Bradley Byrne: Police officers deserve prayers and praise
Earlier this month we were all devastated to learn that two police officers had been tragically murdered while conducting a basic traffic stop in Hattiesburg, Miss. Already this year, 42 police officers nationwide have died in the line of duty. In 2014, 117 members of law enforcement died while working to keep our local communities safe. Those numbers are heartbreaking. Last week, we celebrated National Police Week, which serves as a great opportunity to reflect on the hard and dangerous work our nation’s police officers do on a daily basis. More than 25,000 police officers from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C., to take part in events and a special ceremony for fallen police officers. I recognized National Police Week by paying a visit to the Mobile Police Department this past Monday to thank the local officers for what they do. I enjoyed shaking the hands of those men and women, looking them in the eye, and telling them just how much we appreciate their service. There is something truly remarkable about choosing to put your life on the line so that others may live. That’s what police officers do each day. From simple tasks such as helping school children cross the street to dangerous tasks such as a high-speed car chase, our law enforcement officers play a critical role in protecting our communities. When most of us leave to go to work, we generally know that we will be coming back home to our families. That is not the case for the men and women of law enforcement who put their life on the line every day to keep us safe. In honor of Police Week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a package of bills designed to honor our law enforcement officers. We passed H.R. 606, the Don’t Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act. The bill amends the tax code to make sure death benefits paid to families of a fallen police officer aren’t subject to federal income tax. We also passed H.R. 723, the Fallen Heroes Flag Act of 2015, which allows members of Congress to provide a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol and a special certificate to the families of fallen law enforcement and public safety officers. This small token is the least we can do to honor our nation’s fallen heroes. In recent months, events across the country have raised serious questions about the role of law enforcement in our communities. And while there are some obvious reasons for concern, what is almost never mentioned is the consistent good work and dedication 99.9 percent of our nation’s police officers put forward on a daily basis. I can’t imagine what the families of fallen police officers must go through, but I hope they can take great pride in knowing that their son, daughter, husband, wife, mother, or father died in an effort to keep others safe. Vivian Cross, the wife of a police officer who died in the line of duty, said it best: “It is not how these officers died that made them heroes; It is how they lived.” I hope you will join me in thanking the police officers in Southwest Alabama for living a life of service in order to help keep our communities safe. Just as important, as you go to lay your head on your pillow tonight, I hope you will take time to say a special prayer for the safety of our law enforcement officers. Bradley Byrne is a member of the U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Attorney General Luther Strange says U.S. Supreme Court shouldn’t rule on same-sex marriage
Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange says America’s founders would not have approved of the current members of the Supreme Court making decisions on issues such as same-sex marriage. Strange questioned the Northeast upbringing and Ivy League backgrounds of many of the justices, arguing Saturday that they are not representative of Alabama citizens, AL.com reports. Strange spoke at the Madison County Republican Men’s Club monthly breakfast in Huntsville. “Who’s going to make the decisions for the citizens of this country?” he asked. “Is it going to be the citizens or nine people?” Strange said later he was not questioning the court’s legitimacy, but trying to point out its power. Strange, a Republican, filed a brief with the Supreme Court last month asking it to leave in place a lower court’s decision letting several states continue defining marriage as a union of a man and a woman. He said he is among 27 conservative state attorneys general who are acting as a “last line of defense” against President Barack Obama, who he said has exceeded his authority by signing executive orders on immigration and EPA regulation for coal plants, among other issues. Strange received a standing ovation after his speech. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Honoring history does not mean condoning it: Former lawmaker Myron Penn’s actions were disrespectful
There’s a weird trend emerging throughout the state in the past several months: Individuals have decided that their personal opinions towards history should trump tradition, facts and/or the law. First, the portraits of Governors George and Lurleen Wallace were removed from the Rotunda of the Capitol and placed in a lesser trafficked first-floor hallway. State Auditor Jim Zeigler is trying to rectify that. “This was a wrong that needs to be righted,” Zeigler said at the River Region Republican March meeting in Montgomery. “We need to preserve our state’s heritage. These politically correct government officials want their own version of history instead of what actually happened.” Now reports have surfaced in the last several days that former state Sen. and attorney Myron Penn and members of his family removed Confederate flags from a Union Springs Confederate cemetery. In an interview with WSFA-TV he said, “The reason why we picked them up is because the image of the flags in our community, a lot of people feel that they’re a symbol of divisiveness and oppression of many people in our community,” he said. “Especially with the history that that flag and the connotation and negativism that it brings. I would think that no one in our community would have a problem with this or with my actions at all.” Well, he’s wrong. While it appears as though those who placed the flags at the graves didn’t have proper permission, removing them is not an acceptable response. As a matter of fact it’s against the law. Side note: If I decide to go and put flowers on the graves of all the soldiers do I need permission? What about putting down American flags? I understand that the city owns the site but does that mean they own the rights to ones First Amendment rights when you walk into the site? A grave site, especially the graves of soldiers is a place to honor the dead. The flags placed there were done in memory of the soldiers and a cause they clearly believed in. The timing is also relevant since it was close to Confederate Memorial Day. State laws in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia name the last Monday in April as a holiday for Confederate Memorial Day. Penn was wrong but he was more than that. What he did appears to have broken the law. Alabama law is clear, “(a) Any person who willfully or maliciously injures, defaces, removes or destroys any tomb, monument, gravestone or other memorial of the dead, or any fence or any inclosure about any tomb, monument, gravestone or memorial, or who willfully and wrongfully destroys, removes, cuts, breaks or injures any tree, shrub, plant, flower, decoration, or other real or personal property within any cemetery or graveyard shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.” The fact is that our nation is rich in history: some good, some bad. The Confederate flag is a part of it and it represents much more than Penn and those who wish to rewrite history portray it. Despite being one of the nation’s most divisive emblems, experts have long noted the flag was never intended to be a symbol of racism and slavery. Including the Pulitzer Prize-winning James McPherson, the celebrated historian of American history and author of the classic “Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era” and “The War That Forged a Nation: Why the Civil War Still Matters.” In a Salon.com interview, he said the flag initially “was associated with Confederate heritage” until 60-70 years ago, after World War II in the late 1940s, when it became associated with racism. But he noted that, “in the minds of many it continues to be associated with Confederate heritage.” There are many groups dedicated to honoring the history and heritage of the Confederate army and those who died in the civil war. Those include Defenders of the Confederate Cross and Sons of Confederate Veterans who both emphasize that the flag is a symbol to honor the sacrifice of patriots who were willing to die to protect this country and make sure it remained as the founders intended, as well as the history of the south. Not racism. Rather than remove the flag what Penn should have done is take the opportunity to talk to his son about history. He could have used it as an opportunity to reinforce the idea that history offers many lessons and that when presented with a slight real or perceived there are right and wrong ways to address them. Breaking the law and disrespecting history and heritage is not the right way.
GOP presidential prospects in Iowa agree to get tough with terrorists
Republicans wooing Iowa’s most active party members called Saturday for a stronger presence in the world but ran the gamut in tone and just how tough to get with America’s enemies. On Armed Services Day — and a day the Obama administration reported killing a senior Islamic State leader in Syria — most of the nearly dozen GOP presidential prospects at a state party dinner called for a more confrontational stance toward Iran. Former Sen. Rick Santorum‘s answer for handling Iran, one of four countries on the U.S. list of nations accused of repeatedly supporting global terrorism, was to “load up our bombers and bomb them back to the 7th century.” Earlier in the day, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush praised U.S. commandos who had reportedly killed the ISIS leader, described as the head of oil operations for ISIS. Bush gave no credit to Obama, whom Bush accused of allowing the rise of ISIS by pulling back U.S. forces from Iraq. “It’s a great day, but it’s not a strategy,” Bush told reporters in eastern Iowa. Although Bush joked lightly about the confused statements he made in recent days about whether he would have ordered the attack in Iraq in 2003, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul told the GOP gathering Saturday night that it was a “valid question” to ask presidential candidates whether they would have invaded Iraq and toppled Saddam Hussein. “We have to question: Is Iraq more stable or less stable since Hussein is gone?” said Paul, who espouses some of the hands-off foreign policy of his father, former Texas Rep. Ron Paul. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham tried to reject any assertion that the existing problems in Iraq were the result of the Republican president who ordered the invasion, Bush’s brother George W. Bush. “The person I blame is Barack Obama, not George W. Bush,” said Graham, who criticized Obama for keeping a campaign promise to withdraw combat troops from Iraq. Of George W. Bush, Graham said, “He made the best decision he could.” Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, as did others, accused Obama of not taking the threat of Islamic State militants seriously. Perry pointed to claims by the militant group, disputed by terrorism experts, that it was behind the assault on a Texas cartoon contest that featured images of the Prophet Muhammad. “You see ISIS showing up in Garland, Texas,” Perry said. “You realize this is a challenging world we live in.” Aside from the nuances on Republican policy toward Iran and ISIS militants in Iraq, the GOP presidential prospects were united in taking jabs at Democratic candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. They linked Clinton to Obama and mocked her for not fielding more questions during her campaign events. Former business executive Carly Fiorina said that if Clinton is going to run for president, “she is going to have to answer some questions.” Paul joked about whether Clinton “ever takes any questions.” Earlier in the day Bush said he had taken between 800 and 900 questions, compared to a handful by Clinton. In one of the more specific broadsides against Clinton, Fiorina said the former first lady must not be president because “she is not trustworthy, she lacks a track record of leadership and her policies will crush the potential of this nation.” Others who spoke at the Des Moines event, which about 1,300 Iowa Republicans attended, were former surgeon Ben Carson, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former New York Gov. George Pataki, businessman Donald Trump and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Walker, who appeared at an afternoon fundraiser for a Des Moines area county official, called for a stepped-up fight against terrorism. Having recently visited Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Walker called the Obama administration’s foreign policy to “draw a red line in the sand and allow people to cross it.” Instead, he suggested that the United States “take the fight to them.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers
Here’s a round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama’s leading newspapers: The Anniston Star – H. Brandt Ayers: Fool me twice … To get elected in Alabama and elsewhere, you have to scare the voters with some manufactured Bogeyman from whom the clever candidate promises protection. That was the theme of a column centered on early Alabama history last week by colleague and professional historian Hardy Jackson. His essay merits a hearty Bravo and A-a-a-a-men! When the election is over and the Bogeyman has melted away and nothing special happens, the voters are left with that self-critical sinking feeling, “Darn, fooled me again; Shame on me.” The experience leads to cynicism about the whole process, In Alabama, where vivid monsters have been created out of thin air, blacks will rule. They’re gonna take our guns away. We’re drowning in immigrants. These fears usually are followed by a do-nothing or do-little government in Montgomery, which inspires a low-level helpless anger among voters. The political culture in this state could be called: “Angry Resignation; I’m mad as hell but I can’t or won’t do anything about it.” But this shadow play between candidates and voters is not exclusive to Alabama. It is as old as Rome and Machiavelli’s “The Prince,” the first handbook for crafty politicians. In America, the threat is persistently seen as coming from the left. From Social Security to Medicare, the opposition has cried in horror, “Creeping Socialism.” Communism and socialism have been chief Bogeymen of American politics, and neither could be more bogus. American culture is highly resistant to left-wing ideology. The Birmingham News – Marketing maternity: Are we valuing the message over the medicine? Imagine you’re a woman who just found out she is going to have a baby. You see a hospital advertisement for maternity care that includes words and phrases like “empowerment,” “personalized birthing plan” and “you decide.” Sounds good, doesn’t it? The advertisements present a menu of appealing services. Most pregnant mothers already want to have a say in the details of delivering their babies, so these advertisements play on that demand. But what happens when the care provided doesn’t match marketing expectations? It happened to a friend of mine, Caroline Malatesta, who is now in ongoing litigation with the hospital where she delivered her baby. She chose the hospital based on their advertised flexibility and customization, discussed her birth plan with her doctor, and arrived at the hospital assuming that the plan would be followed. During the delivery she was told to lie on her back. When she protested that doing so was not part of the plan, the nurse simply told her that her doctor wasn’t on call. A physical struggle ensued, forcing her to her back. The child was delivered healthy, but instead of a joyful experience, Caroline now suffers permanent injuries. While she didn’t have a specific birth plan, my wife delivered two of our sons at the same hospital and our experiences were positive. But that’s the point. The Decatur Daily – Legislators show their bullying ways Alabama legislators usually operate with a veneer of civility and expressions of concern for their state, but occasionally some reveal themselves as schoolyard bullies. So it is with their treatment of the state Board of Education. The latest of many clashes came last week, when the board declined to confirm appointees for the newly minted Public Charter School Commission. A 4-3 majority preferred not to be a rubber stamp in appointing nominees they had no role in selecting, for a charter-school law into which they had no input. They tugged on Superman’s cape. It was a courageous move they may come to regret. The first retaliation came from state Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, with the enthusiastic support of Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard. Just back from a trip to D.C. to collect an award from an out-of-state charter school group honoring her for pushing a version of its legislation through the Statehouse, Collins had no patience with the impertinent education board. “If they don’t want to take advantage of the honor, we’ll go back to the appointee process,” she said, and immediately filed a bill that would entirely exclude them from selecting charter commission members. It was a sadly amusing legislative slap. In fact, both the board and the department it oversees have been isolated from meaningful input throughout the process of implementing a charter school system. Taxpayer money to support the charter schools — much of which will enrich private companies that the law authorizes to manage them — comes straight from the state’s public schools. The law gives local-elected school boards nominal control over charter schools, but allows the charters to instead report to the Public Charter School Commission if local boards don’t do what they want. The state Board of Education likewise has nominal authority over who serves on the charter commission. That authority is a sleight of hand meant for public consumption, however, as the board is limited to nominees selected by the same elected officials who pushed the charter legislation through. So Collins’ threat to eliminate the board’s authority over the charter commission is merely a threat to make blatant what previously was concealed. The Legislature resents its elected counterparts on the Board of Education, and has never had any intention of including them in the charter school conversation. Dothan Eagle – Gaming the budget In the midst of controversy over Alabama’s chronic financial problems, it’s wise to consider what the politicians have to say with a healthy dose of skepticism. However, it’s mind-boggling that the Ways and Means Committee of the Alabama House would respond to weeks of teeth-gnashing and wailing over the potential harm of a budget shortfall by approving a general fund bill without filling the gaps. From one perspective, it’s an unconscionable dereliction of duty. There are various options afoot that would go a long way toward increasing the state’s revenue. And there are surely expenditures that could be eliminated long before threatening to decimate public
Alabama animal rights groups ready for Senate decision on dog chaining
Animal welfare activists are preparing for a critical decision from the Senate this week in the push for stronger animal rights legislation in Alabama. In a Facebook message this week, Alabama Voters for Responsible Animal Legislation (AVRAL) called on its 7,000 members to reach out to lawmakers in support of Senate Bill 468, also known as the Alabama Dog Tethering and Outdoor Shelter Act. The bill would make it illegal for dog owners to tie their pets to stationary objects and says that any pet kept outside must have adequate food, water, and shelter. An owner who violates the statute could be charged with a Class B misdemeanor and face up to six months in jail, according to the Alabama criminal code. The Senate Judiciary committee is scheduled to vote on Senate Bill 468 this Wednesday. With the 2015 legislative session drawing to a close, the dog chaining bill could be the last of four closely-watched protections against animal cruelty before lawmakers this year: Earlier this month, a measure to set care, confinement, and breeding restrictions on Alabama puppy mills failed in the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee when chairman Rep. David Sessions refused to put the bill on the agenda. Rep. Paul Beckman sponsored House Bill 548 and told AL.com that the chairman thought it was a “’bad bill’ that makes criminals out of dog breeders.” Legislation filed by Rep. Patricia Todd and Rep. Howard Sanderford would ensure that only veterinarians can make surgical or medical decisions for animal treatment and allow veterinarians to work at nonprofit spay/neuter facilities. House Bill 563 is Rep. Todd’s third attempt at strengthening regulations on Alabama spay and neuter clinics. A House committee gave the bill a favorable report last week, but with so few days left in the session, Rep. Todd told AL.com the bill may not get much further. She indicated that she may try the legislation again next year. President of Animal Advocates of Alabama Joey Kennedy said, however, that another bill may not be necessary. In a statement on the organization’s website, Kennedy said: “The nonprofit spay/neuter clinics are operating now and can provide more services than would be allowed even under Todd’s bill. Plus, there is more scrutiny of the state Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, which has spent years and hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to shut down the clinics.” That scrutiny, Kennedy said, might be enough to protect the clinics. The fourth bill, Senate Bill 51, would force shelter operators to publish monthly census reports, detailing how animals enter the facility, the number of adoptions or transfers, and reasons the animals were euthanized. The companion bill was voted down in the House in March. AL.com reported concerns from members that the bill would encourage lawsuits from animal activists and that moving from yearly to monthly reports would add to shelter workloads. Senate Bill 51 has passed the Senate and is now pending in the House committee on public safety and homeland security. The bill is not on the committee’s agenda for the coming week.
