Thread: JOEY KENNEDY: Legislative leaders need to find the courage t

JOEY KENNEDY: Legislative leaders need to find the courage to admit they were wrong on cruel immigration law

Thursday, November 17, 2011, 1:14 PM
Joey Kennedy -- The Birmingham News By Joey Kennedy -- The Birmingham News


Even the Cowardly Lion
from the Wizard of Oz
eventually found courage.
So can Republican legislative
leaders Mike Hubbard and Del Marsh.


State Sen. Jabo Waggoner, the Republican from Vestavia Hills who took over the chairmanship of the Senate Rules Committee when Gardendale's Scott Beason was booted, didn't come right out and say it, but you could tell there's a lot about Alabama's mean-spirited immigration law that Waggoner doesn't like. "We're looking at different fixes," Waggoner said, adding that their are serious "unintended consequences" to the law.

Sen. Gerald Dial, R-Lineville, was much less political. "Let's step up and say we've made some mistakes," Dial said. The Christian Science Monitor quoted Dial as saying this: "There are things in the law we just didn't see. Every time I see a major news clip of dogs attacking protesters in Birmingham [from the civil rights era], even though we're way beyond that, this bill drags us back into that hole. It's opened up a window that we didn't need. I'm a big enough guy to say I made a mistake and that I'll do everything I can do to correct it."

Now we need to see the same kind of self-reflection and courage from the two most important leaders in the Alabama House and Senate. House Speaker Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, said the law might be tweaked, but not changed substantially. And Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said nothing in the law would be changed unless Attorney General Luther Strange suggested changes.

It's difficult to admit a mistake. A tough anti-immigration bill was part of the Republicans' Handshake with Alabama. Still, it's likely not many in the House or Senate realized exactly what the bill did before they voted on it (or even read its 70 pages). Once one finds out the law hurts Alabama's image, can cause racial profiling, leads children to fear going to school, makes criminals out of good Samaritans, damages family farms, hurts the state's industry recruitment and creates all sorts of inconveniences for Alabama citizens and documented residents, well, it must be changed.

Dial, and to a lesser extent, Waggoner aren't afraid to admit they might have made a mistake. Hubbard and Marsh need to find the courage to do the same.

Much of what this law does is against the very conservative principles Republicans like Hubbard and Marsh claim to favor -- less government, no unfunded mandates, commitment to family values, free-market economy. Being cruel should not be a conservative principle, but this harsh immigration law makes one wonder.

Marsh found the strength to oust Beason from the Rules Committee. Now he -- and Hubbard -- must find the strength to admit they overreached on the immigration bill.

This issue never should have been about hot-button politics, but Republicans couldn't help themselves. They can undo the wrong -- but will they?

What do you think?

Follow Joey Kennedy on Twitter: @joeykennedy

http://blog.al.com/jkennedy/2011/11/joe ... leade.html

If Sen. Jabo Waggoner and Dial really feel and speak this way then they are cowards.

We need real American leaders that will stand up to the illegal immigrant invasion.

One of these lawmakers admitted yesterday that over 80% of Alabama's legal citizens support this new law!

Waggoner and Dial are going to be looking for new jobs soon if they don't stop trying to appease Obama and illegal immigrants instead of over 80% of their legal Alabaman constituents!

W