It is stupid to have a birthday party for anyone that has been dead for a century-plus.
It is incredibly stupid to have a birthday party for a long-dead Confederate general and former Ku Klux Klan leader.
It is indescribably stupid for a state representative to participate in such an event, but here we are as State Rep. Will Dismukes (R-Prattville) has found himself in hot water for posting pictures of himself at an annual celebration of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s birthday.
We are in the middle of a lot of racial strife in this country.
Black Lives Matter, as a cause and a political statement, is the strongest movement in America right now.
That movement’s growth is not fed by well-thought-out reasoning and arguments about the end of the nuclear family and defunding of the police. It is fed by rage.
Rage about George Floyd’s death at the hands of police officers.
Rage about Confederate monuments, Christopher Columbus statues and Ulysses S. Grant busts alike.
Rage about federal police showing up in Portland after mobs have tried to burn down a courthouse for the last 50 days.
This isn’t about reason. It is about anger.
A birthday party for a Klansman attended by a state representative is not only stupid, but it is also irresponsible for a bunch of different reasons:
- Forrest is a former Klansman.
- Dismukes is an adult.
- Dismukes represents Alabama.
- Dismukes represents the Alabama House of Representatives.
- Dismukes represents his district.
- Dismukes represents his political party and movement.
Dismukes’ district is in Prattville, Alabama, and the “Alabama” part gives dishonest members of the media yet another reason to beat up this state as a home of backward racist rednecks pining for the Confederacy, because that is exactly what it looks like. You can’t even blame them in this case.
Now, every Republican in the state has to answer for Dismukes’ actions. They can say nothing or give some mealy-mouthed response about Southern pride. Or, they can do what State Representative Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) did when he spoke out against this on Sunday.
I cannot fathom why anyone in 2020 celebrates the birthday of the 1st KKK Grand Wizard. And while the body of a civil rights icon beaten by the Klan lies at state Capitol being honored by GOP/Dem leaders from all over the state. This mentality does not rep my party or my faith.
— Rep. Danny Garrett (@DannyGarrett44) July 27, 2020
As Garrett states, Dismukes is celebrating a Klansman as former U.S. Representative John Lewis (D-GA) is traveling across a bridge where he was once beaten to the point of his skull being fractured.
What is Dismukes thinking?
This is embarrassing and a lack of judgment by a man who is supposed to be a leader in this state.
Dismukes has failed this state, his district, his party and general decency.
But maybe he represents the thoughts of his district. If that is true, there are major issues in that.
This failure should be denounced by every Republican in Alabama.
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.
