Edit- Let's Talk About White Privilege and the Kendra Lavendar Marshall Affair

It has come to my attention Kendra Lavendar Marshall is the grand daughter of the late Simmie Lavendar

Simmie R. Lavender, Sr (born 1919 - died May 19, 2007) was a Constable for Alabama House District 52 and the second president of the Jefferson County Citizens Coalition. He was active as a leader of the Birmingham Citizen Participation Program and helped to found the brotherhood breakfasts that helped unite community leaders across racial lines.
Lavender was also a deacon, Sunday School teacher and trustee at First Baptist Church of Powderly. It was there that he collapsed from a seizure on the way to a service planned in his honor. He never recovered. He was survived by his wife, Mildrid and seven children, 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He is interred at Elmwood Cemetery.

Wikipedia defines white privilege as a way of conceptualizing racial inequalities that focuses as much on the advantages that white people accrue from society as on the disadvantages that people of color experience. White privilege differs from conditions of overt racism or prejudice, in which a dominant group actively seeks to oppress or suppress other racial groups for its own advantage. Instead, theories of white privilege suggest that whites view their social, cultural, and economic experiences as a norm that everyone should experience, rather than as an advantaged position that must be maintained at the expense of others.

Now, let's apply this definition to the Kendra Lavendar Marshall controversy because some are hollering the false "reverse racism" meme because Dr. Joe Reed wouldn't allow the African American candidate the voters elected to be replaced by the white candidate the voters rejected.

Reed and the state Democratic Executive Committee last week nominated Elisabeth French for a Jefferson County Circuit judgeship. She replaces primary winner Kenya Lavender Marshall, who lost her law license. Since there is no Republican opposition, French will no doubt get the job -- even though she didn't run for it.

Don't get me wrong. French is not the problem. The problem is how the party succumbed to its worse elements, how it picked her for the wrong reasons.

You see, a majority on the committee bought the notion they had to appoint a black woman because voters chose Marshall -- who is a black woman.

It was not about qualifications. It was not about politics. It was all about race.

Uh No, Mr. Archibald, it was all about white privilege. The voters didn't elect Kendra Lavendar Marshall because of her race, they elected her because she shared their interest. She won because she got the most votes. That's how it works in America, or at least it used too.

It seems someone with power and privilege decided Kendra Lavendar Marshall didn't deserve to win because that's a white woman's job, after all. So much for content of character. So much for getting the most votes.

* The decision circumvents the election process?--That was circumvented when the Alabama State Bar went after Kenya Lavender Marshall, just three weeks after she had won the primary. And did Bob Riley, who appointed Still, have anything to do with that? Does Nicole Gordon Still know about actions others took on her behalf, in an effort to "circumvent the election process"?

Archibald says Joe Reed and the SMDC are running a criminal enterprise because they stood up and took a stand against white privilege, but I agree with Legal Schnauzer regarding the motive and the rationale behind their gusty move.

"We've seen the business establishment in this country ruin our economy. We've seen the legal establishment in this country corrupt our justice system, especially here in Alabama.

"We rejected Artur Davis, and we now reject Nicole Gordon Still. And it is not because of their skin color. It's because they have cozied up to the establishment forces who have consistently acted against the best interests of regular, everyday Americans. It's time that we push for a true progressive agenda--in Alabama and beyond. And we are taking a stand for such an agenda today."

Archibald is quick to call attention to Joe Reeds criminal/racist actions however he chooses to ignore the actions of others. He doesn't explore the possibility Kendra Lavendar Marshall was forced to surrender her license to practice law.

A Birmingham lawyer says an Alabama State Bar disciplinary committee essentially used extortion to force her to agree to a suspension of her license, probably ending her candidacy for a seat on the Jefferson County Circuit Court.
Kenya Lavender Marshall won the Democratic Party primary and faced no Republican challenger in the November general election. But the Alabama State Bar charged that she misappropriated some $30,000 of a client's funds that had been held in her lawyer trust account.
Marshall said she admitted to the charges and agreed to the four-year suspension of her license only because of threats from the State Bar disciplinary committee. In fact, Marshall denied that she had misused client funds.

This case reeks not of race but of white privilege; emphasis mine;

Much remains unclear about this story. But this much is clear:

* Rob Riley and his business associates have stepped in some major legal doo-doo and probably could use some friendly judicial faces to help them wipe the stink off their shoes.

* Rob Riley and Nicole Gordon Still have quite a bit in common. They both have lived charmed, prosperous lives, driven largely by the fact they have powerful, influential daddies.

Are these powerful white families--and the Alabama legal establishment--joining forces to ensure that a black candidate never is seated as a judge, even though she apparently won an election fair and square?

Alabama citizens who care about justice should be giving that question a lot of thought over the next few days.

What about THAT, Mr. Archibald? How about using your power and your privilege to fight for truth, and the restore honor and integrity to our government? Kendra Lavender Marshalls life, career and reputation are in shambles just because she dared run for public office and win. Imagine if Kendra Lavender Marshall was white and Niki Still was black. Would you have the same perspective? There are two sides to every story Mr. Archibald, if you are interested in the other side you can hear and see it HERE.

It's not about race, it's about white privilege and it's effect on the election process. The false arguments put forth by you is a blatant manifestation of white privilege by framing this issue to favor the white perspectives over those of people of color. You ignore the obvious questions you should be asking choosing instead to race bait. How dare you hijack legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King to promote your agenda.

It is scary to true Democrats, who belong to the party because they agree with the ideas and ideology it espouses nationally. Many are shocked the party would gamble its reputation and its future on short-term political gain.

The act stains those who deserve better.

Imagine what it means to black judges in Jefferson County -- people such as Houston Brown, Clyde Jones and Helen Shores Lee who spent lifetimes earning and deserving respect and support. If judgeships are decided by race, they simply could not win in a place where six of 10 voters are white.

Forty-seven years ago Saturday, Rev. King dreamed of a world in which skin color did not matter.

The Alabama Democratic Party did not listen.

Listen to this. Kendra Lavender Marshall is someones child. Someones wife, mother, sister, aunt,cousin, attorney, friend. She deserves better. She deserves to be treated fairly, regardless of her race. She is ACCUSED of wrong doing, she has not been CONVICTED of wrong doing. It's innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, not the court of public opinion. Remember?

Lost in all of this is the will of the voters has been over turned. Only in America can the candidate with the most votes lose. Again.