Political pundits and observers and political players have espoused the long-held belief in the mantra “all politics is local.” I have changed my tune on this well-known adage and belief. My observation is that today it is the opposite, “all politics is national.”

 Folks either vote straight Republican or straight Democratic. Most, about 90%, of all white Alabamians vote straight Republican, they may not pull the straight Republican lever, but they only mark Republican names. They would come as close to voting for a Communist as they would voting for a Democrat and most of them are of the belief that Democrats are Communists.

Most folks who vote Democratic in this state are African Americans. They vote 96% straight Democratic, and they do generally pull the straight Democratic lever. By the way, all states do not allow for pulling one lever and voting straight down the line for all Republican or all Democratic candidates.

In Alabama, this straight party voting has always existed, but it had a tinge of localism in it until the last few decades. It galvanized about the time that Barack Obama became President. Alabamians have been voting Republican for President and Congress since 1964, but they would still split their ticket and vote for their local legislator or sheriff who was still running as a Democrat.

The national political landscape had become extremely different around that time. The national Republican Party became, and still is, extremely conservative, and the national Democratic Party has become extremely liberal. That scenario has not changed. A local sheriff is painted with the same brush in voters’ minds as the President. Folks do not pick and choose. Their vote from top to bottom is, “I am a conservative Republican, and I vote for all Republicans from President to Sheriff,” or “I am a liberal Democrat, and I vote straight down the line for all Democrats.”

This nationalization of partisan voting is driven primarily by social issues, and believe you me, there is definitely a marked contrast between the conservative Republican Party’s philosophy and the liberal Democratic Party’s philosophy. George Wallace would run for President as a third party candidate and proclaim, “there’s not a dimes worth of difference between the Republican and Democratic Parties.” He certainly could not shout that demagogic diatribe with a straight face today.

This national party label trend not only crept but leapt into Alabama’s traditionally nonpartisan municipal elections this year. By law, mayoral and city council elections are nonpartisan. That now is in title only. The “all politics is local” rule has been tossed aside in even local mayoral races.

The prime example was in Mobile, the state’s second largest city. Mayor Sandy Stimpson chose to not run for a fourth term after 12 years of leading the Port City. He not only endorsed, but openly campaigned and raised money for his chosen successor, Spiro Cheriogotis, who is a former Republican elected District Judge. Cheriogotis won, very narrowly, over Democratic State Representative Barbara Drummond in a runoff. Drummond led in the first primary. Both parties made it a party battle, trumpeting national party themes.

The national and state Democratic Party leaders and donors overtly championed longtime Democratic Representative Barbara Drummond’s campaign as a Democrat versus Republican battle. She was openly endorsed by former Vice President, Kamala Harris, and Senator Raphael Warnock.

The Alabama Republican Party countered with openly partisan efforts for Cheriogotis. Alabama GOP Chair John Wahl said, “Voters deserve to know the facts about candidates and where they stand on the issues. We are not shy about fighting for strong conservative principles whether it’s in Washington, Montgomery, or at City Hall.” The Republican Party even launched a comprehensive campaign program for the Mobile runoff election that provided their chosen candidate with targeted resources, including direct mail, grassroots mobilization, and even voter contact by text message and digital advertising. Wahl continued, “Historically, the Republican Party has not been engaged in municipal elections, but that changed this election cycle. When there is a race with a clear Republican and a clear Democrat, the Alabama GOP will always stand with our Republican candidate.”

With Cheriogotis, only winning with 50.4% of the vote, it is obvious that the party label made the difference.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at steve@steveflowers.us.

WIRED named conservative activist and commentator CJ Pearson to its 2025 list of “22 Very Online Upstarts Changing the Face of Politics” this week.

The annual feature highlights young influencers, creators, and insiders who are reshaping political communication in the digital era.

Pearson, 23, attended the University of Alabama until his junior year before focusing full-time on politics, media and being a conservative influencer. He has built a massive online following and gained national attention over the past decade as one of the country’s youngest conservative commentators.

According to WIRED, Pearson has become “one of the most important people in digital MAGAworld.”

The magazine highlighted that he helped organize a TikTok-sponsored party during inauguration weekend that featured rising figures on the right and that he is now building his own political-influencer marketing company to support Republican candidates and causes.

Pearson currently serves as co-chair of the Republican National Committee’s Youth Advisory Council and has appeared on outlets including Fox News, PragerU, and many others across the globe.

 

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RELATED: Hundreds gather in Tuscaloosa to honor Charlie Kirk: ‘We are just getting started’

Recently, Pearson went viral sharing his views about his friend Charlie Kirk and  accusations of “racism” made against him.

 

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Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270

Addressing new trends nationwide, Alabama Republican Party Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Republican National Committee, John Wahl, believes that more Democratic voters are switching to the Republican Party because of an evident and historic backlash against the radical left becoming mainstream in their party politics.

Earlier this week, The New York Times released a report that shows how Democrats fell substantially behind Republicans when it came to voter registration in the 30 states that maintain voter registration records by political party between the 2020 and 2024 elections.

Although Alabama is not one of those states that maintain party registration, Wahl says he is watching the trend play out in the Yellowhammer State, including the flip of 90 seats across the state from Democrat to Republican over the past two election cycles.

“This trend should not surprise anyone,” Wahl told Yellowhammer News.

“The Democrat Party no longer represents American families or the values that our country was founded on. They have abandoned the middle class, abandoned freedom, and abandoned common sense—and now, voters are abandoning them. At the heart of this shift is a simple truth: the American people still believe in the American Dream, hard work, and defending our God-given rights.”

In total, Republicans added up to 4.5 million voters compared to Democrats.

“Bad policies have real-world consequences, and these numbers show that voters recognize that. Instead of fighting for hardworking taxpayers, Democrats oppose tax cuts and push policies that take more money out of our paychecks and hand it to big-government programs,” Wahl continued. “Instead of respecting parental rights and protecting children, they obsess over forcing radical transgender ideology into our schools and communities. Instead of standing up for freedom, they try to control every aspect of our lives—telling us how to live, how to raise our kids, and even what we’re allowed to say.”

A poll conducted by Democratic super PAC Unite the Country seems to back up what Wahl is arguing. The poll showed that voters perceived the Democratic Party as “out of touch,” “woke” and “weak.”

RELATED: Alabama GOP pledges to restore freedom, protect families in ‘Contract with Alabama’

“The Republican Party has changed tremendously over the last 20 years. Under the leadership of President Trump, our Party has been transformed into a movement that puts the people of America first again,” Wahl said. “This is an important change, and we are seeing firsthand how voters are responding to that new direction. Republicans are no longer the party of Washington insiders. We are the party of the middle-class worker, the small business owner, and the parent who just wants a better future for their children.”

Wahl also argued that Republicans have done a better job at voter registration efforts in Alabama and across the country in recent years.

“Here in Alabama, the shift has been clear,” he explained. “Over the past two election cycles, we’ve flipped 90 Democrat-held seats to Republican, and we’ve seen historic breakthroughs in communities that had long been considered Democrat strongholds. Our expanded outreach has built genuine relationships with minority communities, resulting in record-breaking support. In 2024, more than 18% of African American voters supported Donald Trump, while just over 50% of Hispanic voters did the same—the first time we’ve ever seen a majority of Hispanic voters in Alabama backing a Republican candidate in a statewide race.”

Wahl said he can see the effects of the changes in races up and down the ballot in Alabama elections.

“We are also seeing that success translate into down-ballot races in majority-minority districts,” he said. “In Hale County, Republicans won the Probate Judge’s office in a county that is 59% African American. In Butler, Henry, and Escambia Counties, Republican candidates flipped Board of Education seats in districts where over half the voters are African American. These are historic victories and show that not only are minority communities increasingly supporting Republican candidates, but these shifts are actually winning elections.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee

Brilyn Hollyhand, youth advisory council chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), has announced that he will attend Auburn University this fall—a major decision for the Tuscaloosa native who has spent his teenage years at the center of conservative politics.

Hollyhand, 18, has served as chairman of the Republican National Committee’s Youth Advisory Council and is the author of the bestselling book One Generation Away. He is also the host of The Brilyn Hollyhand Show, where he’s interviewed political heavyweights from across the country.

But when it came time to choose a college, he made a decision rooted in his vision for the state he calls home.

“Being born and raised in Tuscaloosa, we’re trained that Auburn’s the bad guys,” Hollyhand said. “But when I started thinking about where I wanted to spend the next four years, I thought about broadening my horizons… trying somewhere else, at least for four years.”

RELATED: Brilyn Hollyhand launches ‘Get Off the Sidelines’ tour to activate young conservative voters on college campuses

During the 2024 election cycle, Hollyhand spoke at 10 college campuses across the country. Auburn stood out — not just for its academic offerings, but for the people.

“I fell in love with Auburn,” he said. “I spoke there twice last fall, and the second time I was there, it really, really sold me. I got to speak to both their Turning Point chapter and the [College Republicans] chapter. And something special is happening at Auburn, and I just want to be a part of it.”

One of the key moments came during a sit-down interview with Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl, whom Hollyhand describes as a mentor and major influence. The two connected after Pearl emerged as a growing voice in political discourse.

“Coach Pearl told me I was an Auburn man. I laughed at the time—I’m from Tuscaloosa,” Hollyhand said. “But that conversation stayed with me. And he’s stayed in touch ever since.”

Though he’s spent his high school years embedded in politics and cheering for the Crimson Tide — “I haven’t missed an Alabama home game in three seasons” — Hollyhand said he was looking for something different in a college environment.

“What I saw on campuses when I was tailgating… that’s not the culture nor the community nor the family that I really want to be a part of here in Tuscaloosa,” he said. “When I went and visited Auburn… that is the vibe and the family and the community that I want to be a part of.”

Hollyhand plans to major in political science, a decision he said was solidified after spending time with Auburn faculty.

Though he’s aware his national profile may draw attention, Hollyhand said he’s focused on contributing to the community, not disrupting it.

“I want to be as involved as I can be in a helpful way—not in a harmful way,” he said. “I’m not slowing down at all with my career… But the Auburn Family that I’ve come to know and love in the past few months is a loving, compassionate group of people that—even the ones that disagree with me—are still saying ‘War Eagle’ and welcoming me to campus.”

With this next chapter on The Plains, Hollyhand said he hopes to continue serving Alabama—and shaping the future of conservative leadership from right here in his home state.

Grace Heim is a state and political reporter for Yellowhammer News. You can follow her on X @graceeheim or email her at grace@yellowhammernews.com.

On Monday, GOP Congressional candidate Robin Litaker spoke to the Second Amendment rights group BamaCarry in Tuscaloosa. Litaker is the Republican nominee in Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District, challenging incumbent Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham).

“I am doing this for all of us,” said Litaker. “I am a retired teacher, principal, and I have lived in Terry Sewell’s district for over 30 years and I am tired of it.”

Litaker won the GOP nomination when her GOP primary opponent dropped out of the race. Sewell on the other hand did have a Democratic primary challenger. Litaker had some difficulty raising funds to challenge the seven term incumbent.

Litaker through March 31 (the most recent Federal Election Commission report) has only raised $8,224.25. She spent $5,969.15 in the primary and entered April with $2,255.10 in cash on hand.

RELATED: Trump, Palmer, Cavanaugh, others win Jefferson County GOP straw poll

Sewell on the other hand entered the campaign with $2,895,932.32. She raised another $2,031,082.68 through March 31. Rep. Sewell spent $1,281,941.99 in her primary race, leaving her with $3,645,072.76 in cash on hand to spend in the general election against Litaker.

Litaker acknowledged the campaign finance challenige.

“We are running a campaign that is grassroots and can use your help,” said Rep. Sewell. “We are not running a campaign with a lot of money. We need your help and your support. We have got to rally the troops.”

Democrats have won every Seventh Congressional District race since CD7 was redrawn as a majority minority district. Democratic Reps. Artur Davis and Earl Hilliard Senior both represented CD7 before Sewell’s election in 2010.

“We feel like conservative votes don’t count, but they do,” Litaker insisted. “This is my David and Goliath moment. Goliath laughed at David, the Philistines laughed at David; but what’s not discussed much is that his own people laughed at David, the king laughed at David, even his own brother laughed at David.” The Biblical story of David and Goliath can be found in the Old Testament book of First Samuel Chapter 17.

“This district can be flipped. We are going to flip it,” said Litaker. “You don’t have to worry about how I will vote on national issues.”

“When you call my office, someone will answer the phone,” said Litaker. “If you were lucky enough to get moved out of seven into four you are going to want come back by the time we get through.”

“My entire campaign is going to be run by volunteers,” said Litaker.

A Bamacarry members asked if the Second Amendment was going to be taken away. “They are not going to do anything to the Second Amendment, because I have you behind me,” said Litaker.

“We are going to get rid of the Department of Education,” said Litaker. “By the time it (money) gets back to the school district you are lucky to get fifteen cents back. And worse they want control of what you do with that.”

Litaker was a former teacher of the year. “Paul Hubbert (the late AEA executive director) hated me because I started an independent teacher’s group.”

Litaker said that redistricting has made CD7 more favorable for Republicans. Litaker is a former teacher and principal.

To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com

State Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) will join Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington D.C. later this week “to recognize the impact of Black women shaping democracy in their communities and across the country.”

According to The Birmingham Times, Rep. Givan will “lead a group of leaders” at the Vice President’s residence. 

Earlier this year, Givan was widely rebuked for tormenting a Black state legislator from the floor of the House of Representatives, using lyrics from a song by rapper Jay-Z to make allusions about her colleague’s racial loyalty. 

Rep. Kenneth Paschal (R-Pelham) was on the receiving end. He is the singular Black Republican official in the Alabama Legislature. 

RELATED: ALGOP wants apology after Rep. Givan berates Rep. Paschal

While Givan did not use the N-word toward Paschal explicitly, it is said 63 times during the song, and became the focus of her attack. 

“You want me to sing it?”, Givan asked Pascal from the microphone.

“Don’t matter how you come in here, no matter how you leave, you still one. When you sit down, you still one … That’s the story of OJ,” Givan said. 

“Still one. Still one. Still one.”

Official calls for her apology were made immediately after. However, Givan has not publicly apologized to Rep. Pascal or the House chamber. 

Givan’s episode during this year’s legislative session was not the first occasion the Birmingham lawmaker courted controversy along racial and religious lines. 

In 2021, Givan provoked a heated debate surrounding a resolution supporting Israel. Givan vocally questioned the legislature’s solidarity. 

“What in the slam-chiggity is this?” she said at that time, suggesting only the Republican Party would support the idea. 

RELATED: Alabama Democrats speak against resolution supporting Israel, condemning Hamas

She lashed out at colleagues over, “the foolishness and foolery that goes on in this chamber,” saying “the sensitive things that you people — and yes, I am saying you people — do in the name of whatever agenda that you are trying to push.”

Givan later said she was not “anti-Semitic in any way.”

Also during the 2021 session, Givan lobbed charges of racism against all lawmakers who opposed her bill to allow local entities to remove confederate monuments.

It was comments she made to the media following the vote that brought the most trouble for Givan.

“I was surprised at some of the actions that they took,” Givan said in 2021, “But of course, here again, we are in the state of Alabama. And there is still much to be done with regards to the issues of the Confederacy.”

She called Republican lawmakers who voted against her bill out by name, saying they were “the most racist people in the United States of America.”

In 2019, Givan unleashed on then-Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon, repeatedly shouting obscenities.

About her upcoming trip to Washington with Vice President Kamala Harris, Givan said, “We are honored to host this reception alongside Vice President Kamala Harris and Higher Heights for America, to acknowledge the remarkable achievements of Black women elected executives, legislators, and those serving in judicial capacities.”

Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270

America is at a crossroads, and Alabama is under the gun.

Since Joe Biden was sworn into office in January, we’ve seen Washington, D.C. kick common sense to the curb and return to putting America last. Across our country, Democrats and much of the media look down on states like ours and openly attack our values and way of life.

This coming election cycle will be pivotal to our nation’s future, with Republican control of the House and the Senate needed to help get America back on track.

However, Alabamians need not look outside our state to grasp the importance of the 2022 election. Right here at home, we have a U.S. Senate contest on the ballot that carries generational significance. (more…)

Rarely in today’s world of instant communication and “the loudest voice wins” politics do we hear positive stories in the news cycle. Now, though, I would like to draw attention to a story that has proven to be good news, but has, for the most part, not received the coverage it deserves: conservative policies are working.

In the past two years, the Republican-controlled Congress has passed over 1,000 bills out of the House of Representatives, and almost 250 of them were signed into law by President Trump. That’s roughly 28 percent more bills that have passed out of the House than in years past.
(more…)

“There is no Republican Party. There’s a Trump party,” John Boehner told a Mackinac, Michigan, gathering of the GOP faithful last week. “The Republican Party is kind of taking a nap somewhere.”

Ex-Speaker Boehner should probably re-check the old party’s pulse, for the Bush-Boehner GOP may not just be napping. It could be comatose.

Consider. That GOP was dedicated to free trade, open borders, amnesty and using U.S. power to punish aggressors and “end tyranny in our world.” That GOP set out to create a new world order where dictatorships were threatened with “regime change,” and democratic capitalism was the new order of the ages.

Yet, Donald Trump captured the Republican nomination and won the presidency — by saying goodbye to all that.
How probable is it that a future GOP presidential candidate will revive the Bush-Boehner agenda the party rejected in 2016, run on it, win, and impose it on the party and nation?
(more…)

Evangelist turned Republican gubernatorial hopeful Scott Dawson said if people are surprised to see him running for governor, they are not alone. In a way, he is too.

Dawson said in an interview that he got in the race because he was tired of the state being embarrassed by scandals and corruption.
(more…)

The Primaries are quietly easing up on Alabama. Aside from perhaps a few local races, there doesn’t seem to be any hotly contested battles to grab the state’s attention. There are unlikely to be any Congressional changes and apparently no shake-ups in the few open state legislative seats. With an incumbent governor running for reelection, even that looks like a yawner at the moment, so the status quo looks safely intact. Or is it?

And who is happy with the status quo? For all the conservative talking, there ain’t much conservative walking. While Alabama has enjoyed some economic success, it is still hamstrung by woefully inadequate infrastructure, a flat broken budget process, and state government badly in need of reform. A few folks were indicted, some convicted, and others removed, but the culture of corruption remains tacitly ingrained.
(more…)

When the southern states were debating secession in 1861, there was one other proposed secession that almost always gets overlooked in history: New York City. The Mayor of New York at the time, Fernando Wood, saw disunion as an inevitability at the start of 1861, and in a January 6th address to the city council, he advocated New York City’s secession.

“When Disunion has become a fixed and certain fact,” Wood asked the council, “why may not New York disrupt the bands which bind her to a venal and corrupt master — to a people and a party that have plundered her revenues, attempted to ruin her, take away the power of self-government, and destroyed the Confederacy of which she was the proud Empire City?”
(more…)

Among the plethora of races on the ballot this year are the important seats on the Alabama Supreme Court. We have an unprecedented five out of nine seats up for election.

Our Alabama Supreme Court as well as our Courts of Criminal Appeals are extremely conservative, pro-business and all Republican.

This conservatism dates back to the 1980’s and 1990’s. During that two-decade run, the plaintiff lawyers controlled and dominated our State Supreme Court. We were known throughout the country as a Plaintiff’s paradise. It was like a fairytale jackpot justice system. It was not uncommon for ludicrous multimillion dollar verdicts to be upheld daily for all types of cases. We were called Tort Hell by “Time Magazine.”
(more…)

The Bible verse Isaiah 6:8 reads – Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Those words from the holiest of books have always prompted me to think of the men and women who have so selflessly served in the United States military and defended the greatest of all nations.

Military service is a deep commitment that demands a great deal of sacrifice from the soldiers who serve and the family members who support them. Everyone who wears our country’s uniform deserves our respect, honor, and appreciation, and those warm feelings continue even after that uniform is removed and hung in a closet.
(more…)

More American voters want the Republican party to remain in charge of the economy and tax policy, according to an NBC News/WSJ poll released Monday evening.

The two media outlets found that 35 percent of Americans believe the Republican party is better suited to handle the economy, compared with 28 percent who think Democrats have the better economic policies.

Roughly three months ago, Democrats had the upper hand. Thirty-five percent of American voters thought Democrats were the better choice in December — the same month Republicans passed the 2017 tax reform bill.
(more…)

Concerning Paul Ryan’s decision to leave Congress, I am more troubled by its implications for entitlement reform than the impact it may have on the GOP agenda or the November elections.

The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page said, “Ryan will leave Congress in January with no substantial progress on (reforming Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid), few lawmakers interested in picking up the torch, and a clear signal that prospects are dim for any big overhaul in the foreseeable future.”

Entitlement reform is not only the least sexy of all proposed legislation; it is the kiss of death for any would-be Republican reformer, because Republicans are already depicted by leftist demagogues as reverse Robin Hoods and curbing federal benefits for the poor and elderly would just “confirm” the slander.
(more…)

We’ve been told conservatives don’t believe in science and that there’s a “Republican war on science.”

But John Tierney, who’s written about science for The New York Times for 25 years and now writes for the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal, told me in my latest online video, “The real war on science is the one from the left.”

Really? Conservatives are more likely to be creationists — denying evolution.

“Right,” says Tierney. “But creationism doesn’t affect the way science is done.”
(more…)

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey appears to be benefiting from the power of incumbency in fundraising in her quest to win election to the governor’s office for the first time.

Campaign finance reports filed Tuesday show that Ivey has raised nearly $3.2 million. That’s over $1 million more than any other candidate in the June Republican primary.
(more…)

An Alabama legislator and a lobbyist who once chaired the Alabama Republican Party were arrested Monday on conspiracy charges related to payments made to another lawmaker to advance an insurance bill, prosecutors announced.

State Republican Rep. Jack D. Williams of Vestavia Hills and lobbyist Marty Connors were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and mail fraud. The California-based owner of Triana Health diabetes treatment centers, G. Ford Gilbert, was also arrested.

(more…)

Gun control proposals failed in the Alabama Legislature after most Republican committee members skipped out on Wednesday debate on the bills, including a proposal to raise the age to buy an AR-15 or similar rifle.

The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee canceled a scheduled meeting after only four members, mostly Democrats, attended. The committee has 11 members.

The lack of action likely kills the bills for the session. The committee inaction came a day after the House of Representatives failed to bring a Republican bill to arm teachers up for vote, also signaling the demise of that proposal.
(more…)

Roy Moore, a man hoping to represent Christian and conservative values in the United States Senate, has been accused of assaulting three women and inappropriately (although legally) pursuing six others. Discussions of these allegations have centered on who stands to gain or lose political power as a result but has neglected to address the impact to abused women across the state and nation.

I am a survivor of childhood sexual assault. I am also a graduate of Auburn University Montgomery, a conservative, and a Christian. As a survivor, I feel compelled to speak up for abused women. Sexual assault victims need to hear that they are worth protecting. And their loved ones need to know how it feels to see their community support and elevate a likely predator. I intend to address publicly stated justifications for supporting Roy Moore from the viewpoint of an assault victim.

The justifications for continuing to support Roy Moore in spite of the allegations are many:

• This is clearly a conspiracy by evil men to stop God’s warrior from doing God’s work.
• The allegations are suspicious and there is not time to find the truth, so we should give Roy Moore the benefit of the doubt.
• Everyone should be innocent until proven guilty.
• He probably already repented.
• The Republican political agenda is more important than protecting women from sexual assault.
• Making America a Christian nation again is more important than protecting God’s daughters from sexual assault.
• Democrats are worse than sexual abusers.

The women might be lying?

The first two justifications center on whether the accusers and dozens of other corroborating witnesses are lying. Their support for this idea is the source of the original allegations and the timing of the allegations. However, both the source and the timing make sense in light of what we know about sexual assault and the cultural shift underway in how we talk about assault.

The first accusation was published by The Washington Post and the second accuser is being represented by famed liberal lawyer, Gloria Allred. Clearly, neither the Post nor Allred are fans of Roy Moore. But the actual accusers, (there are now three on record), are local women who consider themselves to be Trump supporters or apolitical. The dozens of witnesses who back them up are local men and women, many of whom are anti-establishment Trump supporters. Most of these people do not know each other and would not have been able to coordinate their stories. Other locals have since come forward to make further claims and substantiate the rumors to local and other national news outlets. Publishing news agencies have been upfront about reasons the accusers might not be believed including sharing personal details about the mistakes they’ve made in the decades since the assaults. The few Democrat supporters who have spoken out have been upfront about their political leanings. The majority of the dozens of people speaking out against Moore have nothing to gain in sharing their stories other than to seek justice and stop a sexual predator from becoming a senator. Their accusations are credible in spite of Democratic support.

His supporters have also said the timing is suspicious. They ask why grown women would keep their secret for decades, then come forward weeks before an election. This ignores what has been happening across America in the last six weeks. Ever since the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke in early October, our newsfeeds have been flooded with women coming forward, many of them for the first time, with their stories of assault. Actresses, athletes, writers, politicians, businesswomen, grandmas, wives, moms, teenagers, little girls are saying #MeToo. Journalists, caught off guard by this sudden outpouring have been following up on dozens of leads and digging into rumors that have long been whispered. Why now? Because women are finally recognizing that we aren’t lone victims; there are lots of us and we have to stand up to protect each other. Why now? Because people are finally willing to believe us. Why now? Because people who can help are finally asking. Why now? Because this is the least scary it has ever been to share a hurt this deep and risk the fury of powerful men raining down upon us.

Moore has stated it is not reasonable to believe that grown women would wait this long to say something. Yes it is. How many of your grown women friends are public about their sexual assault experiences? If it’s less than ⅓, many of your reasonable, grown women friends are still keeping their secret buried. I personally waited 25 years after the abuse occurred to share my story. I still have not named my abuser. Thanks to these women, my courage is growing.

Moore’s story keeps changing and his defenses don’t stand up to scrutiny. His accusers’ stories do not waver and every day more people come forward supporting them. In this case, it is not he said/she said; it is they said/he waffled. In the case of sexual assault, a more credible accusation is very hard to come by.

To those who love abused women, please consider how dismissing such well-supported claims makes it harder for your loved ones to reach out for support, help, and healing.

To women who have been abused, who likely don’t have this much evidence to support your claims, your stories are still believable. As more and more of us come out, patterns begin to emerge and make it easier to determine truth. You should expect to be believed by your community.

Innocent until proven guilty?

Other supporters of Roy Moore say we should leave him alone because he is innocent until proven guilty. Yet, we have not applied this standard of innocent until proven guilty to our ideological enemies. Hillary Clinton? “Lock her up,” we chanted. Harvey Weinstein? “Well, we always knew Hollywood is a cesspool of immorality,” we crowed. Bill Clinton? We used the unproven accusations of assault against him to justify voting for another alleged assaulter, Donald Trump.

We also have not applied innocent until proven guilty to the accusers. If we follow the logic of Roy Moore’s supporters, we have to assume the accusers are innocent of lying until proven otherwise. Which means we cannot with good conscience vote for Roy Moore.

Innocent until proven guilty is a noble standard for our court system. We do not use it when making moral judgments to protect our loved ones from people we suspect of causing harm.

Further, in most true sexual assault cases, we cannot prove guilt. Assault is usually committed in secret by more powerful people against less powerful people. Sexual assault does not turn the fingers or the lips or the penis of the perpetrator blue so we can easily identify him. It rarely leaves a mark that can be easily traced back to the perpetrator and prove the interaction was unwilling. I cannot prove the guilt of the man who molested me when I was a little girl; that doesn’t make him innocent. I cannot send him to jail. But I can warn others about him.

To those who love abused women, consider the impossible burden we place on our loved ones when we demand criminal evidence as the price of belief.

To abused women, you do not have to prove your abuser’s guilt in a court of law to be believed and helped.

He already repented?

Some supporters say we should vote for Roy Moore even if he is guilty because he probably already repented and what God forgives, man should forgive. Like them, I believe in the power of repentance to completely wash away the most grievous of sins. I believe it is available to Roy Moore. I believe it is available to big sinners and little sinners and everyone in between. I believe it is available to the man who molested me, and I believe it is available to me.

I also believe repentance is more than a get-out-of-jail-free card for professed Christians. Repentance involves confession of the sin to yourself, to God, and the person you wronged. It then involves seeking God’s help to make amends to the people you hurt. If Roy Moore had repented of his sexual misdeeds, he would have sought to understand the harm he had caused and he would be seeking to help his victims, not drag them down. He would be seeking to open up a dialogue on how we as a community can prevent further assaults like this from happening and how the ⅓ of women and ⅕ of men who were assaulted as children can get help. That would be true Christian leadership. Instead, he continues to Bible bash his way to the Senate where he hopes that if he forces America to say Merry Christmas and pray in public maybe it will make up for the fact that we say nothing when God’s sons abuse God’s daughters.

To those who love abused women, what would you want to see from your loved one’s abuser before you would be willing to vote for him?

To abused women, you shouldn’t have to watch your abuser ascend to power just because of a belief in repentance.

Sacrifice these women to the Republican agenda?

Other Moore supporters, including Governor Kay Ivey, have argued that there is just too much at stake here. “Sure, he probably did it. But we need to maintain the Republican majority for a higher cause. Sorry all you molested women out there, you’re just going to have to take one for the team.”

It feels wrong that the majority of the news coverage of this story is about how this helps or hurts certain political actors, but since political power matters to people, let’s address it.

The Republicans have had power in the White House, Senate, and House for almost a year now and have accomplished nothing significant. If Moore loses to Doug Jones, nothing changes. The Republicans will continue to be as effective as they have been. If Moore wins, the Senate’s effectiveness will not increase. How many incorrect legislators out there would change their way if only Moore would shame them from the Senate floor? He has been credibly accused of sexual assault. He has no moral authority and will be toxic in the Senate. Instead, his presence is likely to make it much more difficult for Republicans to maintain their lead in upcoming elections as the whole party suffers by association with an angry, bible-bashing assaulter.

That’s just the short-term problem. Thinking longer term, Republicans have to be aware that conservative millennials are increasingly disenchanted with the Republican party. Those of us too young to remember the Cold War, don’t fear Democrats as gateway Communists. We won’t sacrifice our values to keep them at bay. We want small, efficient government, but not if it means electing sexual abusers. Roy Moore makes it that much harder for the Republican party to hang on to voters under 40. The Greater Birmingham Young Republicans have denounced him and many more millennial Republicans are quietly simmering, wondering how they can remain affiliated with a party that supports this type of behavior.

“But we have to fight for the unborn,” supporters say. “I have to support Roy Moore because he is the only pro-life candidate in the race.” Please see above. With or without Roy Moore, the Senate will not be able to end abortion during his tenure and he damages the party’s chances longer term.

Let’s step away from the politics for a second and go back to defending assaulted women. I had regular nightmares from age 6 to age 28. I frequently woke up in the middle of the night, heart racing, sick to my stomach, full of terror, full of tears. The nightmares weren’t of being nuked by the Communists, of my job being outsourced to Asia, of environmental regulations making it hard to do business, of immigrants using my tax dollars for health care, of transgender people attacking me in a bathroom, or of someone getting offended when I expressed my faith. They were of one thing only — older men like Roy Moore or my abuser who wouldn’t leave me alone, who wouldn’t take no for an answer, who followed me when I ran away, who found me when I hid, who touched me against my will, who used my body for personal gratification. There is no threat more frightening than a man who does not control his sexual appetite, who uses women for his own personal pleasure. Women can fight just about any policy, they can find ways to operate and serve others even when policy runs against their beliefs or against their personal benefit. But they cannot stop a man from touching them against their will. In that, we are powerless. Republicans and Democrats can fight for all the best policies in the world, but until they take a stand against sexual assault, we women will never be safe.

To those who love abused women, what would you give to go back in time and stop that abuse from happening? Consider how sacrificing political gain and speaking out now may prevent the abuse from happening to someone else.

To abused women, your safety is more important than your leaders’ politics.

Sacrifice these women to the Christian agenda?

Others argue, even more offensively, that there is too much at stake in the war between good and evil. They say, “We need a Christian leader to save us from the tide of evil washing over this country. There are pedophiles in Hollywood perverting the minds of our youth, intellectual elitists in New England trying to take away our religious freedoms by making us say Happy Holidays and preventing us from praying in public, nonbelievers from other countries growing fat and lazy off of our over-taxed honest toil.” “Sorry women”, they say, “we know you don’t like being assaulted, but there are bigger things at stake here. American thought leaders don’t talk about God enough in public! Satan might win!”

So we’re going to elect a sexual predator who wants to curb the religious freedoms of other belief systems and kick out the stranger? That’s going to save us in the war against evil?

No! Where is our faith? Why do we think that God can’t save us if we don’t elect Roy Moore? “Sure”, we say, “He could create the universe, but there’s no way He could overcome the Democratic machine and the establishment Republicans. God can’t drain the swamp! Only Roy Moore can!”

What are we saying? “Pipe down, you women who were violated? We need you to shut up so your violator can become a senator and get people to stop violating women?” This is madness!

The war between good and evil isn’t between us and them. It is within us. We are called to look inside ourselves to nourish the good and root out the evil. Our primary battle is not external, it is not in Washington D.C., it is not in the Middle East. It is in our communities, our homes, and most importantly our hearts.

Yes, we believe that God uses flawed individuals to accomplish His work on the earth. But he didn’t command us to put all of our hopes for salvation in one of his flawed, yet redeemable, sons. He didn’t command us to put all of our hopes for salvation in a political party. Here’s what he commanded us to do:

Love God, love our neighbor (famously represented by a nonbeliever). Be good to them that hurt us and pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us. Heal the sick, feed the hungry, house the stranger, clothe the naked. Share the good news, not beat and shame people with it. Avoid lust and anger. Use prayer and fasting to seek God’s help, not to draw attention to ourselves. This is the work he set out for us to do.

Yes, we are all sinners who fall short of that description (myself most definitely included). Yes, we ought to elect men who represent those virtues. But we don’t have to silence the victims of our Christian leaders to win the war for Christ. Christ can win his own war.

To those who love abused women, why do we not turn our Christian zeal to fighting this prevalent evil among us? Why are we worrying about making Washington, D.C. more Christian when sexual abuse is all too common here at home? Please consider fighting this fight first.

To abused women, it is for your safety and healing that Christians should be fighting. You do not have to silence yourself so that your abuser can keep fighting for virtue.

Democrats are worse than sexual abusers?

Some Roy Moore supporters say it doesn’t matter that he is guilty; a Democrat is so much worse. This is the most offensive argument of them all.

Would you rather lock your 14-year-old daughter in a room full of gun-toting, small government-loving, Christian abusers who follow her around, grab her butt, and force her head toward their crotches? Or would you rather lock your daughter in a room full of pro-choice men who want to tax her too heavily, saddle her with inefficient DMV-like bureaucratic offices, wish her Happy Holidays, and keep their hands off of her?

Just stop it with this argument.

To those who love abused women, there isn’t much worse than sexual assault. Please stand up against this type of rhetoric. Please help us stop it.

To abused women, you are worth more than this dismissive rhetoric implies. We ought to believe you when you say how much this hurts.

The long-term consequences of sexual assault

Sexual assault causes lifelong damage to the victim. Victims often suffer from anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, addictions, self-harming behaviors such as cutting and eating disorders, and so much more. The pain can last a lifetime, even with therapy. That’s why Beverly Young Nelson still weeps 40 years later. That’s why I still weep 25 years later. That’s why so many women are weeping now watching this unfold. We are just beginning to understand the effects of sexual trauma on the brain and body. We are starting to learn that body-based therapies such as EMDR and somatic experiencing are more helpful for healing than talk-based therapies. But there is still so much more that we have to learn. I can understand why victims were hushed 40 years ago. But now we know too much to remain quiet. We have to start speaking up for one another. We have to start sharing our secrets so we can get help. We have to start learning more about this so we can help the unfathomably large number of people in our community who are suffering from this.

Christians and conservatives, those of you who love abused women, I challenge you to educate yourself on this subject and start to fight against sexual assault. We cannot ignore it and pretend it’s not happening. We cannot pretend the consequences aren’t devastating. We cannot continue to exalt those who perpetrate it.

To all you women in Alabama and anywhere else who have been abused, who wake up in the middle of the night crying because of your fear of men like Roy Moore, to those of you who felt abandoned by the governor when she said she believes you, but the Senate majority is much more important than protecting you, to the women who feel hurt and afraid and wonder if we’ll ever see a day when our culture rises up and says “No more, we will not allow this to go on,” I want you to know, I believe you. I support you. You are worth protecting.

Erin Lee works in education technology as a student coach and is a volunteer adult literacy teacher.

 
 
‘I don’t believe there has ever been [a politician] who was such an embarrassment to Christianity’

Having never met the man, all I know about Roy Moore comes from what I have read and heard him say. I just can’t understand how anyone can call themselves a Christian and be so filled with hate.

He appears to believe that we should live in a Theocracy. He clearly doesn’t believe in the rule of law or take seriously his several oaths to uphold the Constitution of the United States, as he substitutes his religious beliefs for both. Those beliefs, as expressed by his actions and what he has said to describe and defend them, have very little to do with my understanding of the Bible.

Mr. Moore seems to be largely stuck in the Old Testament and with the ten commandments, because he does not appear to have recognized what Christ taught about government, revenge, hating enemies and most importantly, about love.

Regardless of what one believes to be a sin, why should one sin be treated so differently from dozens of others? How can anyone who truly has a personal relationship with Christ call for the death penalty for someone whose legal actions do not comport with their own idea of appropriate behavior?

How can anyone who clearly has no regard for the Constitution or properly adopted laws of the United States serve in the U.S. Senate?

Other politicians have been an embarrassment to the state, but I don’t believe there has ever been one who was such an embarrassment to Christianity.

Regardless of what he may or may not have done with regard to the latest accusations, I cannot vote for a person who has continually defied the laws he was sworn to uphold and who expresses so much disdain for so many groups of people.

Michael W. Hamilton
Vestavia

‘The timing is suspect. The accusers are suspect.’

Want a Christian woman’s conservative Republican opinion on the allegations against Judge Moore? Here’s mine. The timing is suspect. The accusers are suspect. Every supposedly wronged woman, now in her 50s, suddenly goes public, notwithstanding Judge Moore has been in the public eye for 40 years. All of them, to a woman, wait until Moore’s name can’t be taken off the ballot and another Republican chosen to run.

Did they go to the authorities back then or now, or did they go to the media? These are allegations—anyone can make up allegations. The Washington Post is suspect. McConnell spent $30m against Moore. He wants Moore to quit without Moore having time for a real chance to defend himself from a possible happening nearly 40 years ago. A fair-minded person would consider that it might take a little time to get lawyers, etc. together and find enough evidence to prove the claims false.  If it were on the other shoe, don’t you know McConnell and the others who are jumping the gun against the judge would be demanding the benefit of the doubt for themselves until they had enough time to prove innocence?

Lastly, the yearbook is very suspect. Let Moore’s attorney have it examined. I wouldn’t be surprised if it should ‘happen’ to somehow be destroyed or lost if the woman has to turn it over for inspection.

If Moore is innocent, then it would be a travesty of justice to condemn him now, without proof, and let the Democratic candidate win. If the allegations are proven to be false, later on, then I’d say that this crucial election was seriously tampered with. How much jail time would false accusers get for trying to knock a candidate out of the running (that also includes newspaper reporters and lawyers who, knowingly, helped the accusers in their quest)?  If Moore should win the Senate seat, and it turns out that the judge is guilty, which I personally doubt that he is, then he can be removed and another Republican appointed to his seat.

Most rank and file Republicans surely agree that electing a liberal Democrat to this seat would be electing someone who stands against what we actually believe and would, without a doubt, stand against our president at every turn, just as Doug Jones’s friends on the other side of the aisle in Washington already do.

Bet Arnold

‘I cannot bring myself to support someone I believe sexually assaulted a child’

The Roy Moore allegations have caused many like myself to evaluate their convictions. I’ve always viewed myself, first a Christian, second a husband and father, and third a conservative.  It is not often these priorities fall into conflict, but the accusations against Moore have placed them in such a conflict.

Many have argued, “It doesn’t matter if the allegations are true, we can’t have a Democrat in the seat because he won’t vote right.” Many would have you believe “Doug Jones will single-handedly usher in a whole wave of abortion legislation.”  This is how the philosophy of consequentialism is being argued. While I want the GOP to hold this seat, I also cannot sacrifice my personal values. It is not right to use possible consequences as a reason to ignore your morality. Abuse of a child or woman is never right!  Someone who has likely done such things should never be considered for any office.

Although the timing of allegations is suspect, there is a reasonable likelihood some of the allegations are valid. As a Christian and father of a daughter, I cannot bring myself to support someone who I believe sexually assaulted a child.  There is still time to coordinate an effort to elect a conservative write-in candidate. However, Moore must step down for the good of the state for this to work.

Regardless of the outcome of the election, if Moore continues with the support of the party, the damage to our state will be vast and long-lasting, and the damage to our moral compass as “Christians” will be even greater. It is important to stand up for what is right regardless of the consequences.  Consequentialism is not consistent with my values and should not be a coherent ethical argument.

Gerrick D. Wilkins
Vestavia

On Tuesday, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announced his support for Roy Moore as Alabama’s next senator. Cruz said that he needs more principled conservative allies like Moore in Washington, and, unlike the Democrat candidate, Moore will proudly defend the rights of Alabamians and Americans alike.

“This December, the People of Alabama have a clear choice. They can choose a liberal Democrat, who will stand with Chuck Schumer to raise taxes, weaken our military, open our border, and undermine our constitutional rights. Or, they can choose to elect Judge Roy Moore, a conservative who will proudly defend Alabama values.

I strongly urge the voters to elect Judge Roy Moore. Judge Moore has a lifelong passion for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and he has the courage of his convictions.

In the Senate, we need reinforcements; we desperately need strong conservatives who will stand up to the Washington status quo.

Please join me in supporting Judge Moore on December 12.”

In response to the endorsement, Moore remarked:

“Ted Cruz has been a stalwart defender of our constitutional rights. I appreciate his strong endorsement and I look forward to collaborating with him on proposals to strengthen the U.S. military, cut spending, and lower taxes on American families and businesses.”

Cruz’s endorsement comes as conservative leaders across the country are coming to Moore’s aid. It seems the party is doing everything it can to ensure Moore defeats Democrat Doug Jones on December 12.