For the first time in 25 years, the state of Alabama has elected a Democrat, Doug Jones, to a U.S. Senate seat. Through a special election as a result of Jeff Sessions' resignation to serve as President Trump's Attorney General in February of 2017, Doug Jones overcame being a Democrat in an overwhelmingly red state. December 12th, 2017 will go down as a date where moral integrity prevailed.
multiple allegations of past sexual misconduct — including charges that involved a minor — of Republican candidate Roy Moore, through which Jones garnered political support among the outrage of both Democrats and Republicans. Whether the year is 1979 or 2017, it is proven that even in Alabama, decency prevails over party loyalty and ignorance.
Whether it's from right here in Tuscaloosa, New York City, or Australia, the world knows that Alabama just made a step to be on the #RightSideOfHistory.
Governor Wallace's racist tirades at the University of Alabama to the most recent Governor Bentley sex scandal, Alabama's political resume has been a joke. For anyone growing up in Alabama with views even remotely liberal or Democratic in nature, Alabama's political extremism has been a cringe-worthy fact to bear.
To add insult to injury, Republicans in Alabama put up a candidate in Roy Moore that claimed that the last time America was "great" was when "families were united — even though we had slavery." Yes, a candidate that said getting rid of amendments after the 10th — you know, like the 13th and 19th that abolished slavery and gave women the right to vote, respectively — would "eliminate many problems" with the United States government.
I think the saddest part was that Roy Moore, horseback riding and all, was actually competition.
Alabama's election of Doug Jones holds incredible national significance as it narrows the Republican majority in Washington. Alabama, with the world watching, elected a candidate who actually addresses the issue that lags in "industry... education... and health care." Not a candidate who is notorious for racist and homophobic public utterances.
For once, Alabama, you did alright. Also, black voters essentially decided this election, making up 30% of the vote that was almost entirely pro-Jones.
Congratulations, Alabama. You elected a candidate because of moral values and the denouncing of pedophilia, a feat the nation and the world didn't think you could do. Incredible voter turnout and voters who are usually dominated in Alabama elections, young people and ethnic minorities, proved that Alabama might not be as ignorant as the media perceives us to be.
Who knows what happens from here? Only time will tell. But Doug Jones seems to be a man with a plan:
“I have always believed that the people of Alabama have more in common than divides us. We have shown the country the way forward” — Doug Jones, election night victory.
In 2018, Alabama is not red or blue. Rather, Alabama stands as Red, White and Blue, as the interest of human decency, education, dignity, and respect is what our state actually stands for. Women no longer must hide in the shadows about masculine objection, for now they know their voices are heard.
The hatred that has spewed from Moore's mouth has been righted by the Alabama voters; a self-proclaimed "man of God," Roy Moore's hypocrisy has been outed and the foundation of political integrity can be begin to be rebuilt in Alabama. As a good friend told me in relation to Doug Jone's politics: he is a man who will try to represent all of Alabama, not just Democrats.
Courage breeds courage.
