Alabama Democrats denounce anti-CRT bill, say GOP is trying to erase history and suppress speech

Although Alabama Legislature Democrats and Republicans typically take hard stances in opposition to one another on the state’s bills, a disagreement over a bill to ban the instruction of “divisive concepts” seemed deeper than others.

The Democratic caucus alleged that the Republican-supported bill would interfere with students’ ability to discuss and learn the truths of history that inevitably make some white people feel judged or uncomfortable.

Once the bill passed, the Democratic representatives took a stand together to denounce the bill and the move by the Republican majority to cut off the debate and push the legislation through.

“We serve the same amount of people they serve,” said House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels of Huntsville. “But not giving us an opportunity to express and talk about our concerns about the bill and limiting debate, shame on them. So they talk about standing tall for Alabama. But go*****mit they’re standing wrong for Alabama.”

The bill is part of the House GOP agenda for this year, which they have dubbed “Standing Tall for Alabama.” The state’s House put the bill through on a mostly party line vote of 65-32. Two Republicans, Reps. Allen Farley of McCalla and Mike Ball of Madison voted against the bill, which is now headed to the state Senate.

Rep. Ed Oliver, a Republican of Alexander City, defended the bill he authored, saying, “It’s fairly simple. Obviously, you have to look at the tenets of the bill, and they’re self explanatory. But very simplistically, it is to prevent kids from being taught to hate America and to hate each other.” 

But Daniels disagreed, saying the bill targets a problem that does not exist, and he added that the Legislature should be concerning itself with issues that would make a bigger difference with Alabamians.

“This is ridiculous if this is a priority for us with all the other issues that we have going on,” Daniels said. “We’re looking at a lot of folks that are in poverty, folks that need health care and opportunity. Education is not at the level that we want it to be at. Recruitment is not where it needs to be, whether it is recruiting an educator or an engineer.”