I’ve been following the comments posted in the original story I posted yesterday about the Alabama Democrats overturning the election of Patricia Todd. As always, there is more to this story.
From what I can determine, the district is a majority black one and person who presented the challenge was black. And the people making the decision to disqualify Todd were black. (Both candidates were disqualified, by the way.) From that perspective, perhaps Todd being gay was less of an issue than her being white.
In any event, the people spoke and Todd was their choice. Today, the executive committee of the Alabama Democratic Party decided that the people were correct and overturned the subcommittee decision, voting 95-87 to do so. From the Chuck Wolfe of the Victory Fund:
“Finally, the voters have prevailed. We are enormously proud of the courage and tenacity Patricia showed throughout this ordeal, and equally proud of her supporters in Alabama and beyond who stood by her unfailingly. The Victory Fund and its network of donors have worked to ensure Patricia had a level playing field and a fair chance to show that a qualified, committed public servant can win the trust of the voters regardless of her sexual orientation. We have no doubt her career in the legislature will reflect the same determination and skill she showed in her campaign.”
And from Jo Wyrick of the Stonewall Democrats:
“The voters of District 54 have made it clear that Patricia Todd is the best choice, indeed she is their choice, to represent them in the Alabama House of Representatives and the Alabama Democratic Party has now done the right thing by upholding the will of the voters.
Patricia built a broad coalition that lifted her twice to victory. This was never really about race, or even sexual orientation, but about the personal, petty politics of individuals who sought to divide Democrats along those lines for personal gain. It is in the best interest of all Democrats to build a party that is inclusive of all Americans and free of divisive politics.”
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
boy…it’s a good thing blacks can’t be racists, eh Vivian?
Racism is about power. To the extent that they had the power to make the original decision, then their behavior falls within the definition. So, in this case, it appears that the blacks at the local level were racist.
One could argue that because they didn’t have the power to make the ultimate decision, they couldn’t be racist. But that’s a hair I’m not willing to split.
I lived in Alabama for a couple of years after I got out of the Navy. I know Pat personally and I am very familiar with her district. From MY experience this had nothing to do with her being gay. This had to do with her being white and winning Black votes in a Black district. Unfortunately the “powers that be” (who were Black) MADE this into a gay and white” cause by interpreting her win as a strike against them for being Black rather then the constituents vote FOR Pat because she was competent and could actually deliver on her campaign promises!
Her work with the AIDS Taskforce of Alabama (now AIDS Alabama) proved her competence and many of her clients were from the very district she now represents! Vivian is right, something I learned working for Dr. Dorothy I. Height… her sour grapes opponants were NOT racist, simply because it’s absolutely impossible for Blacks to be racist in this country. Nor was this even about her being gay (it only became an issue when her opponant saw for SURE he was going to lose. This was about the powerful statement that Black voters made in Birmingham: Regardless of your race, we believe you can do a better job then the person who is presently representing us. We are going to give you the chance to prove that! Race and sexual orientation were brought to the table in an effort to polorize voters who had already been “tired of being tired.”
Homophobia? Made an issue by her opponent and voters didn’t give a damn! Racism by Blacks? Perhaps at the local level Vivian describes above but I think not. This was about petty PERSONAL politics.
Congratulations for Pat. She is not the first white person to build an effective base in a Black district nor is she the first gay person to run in and win in an overwhelmingling heterosexual district. She is though a woman of integrity who, way back when it was not popular to do so, went out in neighborhoods and talked to people, who donated money and food and blankets, etc to the most poor in Birmingham, who comforted people dying of a disease no one understood and who’s own family discarded, she was a voice of reason and a strong advocate for Blacks and Latino’s at a time when so many didn’t have an effective voice. Pat won because she empowered the disenfranchised. They saw in her what they had hoped they would get from her opponent.
Thanks for the input, Lawrence. Always good to hear from folks who have been there.