"Rarely is the question asked: Is the children learning?"

 

What have we learned?"  asked Speakin' Out News columnist Jerry Mitchell in the April 23 2013 editionin the aftermath of the showdown between black clergy and the Board of Education/City of Huntsville.  I would say we the peeps  learned the BOE and the City are determined to continue to ignore the United States Supreme Court by maintaining a dual school system.

I agree with  Mitchell, these are a few of the lessons they (see picture above) should have learned (links inserted for emphasis mine):

Predominately white organizations (See the Committee of 100 and Huntsville Chamber) can't hold rallies to announce their intentions and desires for "unitary status" for our schools, without discussions and expect the Black community to just go along for the ride.  Particularly when those same groups have passively watched the schools in the north struggle for years.  If anything the leaders of those organizations should be aware of the stigma and symbolism (especially when race is involved-and yes we can be in denial but yes it is) of rallying in the doors of an educational institution a'la George Wallace.

"This city belongs to us, the people. It doesn’t belong to the Huntsville Times. It doesn’t belong to the Huntsville Board of Education. It doesn’t belong to Dr. Wardynski. It belongs to us."  ~Geek Pavaler

Succession within the Alabama Democratic Party

When Left in Alabama Blogger country cat said outgoing ADP chair Judge Mark Kennedy was "mean a snake and likes a fight", I thought she was talking about being mean as a snake and fighting the GOP,  not Joe Reed and his bunch.

When Judge Kennedy said "we're all in this together" and are people who believe in "the fundamental rights of all people."  I didn't know he meant everybody but Joe Reed and his bunch.

When Judge Kennedy promised a restored democratic party,  I didn't know it meant excluding Joe Reed and his bunch.

And what happened to Kennedy's 5 point plan for the ADP?  Never mind.  We know.   Joe Reed and his bunch.


Decoding the code words.
Edited to add Judge Kennedy's statement on his Facebook page Sunday 4/21/13

In our organization, there will be no "majorities and no minorities" we will all be part of a growing movement and will stand equal together. The Alabama Democratic Majority supports a philosophy of inclusion.
To have a "majority" we must welcome all people that share our vision. When I chose the name of this exciting new opportunity it never occurred to me that I was using a code word for excluding minorities as some are now saying.

Psst Judge Kennedy!  It's not the name of your organization, it's the actions of your organization that are a code for excluding minorities.  Strike that, it's code for excluding some minorities like Joe Reed and his bunch.   Intentional or not,  the creation of this organization reminds me of the Southern Strategy and the creation of private and charter schools after the Brown v. Board decision, leading to the sad, sorry, state of public education not only in Alabama but our country.

This is is precisely why I oppose the creation of this organization.  It is dividing the party.  Strike that, it is destroying the Alabama Democratic Party. 

 People are taking sides. But it isn't between the Democrats and Republicans or progressives and conservatives; we are fighting each other. And if I am being frank, it ain't like we are in such a rosy position in this state that we can afford to be taking our eye away from the folks who seek to dismantle any semblance of a social safety net in this state.

Mark Kennedy vs. Joe Reed 

This is rapidly becoming the African Americans against the whites. It is racial now. The Democratic party will be known as the party of the African Americans. 

If I were allowed to post on Left in Alabama I would ask, what is wrong with the Democratic Party being "known as the party of African Americans"?  Why is that a bad thing?  African Americans don't want, or, need the government or the democratic party to take care of us.  African Americans don't want to be taken for granted and used as props to be seen and not heard.

Just to set the record straight, "what we want" is what every American should want and every democrat should stand for.

We don't want free health care, we want access to quality affordable health care.
We don't want free money, we want equal opportunity to have a good job.
We don't expect to win every election, we expect the right to cast our vote and have our vote counted.

Plato: The measure of a man is what he does with power. Joe Reed is accused of using his power for personal gain, but he's not the one creating a new democratic organization and running from why we are democrats.

In his weekly commentary in Speakin'Out News Jerry Mitchell asked when do the words bankrupt and leadership go together?

Chairman Kennedy tells us that since he became chairman in 2011, one of his key goals has been stabilize the party financially and begin the type of outreach to potential donors to grow the party in communities across the state. Obviously, the record shows that he and his leadership team are not getting the job done. The party is broke, there are no democrats that hold statewide offices, and White male democrats have gone into hiding, largely distancing themselves from President Obama's national success.

I don't know who the new leader of the Alabama Democratic Party will be, but I HOPE it is someone who is mean as a snake and likes to fight republicans instead of Joe Reed and his bunch.

Kennedy, 60, will formally announce the creation of ADM in a press conference at the Harbert Center in the heart of downtown Birmingham, the financial capital of the state. Jefferson County is considered vital by Kennedy as he begins the effort to draw donors to ADM from an affluent blue county that in November saw a majority of voters cast ballots for President Barack Obama and dominate election results for judicial seats.

Good luck with that. People who voted for President Obama and dominated the election results for judicial seats support these people:

  Today Kennedy leaves all that debt to Reed and acting Chairwoman Nancy Worley. They will also have to deal with finding a new executive director for the party. Current Executive Director Bradley Davidson is resigning to join Kennedy at the ADM.

  You cannot curse Bubba and Cooter, Big Man, and June Bug in the daytime and beg them at night.~Joe Reed