Many Republicans and conservatives are on a high because of the red wave potentially coming not only in the presidential race, but in the United States Senate as well. Elected representatives like Attorney General Steve Marshall are encouraging this positivity, 1819 News’ Daniel Taylor reported, drawing parallels between today and the pre-Reagan 1980s:
‘I want to deliver a little bit of good news, which is we're going to win the election in 13 days,’ Marshall said Wednesday at a Marshall County Republican Women's club meeting.
That may be true, but one mistake made by the Reagan generation was the lack of vigilance in ensuring their elected and appointed officials were actually fighting for freedoms and civil liberties, not just giving the appearance of such. This rot brought us to where we are now, with a Democratic administration working overtime to destroy those very freedoms, continually thwarting the state’s efforts to protect them.
This lack of vigilance peppers the Alabama political landscape as well. While the state maintains its deep red reputation with majority Republican representation, the fight for civil liberties and proper representation is lacking and appears to be getting worse, not better, the redder Alabama becomes.
On the micro-level, the Athens city council is failing to adequately address sewage problems impacting a historically black community on Strain Road and Luke Street, thus draining the generational wealth of their land. The supposedly conservative and Republican council members appear to be slow-walking any help, causing townspeople to call them out.
Why is it that the council approved millions to maintain their animal shelter, but cannot come up with the funds to properly correct an issue impacting its taxpaying citizens? Townspeople believe these black residents are the last thing standing in the way of certain council members’ plans to scoop up that land to further commercial development in this area.
How do such people get elected? And why are they allowed to stay in office?
A certain complacency prevents people from holding their elected representatives’ feet to the fire. Instead, we become anesthetized because someone says the right words, is familiar to us, or seems to support our values.
Somewhere along the line, these council people stopped serving their public constituents and instead focused on what serves themselves. Vigilant citizens must cut this off at the pass by challenging office holders through elections, focused oversight on what these councils rubber stamp, and, when necessary, removing corrupted officials from office.
What is occurring in Athens, Ala., is also occurring in small and large ways in Florence, Sylacauga, Guntersville, and probably many others. But citizens’ lack of oversight and engagement only encourages it to continue and fester.
On the macro-level, there is the news that our state’s top health officer is linked to a Soros-backed foundation. This foundation encourages equity in health, which is code for racial division and grievance, rather than actual health policy that serves everyone.
Dr. Scott Harris was named president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO).
The non-profit represents public health agencies and public health professionals nationwide and has ties to George Soros.
ASTHO focuses on health equity and states its partners ‘must advocate for changes that maximize health and address inequities—inequities that exist among groups based on geographic location, income, education, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.
The organization also recommends states develop a strategic framework and inclusive policies for “socially marginalized communities.
Harris was just another functionary who, instead of using his knowledge to assist Alabamians through the COVID pandemic, followed the CDC and NIH doctrine that resulted in unnecessary business closures, financial ruin and unnecessary deaths.
“We’re kind of the silent guardians of health,” Harris claimed in 2023. “Nobody really knows anything about us unless we do something wrong.”
He went on to note that COVID raised the department’s negative profile. “Suddenly, people saw us as partisan and we’re not,” Harris said. “We’re just here to use science to implement good public health policy.”
When appointed in 2018, it was reported that Harris’ focus would be on infant mortality, opioid mitigation and emergency preparedness. CDC numbers show that Alabama’s infant mortality rate remained fairly static over his tenure, going from 6.94 in 2018 to 6.69 in 2022.
Meanwhile, other CDC numbers show that drug overdose mortality increased during his tenure from 16.6 in 2018 to 31.5 in 2022.
Regarding emergency management, I wonder why this is under state public health instead of public safety. It seems this chief health officer position is used as a catch-all in order to command a large salary and prestige. In reality, it is a Trojan horse for increased federal controls.
In a state as expansive as Alabama, regionally-focused care with mobile health components should be the aim. Instead, we will get more unscientific equity measures and LGBTQ+ propaganda.
By any objective measure, this health official’s tenure is a failure, and Gov. Kay Ivey – who appoints the chief health officer – should have demanded Harris’ resignation by now. Instead, Harris is being appointed to the highest role in an organization whose aims are population control and social agendas, rather than the health and well-being of Alabama citizens and their liberties.
This is what happens when we are lulled into a false sense of security by federal and local elections that go in our favor. We stop paying attention to whether these elected and appointed officials will defend our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, or work behind our backs (and often in front of our faces) to strip them piece by piece.
Jennifer Oliver O'Connell, As the Girl Turns, is an investigative journalist, author, opinion analyst, and contributor to 1819 News, Redstate, and other publications. Jennifer writes on Politics and Pop Culture, with occasional detours into Reinvention, Yoga, and Food. You can read more about Jennifer's world at her As the Girl Turns website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819news.com.
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