Political and Moral Turning Point in Alabama
Alabama finds itself at a pivotal moment, one that will shape the future of freedom in the state. There’s a radical minority involved—numbers aren’t the issue, but their approach is aggressive. They’re using the Congressional supermajority to push through a plethora of laws, far exceeding mere budget adjustments or regulations. They intrude into our personal lives, dictating what our children can learn, determining our choices about our bodies, and restricting the freedoms we can protect.
This isn’t the Republican Party that came to power in 2010. Back then, their message revolved around transparency, ethics, and economic growth. Now, it feels more about control—political, cultural, and personal. And while this MAGA faction represents just a fraction of the party, they’ve become adept at navigating the primary election process and wielding power effectively.
History often shows that those in power rarely volunteer to give it up willingly, and the cost of opposition is typically high. Reflecting back to November 1917, peaceful suffragists were arrested outside the White House. They endured what was known as the “Night of Terror,” where they were subjected to inhumane treatment in prison, denied food and water, and violently assaulted. One suffragist, Lucy Burns, was left tied up for hours, while others like Alice Paul protested their mistreatment and went on hunger strikes to be recognized as political prisoners. Their struggle was real and painful, not abstract.
They were fighting for something fundamental: the right to vote. Figures like Christabel Pankhurst rallied women with an urgent call to action, asserting that they must fight. Susan B. Anthony echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for women to learn self-protection rather than rely on men. Sadly, the unfair treatment faced by these women still resonates in contemporary politics.
Reflecting on recent history, we see coal miners in both West Virginia and Alabama, working in dire conditions for meager wages, fighting for fair pay and secure jobs. Instead of dialogue, they were met with hostility. Families were violently displaced during harsh winters, and the organizer Mother Jones, who experienced immense loss, famously urged them to “pray for the dead and live like hell.”
These struggles weren’t merely political; they were visceral confrontations against those who believed their authority was unquestionable. Those who resisted did so with full awareness of the risks: imprisonment, beatings, or worse. They understood a crucial reality; real power doesn’t come without a fight, and that struggle often carries significant costs.
As long as we remain divided, we’ll continue missing the real adversaries: the unseen forces that work to maintain their dominance. This same arrogance that once subjected women and miners is now echoing through our halls of power. We face ongoing, deliberate attempts to rewrite the fundamental rules that have sustained our Republic through various trials.
This isn’t a hypothetical scenario. We’re witnessing a strategy of misinformation and the gradual undermining of democratic values. The warning from Nikita Khrushchev in 1956 still rings true today: “We will take America without firing a shot.” This threat isn’t about military invasion but rather an insidious decay of trust and integrity within our own systems.
Today, the same tactics—propaganda, manipulation of public institutions—are being employed by those who, with reckless leadership, do little to push back against tyranny. This quiet, systemic corruption poses a far greater danger than blatant aggression. The upcoming 2026 election isn’t just another political contest; it’s a critical moment for determining whether Alabama, and the country, will be ruled by radical factions or uphold the democratic ideal of power belonging to the many.
The right to vote remains under threat. Recently, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly aligned himself with Doug Wilson, a Christian nationalist who believes women should be excluded from voting. Such alliances are alarming, given that past suffragists fought hard for women’s inclusion in democracy. The specter of regressing rights is always present, reminding us that our struggle for fairness is never truly over.
Today’s resistance is about more than just indignation; it requires a collective effort that transcends party lines and taps into our shared humanity. We need to channel our power into local governance, education boards, and voting to ensure our voices are heard. If suffragists bravely faced imprisonment for voting rights, if miners stood up amid armed intimidation for fair wages, and if civil rights activists endured violence for equality, then we surely can unite against a radical minority trying to define our lives from the shadows.
The consequence of inaction is grim. If we falter now, history may not remember us as guardians of our Republic but rather as a lost generation, watching as our voices fade and our freedoms are erased.
This isn’t an exaggeration; it’s a lesson from our history. Once a right is taken, reclaiming it is often fraught with difficulty. Those who seize power tend to rely on our weariness and distractions, expecting someone else will take a stand.
They’re mistaken. History belongs to those who refuse to silence their voices. Each generation has its role in this narrative. We must ensure our ink stays fresh, as what we choose to do next will either write the story of surrender or one of defiance against oppression.
We have to prove them wrong.
