Tears and Laughter: Governor Ivey

If Governor Bentley resigns as the legislature and most of the state’s newspapers would have him do, it would mean that Wilcox’s own, Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey, will by law become Alabama’s next governor.

There has only been one other governor from Wilcox County, Benjamin Meek Miller was born in Oak Hill and served as governor from 1931 to 1935. It was during the worst years of the depression and Miller was known for his frugality. He is noted for taking his favorite milk cow to the Governor’s Mansion with him.

Governor Ivey being in office would necessarily bring fresh attention to Wilcox County. We as residents have a lot to consider, like what to do about all the trash we have around here as well as what to do about all of the burnt patches along the highways and county roads where countless cars have been torched.

And not to get started, but if Governor Bentley is forced to resign because he had an affair with a grown woman and lied about it, shouldn’t any county leaders that have had sex with under-aged girls and lied about it follow suit.

Whether on a professional or personal level, if you have committed an act that left a paper trail that you know includes investigation reports and an affidavit that will force people to lose respect in your decision making skills and your ability to lead – it’s over.

Nobody is going to continue to follow direction from someone like that, at least not for long. That’s just the way it is, like the laws of nature and why the strongest survive.

There is a saying in Wilcox County that goes, “It’s hard to do right in a county used to doing wrong.” After last week, we can see that the corruption doesn’t stop at the county line. It is true of state politics, and we would be wrong to assume it stops there too, but this is about Wilcox County. It has been a long time since one of our own slept in the Governor’s Mansion. Well, at least I guess it has been.

Naturally, everyone is going to be curious about Kay Ivey and want to know more about her and more about this little town of Camden where she was born and raised.

Ms. Ivey obviously won’t be the first woman to control the capital, but she will do as good of a job as this last one did. There is hope in Wilcox County that as governor, Kay Ivey could help get Roland Cooper State Park opened again.

Outrage locally has been refueled since reports last week showed it was Rebekah Mason, Governor Bentley’s personal advisor, who was responsible for the decision saying, “Close those parks. Only poor people use them anyway.”

Everybody here was a little offended by her comment. It is no secret that Wilcox County is one of the poorest counties in the nation. We valued our park. She may be as sweet as she can be, or have more fingerprints on her rear than the ABI has on file, I just don’t know her – but I think I speak for us all as a whole when I assure Mrs. Mason that there are worse things a person can be than poor.

Kay Ivey will make a fine governor for the state of Alabama. Just look at where she is from.

Amanda Walker is a columnist with The West Alabama Watchman, Al.com, The Thomasville Times, and The Wilcox Progressive Era. For more information, visit her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AmandaWalker.Columnist.