HUNTSVILLE — Stephen D. Schmidt, chairman of the Madison County Republican Executive Committee, spoke at Saturday’s Madison County Republican Men’s Club about J. Elbert Peters, who passed away in December 2023.
Peters had been a driving force in northern Alabama politics. He chaired the Alabama Republican Party during part of the 1990s, was a member of the state and county Republican executive committees and chaired the 5th Congressional District Republican Executive Committee. He was also president of the Madison County Republican Men’s Club and, after his death, was lauded by U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), who called Peters “a genuine leader and a good man.”
“No single person has done more for the Republican Party in Alabama, and really for the country as well, as J. Elbert Peters,” said Schmidt. “It was a privilege to learn from Elbert. He was the stalwart of the Republican Party. He was the chairman of the state party, the Alabama GOP. He was chairman of the 5th Congressional District, and he was also chairman of the Madison County GOP. And he wrote the bylaws for all of them. He knew them inside and out. If he didn't write them, he was there when they were written, and he knew everything about them. So I had the privilege of working with Elbert, and I really learned everything I know about the party and about this committee and about Madison County and the state of Alabama from Elbert Peters.”
As a major general in the United States Air Force, Schmidt served as commander of the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control (AWACS) Force Command for over seven years, including deployments to Afghanistan, Libya and Turkey. He also served at the Pentagon and at Area 51. He was Chief of Staff at Strategic Command in Omaha, Nebraska on Sept. 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center towers came down, and was there when President George Bush arrived later that day and conducted a video conference with his cabinet.
Before that, as an Air Force pilot, Schmidt flew B-52s for over 3,000 hours of flying time, including an entire year on nuclear alert when, for seven days a week, 24 hours a day, he was never more than 15 minutes away from taking off in case of nuclear attack.
Schmidt also spoke about the situation in the United States today and how not only ordinary Americans but also religious leaders should speak out more.
“It’s a fight between good and evil,” said Schmidt. “I was never more proud of being American than when I lived in Europe. Every country out there, especially Israel, but all our allies, all look to America to lead the way. The only people trashing America are those who have never been outside this country. … If you ever live in Europe, you’ll see what it’s like. It’s not better. There is no good in socialism, definitely not in communism. … American politicians and American churches need to show real leadership and real willingness to fight against evil.”
As to what the biggest problem in the world is today, Schmidt said, “Men have forgotten God. I didn’t say that; Alexander Solzhenitsyn did back in the last century. He was talking not necessarily about America, but the world. I think that’s exactly where we’re at: it’s a fight between good and evil.”
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