Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Friday afternoon reacted to an article from Yellowhammer News earlier in the day about U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) voting to rename everything in the American military that gets its name from a member of the Confederate military.
The legislative amendment for which Jones voted would rename ships, installations, buildings and streets, for example.
“The vote by Senator Doug Jones to remove from all military facilities and installations the names of every soldier who fought for the Confederacy betrays the character and decency of every soldier who fought for the South in that bloody and monumental war, whose courage and duty reached the highest levels, on both sides,” Sessions said in a statement.
“Naming U.S. bases for those who fought for the South was seen as an act of respect and reconciliation towards those who were called to duty by the States,” he continued. “It was not then and is not now an affirmation of slavery. The slavery question had been settled by the war.”
Sessions is running against former Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville in Alabama’s Republican primary runoff. The ultimate GOP nominee will face Jones in November. Before becoming attorney general, Sessions held the seat currently occupied by Jones.
“Alabama’s Senator must be able to effectively and honorably explain these things in the Senate and not capitulate to the emotions of the radical left,” Sessions stated on Friday. “Instead, Doug Jones has wholly capitulated to the politically correct radicals who are working day and night to erase American history, right before our very eyes.”
He added, “Make no mistake, this is not a little matter. It reveals a profound deficit in his understanding of what it means to be Alabama’s Senator. Doug Jones’ vote seeks to erase Alabama’s and America’s history and thousands of Alabamians for doing what they considered to be their duty at the time.”
“Rest assured: I have never cowered from confronting the politically correct mob, and when I return to the Senate, I will boldly stand for Alabama and against the leftist radicals who are seeking to erase our nation’s history,” Sessions concluded.
The Republican primary runoff will be held July 14.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn