In Alabama and Mississippi, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is jointly observed with Robert E. Lee Day, a legacy from early 20th-century state legislation honoring Confederate leaders. This juxtaposition of figures with opposing legacies persists despite repeated legislative efforts by Black lawmakers in both states to separate the holidays. Recent attempts to either remove Lee’s recognition or reschedule his observance have failed to gain sufficient support. While other Southern states have removed or altered similar Confederate holidays, Alabama and Mississippi remain the only two states that continue this practice.
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The FBI is currently investigating the death of a Black man found hanging in Alabama. This case has sparked widespread speculation and concern, with many drawing parallels to the history of lynching in the United States. The man, who had filed a federal lawsuit against a local police station for alleged excessive force, was found deceased in an abandoned house several miles from his home.
The circumstances surrounding his death have fueled suspicion and prompted calls for a thorough investigation. Some argue that the man’s death is a clear example of a modern-day lynching, pointing to the history of racial violence and the timing of his death following his lawsuit against law enforcement.… Continue reading
The FBI is investigating the death of Dennoriss Richardson, a Black man who was found hanged in an abandoned house in Alabama, following a request from the local sheriff amid community accusations of local law enforcement misconduct. Richardson’s death was ruled a suicide by the Colbert County Sheriff’s Office but his wife insists he would not kill himself and believes his death might be connected to a lawsuit he filed against local police, alleging assault and abuse while in custody. Widespread distrust of the local law enforcement reflects a history of excessive force incidents and lynchings in the area. The recent case is one among a series of lawsuits against the Sheffield Police Department. Sheriff Eric Balentine hopes the FBI investigation will help alleviate community concerns.
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As an American citizen, the recent news of the Justice Department suing Alabama for purging voters from rolls too close to the election is deeply concerning. This is not an isolated incident but rather part of a pattern where various states are engaging in similar voter suppression tactics. When U.S. citizens, both born in the country and naturalized, find themselves on a path to being removed from the voter registration list, it raises questions about the integrity of our democracy.
The fact that these voter purges are happening right before a crucial election highlights a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise voters and suppress their voices.… Continue reading
The recent mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama, where four people lost their lives and seventeen others were injured, has left many questioning the motives and circumstances surrounding the tragedy. Birmingham police believe that someone was ‘paid to kill a targeted victim’, indicating a deliberate and calculated act of violence. This revelation has sparked conversations about the prevalence of gun violence in America, particularly in cities like Birmingham with alarmingly high crime rates.
The notion that a hitman was hired to carry out a targeted assassination but ended up causing havoc and casualties beyond the intended victim raises serious concerns about the state of crime and law enforcement in the area.… Continue reading
Bill to arrest librarians filed for 2025 Alabama house session? Yes, you heard that right. Librarians, the custodians of knowledge, are now being targeted as criminals. This bill, part of Trump’s Project 2025, aims to classify educators and public librarians who provide access to certain materials as registered sex offenders. This alarming move is not only an attack on the freedom of speech but also a dangerous step towards censorship and control.
The language of the bill is vague, redefining what is considered “harmful to minors” and potentially criminalizing librarians for shelving certain materials. It redefines “sexual conduct” and sets out a procedure that could lead to criminal charges against those who provide access to such materials.… Continue reading
The news of a shooting at a social club in Birmingham, Alabama, where at least four people were killed and nine others injured, is truly heartbreaking. It’s a stark reminder of the ongoing issue of gun violence that plagues our country. The fact that this incident happened in broad daylight at an adult birthday party is utterly devastating. The Gun Violence Archive reported that there have been over 293 mass shootings in the United States so far in 2024, and we’re only on day 196. This alarming statistic serves as a grim reality check of the rampant gun violence that continues to claim innocent lives.… Continue reading
Minors being found working at an Alabama poultry plant where a 16-year-old tragically died is a harrowing reminder of the grim reality of child labor that still persists in our society today. The Department of Labor’s efforts to seek a court order to prevent the sale of poultry tainted by oppressive child labor are commendable but raise important questions about the efficacy of fines and whether they truly deter such egregious practices.
It is disheartening to see that a mere $43,200 fine for the disfigurement and death of a young worker did not serve as a sufficient deterrent for the company in question.… Continue reading
I have worked at a couple of these non-union plants in the South. From my experience, as soon as plant leadership gets a whiff of union talk, suddenly a plant-wide “bonus” materializes out of thin air. As of 10-12 years ago, that bonus was $5-7K for every full-time employee. It placates the masses and tampers down union talk for a year or so. That is how most of them keep out unions, at least for a while.
I was listening to some discussions about this on NPR and one of the people they interviewed was a younger woman who says her labor isn’t valued enough and an older guy who says they make good money and they have good jobs why jeopardize it.… Continue reading
I can’t wrap my head around the fact that Mercedes workers in Alabama voted against forming a union. It baffles me how working class individuals would willingly reject their only protection against exploitation. Having spent most of my career in a unionized environment, I have seen firsthand the countless benefits that unions bring to the table. While I acknowledge that there are some criticisms surrounding unions, the positives undeniably outweigh the negatives.
In my opinion, the ideal workplace would be a collaborative environment where both management and workers work together, where hard work is duly rewarded, and where workers’ rights are robustly protected.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood