do not support Doug Jones’ candidacy. I have a good friend who is also running for Governor. Her name is Yolanda Flowers, who just so happens to be a “Black woman”! Heaven forbid if we were to elect a Black Woman as Governor of Alabama! Hell would surely freeze over!!! She is certainly qualified and would make a great leader of this State. Did you even know that she is on the ballot?
It has come down to if you are not on the Jones Train, you are an enemy of the people!! “You are dividing our Party” is what I have been accused of because I don’t ride the Jones Train. We must “go along to get along,” but that has never been my way of doing things.
We have the freedom, for now, to make our own choices in voting. We have the privilege of vetting our candidates and choosing the one who we think would be our best choice. What we do not have is the respect for that freedom to choose and stand together behind our candidates, if they are qualified to run in the first place, and not use the color of their skin, but judge them by the content of their character. I believe if Doug Jones wins this nomination, Tuberville will be our next Governor. That thought kinda makes me ill.
Lynda Kirkpatrick
Marion County Democratic Party Chair
House District 17 Representative SDEC
*The contents of this article do not reflect the opinions of the Marion County Democratic Party