Goat Hill Gazette

Bishop vs. Sanders on Slavery Resolution

Senator Sanders and Senator Bishop have a difference of opinion on the issue of a resolution introduced by Senator Sanders that says basically Alabama apologizes for its part in slavery.

The debate got heated on the Senate floor when Sanders reminded Bishop of a time Bishop used the word "boy" in a meeting in the hallway of the capitol...and Bishop told Sanders he was "No Michael Figures."

Following the events on the floor of the Senate, Bishop and Sanders met with the media.  Bishop says he asked that a new resolution offered by Sanders similar to the one introduced yesterday be sent to the Rules Committee because he "had not seen the resolution...It was a substitute to what he offered before."  Sanders says he brought up a different resolution than the one sent to Rules yesterday because if it had been reported out old business - in this case a banking bill from yesterday, would have come up first and his resolution would have never seen the light of day.

"No, I don't object to it (the resolution)," says Bishop.  "I don't know about my constituents because I think this whole thing is not about any of us..I hate to see this going into the point...Nobody in this state can call me a racist.  I've been down here 16 years and the point is I see an effort maybe coming from a Sharpton or somebody else to get a handful of southern states to start one-by-one agreeing the state has done bodily harm and harm to..which they did, we all know.  But for us to come out here all these years later that was not a part of that in any way and say yes, this is what happened...I can only read the history books and it looks like some of it's worse than what he has on that resolution...But I don't personally know and I certainly know that I'm not responsible for any of it.  I've got a lot of black friends that are family to me.  But I didn't do it.  So how can I apologize for something I didn't do..."

"Having said that, the people in my district may feel different and I want to do what they want me to do because this is a very critical issue. I'm tired of hearing this two standard type of thing.  That yo-yo on the radio station said that about the basketball team.  Okay, he's crazy, he ought to be kicked off the airways.  Just because blacks do it doesn't make it right that white men ought to do it.  We're getting too touchy in here about that issue and I just don't think we have it in this chamber and I don't believe it's here.  It may be, but you'll have to point it out to me.  I just happen to disagree with the potential of his resolution, the potential of billions of dollars of lawsuits scattered all over the South...I think that's the motive behind this.  I don't think it's whether Senator Sanders and I get along.  I don't think that at all.  I think it's about a potential lawsuit that Senator Sanders may not even know about, that's what I'm scared is happening to the people of Alabama with this resolution.  Does that group that may be doing this feel like that's enough states or do they need more before the lawsuit starts?  I don't know and I'm not saying that's going to happen, but that's what the potential is to me and it doesn't have anything to do with racism.  It has something to do with something that happened many, many years ago that this nation should forever be on its knees about, but how far does that go? I don't have the answer to it.  Even though it has no legal...I think it's bigger than Alabama.  I think this whole thing is bigger than Alabama and you know it's sad.  But I think that's a fact...."

For his part Senator Sanders asked about Senator Bishop's motivation said, "Whatever his motive is I don't think it's good and I don't think it is helpful..."

Sanders: "If the Rules Committee had brought a rules report then unfinished business would have kicked in.  That's why I came with the same resolution again.  Under Senate rules even if you bring a rules report with just a resolution then unfinished business actually kicks in - the banking bill.  So it wouldn't have been considered; that's why it was introduced again.  This resolution recounts a lot of history, but there are two important things in the resolution.  One of them is that Alabama regrets its part in history.  Now he thinks that somehow a resolution addressing that is going to lay a groundwork for a lawsuit.  That's crazy.  I mean the history of Alabama is already on the books."

"All of these laws that (were) made dealing with helping to keep slavery in place.  You don't need a resolution.  The evidence is everywhere.  So his thought of that is just crazy.  The second thing it says is "this will help with the process of reconciliation" and his actions (are) preventing that process. What's wrong if you did wrong if a state did wrong to say,'I regret it.'  You know that's an easy step to take.  If you did me wrong and I do you wrong the right thing to do is say I regret it.  You can avoid lawsuits by saying I regret it.  But this has nothing to do with a lawsuit and Senator Bishop, that's just a smokescreen.  Finally, I had this resolution during the special session and I didn't bring it and I didn't bring it because they were in the throes of trying to develop legislation to help bring the big industry down to Mobile..."

Senate Session

The Senate is in session.  It is anticipated Sen. Sanders' slavery resolution will be up at some point though not first thing.

Senator Denton is objecting to a recess so three groups can come to the floor of the Senate.  It is true they have not gotten much done since they've been in session this year.

Sen. Sanders wants to introduce his resolution again and Sen. Byrne wants to speak.  "I appreciate where you and Sen. French are trying to go...I think we need a little more time...so we can get everybody on the same page...and get the body move at one..."  Sen. Sanders says he will come back after the recess.

Sen. Bishop,"What I said yesterday, I thought a lot about it last night...I can only tell you about a cotton top and the cotton fields that didn't always go to bed on a full stomach..I'm having a bill drafted that takes the same language you have and it's going to be in the form of an advisory referendum...except I want to allow all the people of Alabama...But what I'm saying I want to allow everyone in this state...Don't know we can pass it...Not only a vote on this, but to remind them on what happened in this country a long while ago...."

Sen. Sanders:  "You have the right to send it to rules....remember when we were over in the other capitol and you said, "Hey big boy," and I said what did you say and I said "Don't you ever call me that again...I expected you would respect me enough..."

"As long as you tell the truth," says Bishop....

Sanders:  "You said I don't understand what you're upset (about)...You didn't even recognize that (boy) was a legacy of slavery...this resolution helps me to be able to deal with that...You want to stop the resolution so you can introduce your bill...You don't need to stop this...because it's a serious subject. You ought to be helping it..most people don't understand why slavery in America was so much worse than other places....When our forefathers were taken....from our continent....the Middle Passage...that wasn't the worse part of it..The worst part of it wasn't being broken...being beat...the worst part of it was our identity was being taken...Imagine if somebody would not allow you to use the name Charles Bishop....Imagine if somebody took your religion and said you can't have that any more...Taking somebody's religion and giving them your religion is a horrible thing...Imagine if they took your language you could no longer use English....if you used it you were whipped...They might even kill you...You couldn't even marry...All of that goes into it...That haunts us to this day...A lot of African-Americans hate themselves...You can never know the impact it still has...how embarrassed many African-Americans are about slavery...When somebody says you're a slave..I don't believe you have a feel for it...If Michael Figures were here...he'd be very disappointed in you..."

Bishop:  "You're no Michael Figures, senator....Yes, I did threaten to kick your tail...Nobody can accuse me of being racist...What I am going to tell you is I'm going to help you...I'm going to prepare the bill...You go ahead and kill that bill..I had nothing in the world to do with those sad tragic days...There was a black man on that farm in Arkansas with 15 children...Yes, I know what it's like to be called boy...I don't know what it's like to be black and be called boy...If we take it personal we shouldn't be down here...It's very serious to the black people of the state...It's very serious to the white people..Did we harm people?...I didn't harm anybody senator...I wish I could change the history of this country that is rotten to the core...but should I be punished for it?..."

Sen. Smitherman: "Yes...we do stand in those shoes...I stand in the same shoe that wasn't African-American and represented District 18...We have an obligation to deal with this...I'm very disappointed...I know how most of y'all really feel about this issue...The person speaking is taking us backwards...It is not wholesome for this state, for this body...You've got many other states that have dealt with this issue and are dealing with it...It is wrong...We're just adding on to the muckiness of this process...We're already in a stink about rules issues...Every resolution from this point will go to rules...Set the rules I'm going to play by them...That's why I sat down..I respect what y'all are trying to do...I take this as a personal insult...that someone gets up and tell me ain't nothing....I'm a product of the Ku Klux Klan chasing us home...That happened in our lifetime...Let's don't put our head in the sand...This is only a step in the process...We must face reality and move forward...That's what this does...We need to get it on and move on...But I'm going to constantly stand up here and take this position...and the majority of people in this state feel like I feel...We can't let anyone take us back...I went to a college where there were only 400 students out of 3,000....The majority of people are good people...The last 12 years we've never had that kind of attitude...Who's going to lose?  The whole state will lose...we need to move forward...and move on with the business of the state...

Sen. Figures:  "I am really appalled that anyone that is a part of this Senate could object to this resolution...(she reads part of the resolution again)...As I said last week...we have not been subjected to the kind of language...It does takes us further back...We are coming together...I hate this partisan politics ...I am a believer in diversity...We've got to all work together...This is only going to garner us more negative national headlines again...This does not say we had anything personally to do with slavery..Last week I was offended as a women...This week I'm offended as an African-American..."

Bishop:  "I want to make it clear I'm not objecting to this resolution..I'm trying to get across to the body...without an objection of Sen. Sanders...Would you take this and read it?...You'll see it's not objecting to this resolution....

Sanders:  "I'm not objecting to your bill...I want his help by removing his objecting..not by substituting his bill for a resolution...at best it's paternalistic...(for) a white man to say I'm trying to help you by stopping you doing what you want to do...If you introduce your bill, I'll vote for it...I'll support it...but I'm not going to substitute your bill with one of my own..."

Sen. Sanders bill goes to Rules.

Senate adjourned until Tuesday 24 at 2 p.m.