For the better part of an hour Wednesday morning, Black members of the Alabama Senate Committee on County and City Government spoke about why legislation banning diversity, inclusion and equity is personally harmful to them and thousands of people across the state. Provided examples and explanations of what may be potentially harmful to other people. future.

Sen. Merica Coleman provided a clear example, named names, and provided unique experience dealing with people at the highest levels of state government who unintentionally said hurtful or offensive things. Coleman noted that all admitted their ignorance in real time and could have benefited from DEI training.

Sen. Kirk Hatcher was on the verge of tears, calling out this bill and other similarly pernicious intentions that appear to stem from white guilt, which refuses to acknowledge the role that past sins have played in the modern day. He admitted that he is considering resigning from the Senate over the bill. reality. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Will Barfoot, whom Hatcher calls a friend, could barely be seen.

Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison talks about how this bill could reverse important progress in racial equality and how it could harm Alabama's foreign and global companies, many of which have embraced the concept of DEI. We considered a large list of examples of how this could negatively impact your ability to attract

This all explains how Southern Poverty Law Center Policy Director Jerome Dees spends four minutes legally shredding certain parts of the bill completely, and the various ways it will have devastating effects on large numbers of people. This was after I shined a light on it. Professional educator.

None of them were any different. The seven white men on the committee passed it 7-3.

It wasn't surprising or unexpected. Because to ordinary white people, there is no greater threat than a program that strives for true equality and a deeper understanding of America's experience with people who don't look like them.

If you do that, your kids might start asking tough questions. They might start putting two and two together about racism and high levels of poverty among minorities. They may begin to value acceptance of diverse opinions and realize the benefits of better understanding those around them.

Hey, if that happens, maybe we won't have a bunch of white people who can't be trusted to water the plants while you're on vacation running the state legislature. Can you imagine? Competent and empathetic members of Congress who appreciate and understand this country's long history and the many ways racism, segregation, and inequality have shaped this country, our nation, our economy, and our justice system.

If that were the case, the attorney general of this state would be writing press releases on the streets while this commission was in session announcing his decision to overturn the jury's decision and sentence a white man. I'd bet not. The cop who killed a black man from prison. The statement effectively apologized for the state government's incarceration of white police officers.

While Toforest Johnson and several other apparently innocent black men languish on Alabama's death row, perhaps somewhere along the way, former Montgomery police officer Aaron Cody Smith is sentenced to 14 years after serving less than two years in prison. will be allowed to avoid conviction for manslaughter. The past year has been more than just a slap in the face to the family of Gregory Gunn, the man shot and killed outside the home Smith shared with his mother.

If we didn't need DEI in this state, we would have some idea of ​​how completely racist and cruelly distorted it is.

Without the need for DEI, there would be a widespread understanding within the AG's office and the halls of the State Capitol that Greg Gunn's life had value. That his family misses him. That he deserves the same protections under the law and shares the same constitutional rights as all of us white people.

But Gunn and his family have no such experience. Instead, they were exposed to what a lack of impartiality in government looks like. Waited 4 years for trial. moving that trial from Montgomery to a white-majority county (an absolute departure from the standard practice of at least trying to match the county's demographics); Selecting a jury of nine white men.

And even after a jury of real people, considering only the facts and leaving race out of consideration, found Smith guilty of manslaughter, Smith remained guilty of the wrongful act of taking Gunn's life. Even after the ruling, the biased system continued to confuse. Smith was granted appeal bail, a grant so rare in manslaughter cases that the 30-year prosecutor said he had never heard of such a grant. And even after that appeal was denied, authorities took the time to pick up Smith and bring him back to prison.

And here we are today, on the verge of Smith being set free. After serving just one year and nine months in prison, he was issued a release card by the state legislature. For killing a man who was banging on his neighbor's door, screaming for help, and trying to escape to his own home.

It didn't matter what the jury said. that the judge rendered a fair and correct judgment. With the incredible onslaught of pre-trial motions and hearings, it was impossible for Smith not to receive a fair trial.

No, the reason Aaron Cody Smith was released from prison today is because black lives matter a lot less in this state.

But, well, don't tell anyone. Barfoot's bill could get you fired.