| Don Siegelman's story is getting more press nationally but as a Texan this story is especially important. In fact, every Southerner should read everything they can about Don Siegelman. I know many Southerners have derided Democrats for years - but are we redy to actually send an innocent man went to jail because he was a Democrat?? Are we ready to frame a guy for adultery - and destroy his family and children - for the sake of politics?
I know we like our politics mean, but to actually send a man to jail and destroy his life and his family - is this what the South is all about?
As a Texan, I've heard alot of crap about "Southern/Texas" backwardness and attitudes. that's understandable given the idiot we helped put in the Oval office. But it's not accurate to say Southerners are heartless and have no intelligence. In fact, it's bigoted, stupid, and counter-productive.
Let's admit rather that Democrats failed to fight for Southerners and therefore vacated that region (& local debate) to the GOP noise machine. This region has HAD a huge inactive Democratic base just BEGGING for a choice. and even moderate Republicans/conservatives want a choice.
Don Siegelman's success as a popular governor is proof that a Democrat can win in the South - even, yes, as governor of Alabama. Obama's huge crowds have surprised people but they also point to the untapped base that exists all across the South.
It doesn't surprise me that Karl Rove and high-level GOPers went after Siegelman given how dangerous it is to their party to lose any Southern state. The GOP has lived on the myth of the Blue/Red divide. They've counted on national Democrats believing that crap and staying out of the South out of disgust, fear, hate.
Siegelman is the story that can break the GOP's Southern hold. He can be the face to all that's wrong with the GOP in a format Southerners can understand and want to listen to.
His false incrimination violates Southern culture about jailing an innocent man (yes, a white man, but that's another issue) and it can break the defacto trust Southerners have for the GOP. People will ask themselves "If they will lie to me about an man's innocence, they can lie to me about anything!" |
