Since August 2017, after moving back to Alabama from living in beautiful North Carolina for over twenty-six years, one of the first things that I did was look up Susan Cobb, who was at that time Chair of the Marion County Democratic Party. She invited me to the next meeting, and I was there with bells on! I immediately fell in love with these people. Susan is one of the sweetest people on earth, and Rector Johnson, who was the Vice Chair, made a BIG impression on me. I met the awesome Carroll Hughes for the first time and the incredible Beverly Berry, who is the best club secretary EVER!!! I knew that I had found my people!!!!
I jumped in with both feet. I started researching my District 4 Representatives, and that is where I found Robert Aderholt. Since that time, I have stalked this man, followed his voting record, and made it my personal mission to expose this man for the failure he is. I wrote to him to remind him that he represented one of the poorest Districts in Alabama. Why was he not working to help those who needed it? Why was he devoting so much of his time to The Fellowship, an organization of rich men, and traveling all over Europe asking for the death penalty for LGBTQ+? Why was he not in our schools to see that they do not have up-to-date computer labs, and why are our teachers having to spend money out of their pockets for supplies to teach our children? Why was he not down in Lamar County pushing to get those folks a hospital? Why was he not showing up at places where he needed to be, talking to people whom he represented? Most of all, why was Robert Aderholt voting against the people in District 4 who elected him to put Bills on the floor to improve our way of life? Where was he when Bills were on the floor to provide for our Veterans? Aderholt was voting NO! Where was he when bills were put on the floor to improve healthcare for women? Aderholt was voting NO! Where was he when the Republicans were trying to privatize Social Security, cut Medicare, and Medicaid? Aderholt was right there with them! When was he when over twenty million Americans lost their healthcare? Aderholt voted for it!!
For almost nine years now, I have been sending out emails, begging newspapers to print my articles, and going to every mic that would allow me to speak to tell voters who Robert Aderholt really is. Have any of you been listening? Have any of you bothered to go to a Democratic Party meeting? Have any of you taken the time to drive down to your precinct and vote? Yes, so many of you have, but too many of you have not.
I have other Democrats asking me the same questions that I ask myself every day…..what more can I do….how do we reach the voters….do they not see what is happening to our country….why will they not VOTE? Do they not believe me? Do they not care?
It blows my mind to go to Walmart and see these old white men with their gray hair and walking canes wearing that ugly red hat! I want to stop and ask, “Really?” Some of my best friends, whom I have known all my life, are supporting the platform that would cut off their very existence. When you are living on a fixed income, depending on food stamps and rental assistance to survive, please tell me why you would vote for a candidate who is openly telling you, “We are cutting you off”?
The “Christians.” God bless ’em! Church in Alabama is more of a social event than a place to gather and praise our Lord. Mixed marriages in Alabama are not the Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, or Native Americans who marry each other. It’s if the Baptist dares to marry a Catholic or a Jew! Where do they come up with this bigoted idea that they are the only ones going to heaven? The preachers use their pulpits to tell their lies that if their church members vote for a Democrat, “You’re going to hell.” Don’t tell me that it is not happening. I have been there, heard it, and walked out of the church.
My favorite Democrats are those of you who are so intimidated by the loudmouth MAGAs who tell you how stupid you are and nothing you believe in is the truth, and if you so much as think about voting for a Democrat, well, that’s it!! You will no longer be on their list for Christmas or be invited back to their cookouts! Sadly, this also includes many of our families who have made it very uncomfortable at Thanksgiving.
Those of you who fall into the slot of “closet Democrats,” please go back in our history and see what you, the Democratic Party, have given to this country. Privileges and entitlements that EVERY American depends upon. The workers who are clocking in on a time clock and curse a Union are ignorant. They would not have that paid vacation, 401k, safe working conditions, paid sick leave, or job protection if not for the labor laws that were passed by the Democratic Party. Women would not have a right to vote or own their own land if not for those brave, strong Democratic women before us who risked their lives to fight for our rights. So many things we take for granted in our everyday lives were made possible because there was a Democrat somewhere who said, “We need to fix this.” We should be so proud of our Party that on election day, we should be driving down the streets blowing our car horns because a Democrat gave us the right to vote!
Why are the Democrats ignoring this election when it means that the State of Alabama under a Tuberville Administration will become the dumping ground of our country? Why do you think Gov Ivey is building all these new jails instead of new schools? Why are there so many people dying in our prisons?
For over twenty-six years, I worked in the justice system of North Carolina. I have a tremendous respect for our Constitution and strongly believe that every human being is entitled to be treated equally. It still shocks me to think of what happened to my friend, former Gov. Don Siegelman. That was not justice. That was a political crucifixion of a great man whom the Republicans knew they could not beat. They set out to destroy Gov. Siegelman to keep him from becoming President of the United States. They may have succeeded in that, but they failed to destroy the man he is today. They did not break his spirit or silence his words. They did not take his honor or his integrity.
“Oh, they are all the same”. NO, we are not. Take Trump and stand him up beside President Obama, and then tell me who has the class to be a leader. President Joe Biden is one of the best presidents we have ever had, but his accomplishments are being tarnished by this jealous, childish, vindictive orange man who refuses to even hang his portrait in our White House. Trump can’t even give a speech without tearing down President Obama and/or President Biden. Why would anyone want someone so shallow to lead our country? The same can be said for Alabama. Why would anyone want a man like Tuberville to be our governor? The way to stop this is VOTE!!!
Where did I fail? What did I not say that needed to be said? Why are candidates like Aderholt being re-elected when he is NOT working for the people he represents? Why do we have this child molester, convicted felon, living in our White House and doing everything he can to destroy our democracy? How do we stop this madness that has taken over the common sense decency of this country?
Help me. Stop being afraid to speak up. It’s time to stand up. It’s time for Democrats to act like Democrats and stop rolling over for this insane intimidation by a bunch of MAGA idiots who do not deserve to be noticed. They are following a mentally deranged man right down the dark hole, so let them go! Remember who you are. Remember the walk over the bridge on Bloody Sunday. Remember, the marches do demand equal rights. Remember the day our President was murdered and Dr. King was shot down like a dog. Remember every Native American whose land was stolen from them. Remember every slave who died because their skin was a different color. Remember every POW who never made it home and every Veteran who stood up for us. Now it’s time for us to stand up for them. Are you a Democrat, or are you a coward?
Lynda Kirkpatrick
Marion County Democratic Party Chair
HD 17 Representative SDEC
*This article does not reflect the opinions of the Marion County Democratic Party