The Ayatollah of Alabama: Homophobic Judge Roy Moore booted off the bench and is running to replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions
Welcome to the South! Yes that “Good Ol Boy” Judge Roy Moore of Alabama has found a new calling. Yesterday, April 26th, Moore announced he’s decided to run for the Alabama Senate seat left vacant when Jeff Sessions became the new U.S. Attorney General. An attempt to replace one racist bigot with another.
Moore was removed from the bench on the Alabama Supreme Court when Judge Moore, in his official capacity, ordered Alabama’s probate judges in January 2016 to ignore the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage equality. The federal courts found no humor in Moore’s approach to American legal philosophy.
After being removed from a position that he cannot run for again Moore stated “I have done my duty under the laws of this State to stand for the undeniable truth that God ordained marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Mere human judges have no authority to say otherwise” (link). Moore said this while still disregarding Obergefell v. Hodges, the same sex marriage law approved by the United States Supreme Court.
This wasn’t the first time Moore has been removed from the Alabama Supreme Court. Moore was removed from the state Supreme Court in 2003 for choosing to ignore federal court rulings he didn’t like. The issue in 2003 was that Moore was using his position to promote and endorse the Ten Commandments. Moore’s belief was that federal courts had no jurisdiction in Alabama over First Amendment issues.
After being kicked off the bench, Moore ran for office again and the state’s conservative voters returned him to the same post he had been removed from, electing a known racist and homophobe back into office.
President of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Richard Cohen, which had filed the ethics complaint against Moore released this statement after the court’s ruling: “Roy Moore’s violation of the Canons of Judicial Ethics was egregious. He got what he deserved. We’ll all be better off without the Ayatollah of Alabama as our chief justice.” (link)
Moore has always made it clear he does not believe in separation of church and state. Moore stated “My position has always been God first, family then country. I share the vision of President Donald Trump to make America great again,You know before we can make America great again, we have got to make America good again.” (link)
The question remains, will the people of Alabama elect a known homophobe, racist and sexist former judge to the United States Senate? Will Alabama end up on the right side of history or fight to keep their state frozen, locked in time, living with the discrimination and hate of the 1950’s? The deadline for candidates to qualify is May 17. The party primaries are scheduled for August 15th and a runoff, if necessary will be on Sept. 26, 2017. The general election is on December 12th.
Being 60 and having grown up in Texas I have experienced much of the prejudice, discrimination & inability by older Republicans to be receptive to alternative views. Only as these religious zealots and conservatives pass away will we begin to see the change needed to protect all Americans. As Millennials, Gen X and Gen Z’s begin to replace Depression era,WW II and even older Baby Boomers in political office will the laws be truly inclusive and accepting. Will Alabama join us in the 21st Century? Only Time will tell. Contribute to Palmer Report
Kevin Orr is a political activist based in Austin, Texas. He’s known as @KevinDarryl on Twitter.