Tears and Laughter: What Wilcox County can learn from the allegations against Roy Moore 

Well, I for one completely underestimated Roy Moore. I mean, I figured once he was elected Senator that he would keep Alabama in the headlines and popular with the late-night comedy circuit, but I never imagined it would begin so soon. 

I’m still not sure what to make of Brother Roy with his cowboy hat and his little .22 short he seems to like to showoff, riding to the polls on his horse…it was all a bit much for me, but I’m a fairly conservative girl. And honestly, I was put off by the Ten Commandment saga years ago. I’ve always been a Christian. I love Jesus. But Moses was able to carry the first copy of the Ten Commandments down the mountain. Roy Moore’s monument weighed over two tons. There may have potentially been a hint of overcompensation. He had it installed during the dark of night. A Christian television ministry videoed the entire event, but he failed to mention it to any of the eight associated justices. 

It all came down to the August deadline, and by late August it is very hot in downtown Montgomery – but there were men laid out on the hot asphalt in protest wearing suits and ties. Other men were up praying, women were standing around holding signs and sweating and fanning. Many of them had their children with them to witness this huge spectacle. 

I was watching from my kitchen on a TV on top of my refrigerator, and I just remember thinking how Chief Justice Moore was not being asked to destroy the monument. Nobody was telling him he had to go sink it in the river. There were no requests to make the words on it null and void. He was simply ordered by a federal judge to move it out of the state Supreme Court Building because it endorses religion in a government establishment which is not permissible. 

The monument now rests in a hallway of The Church at Wills Creek for the residents of Gadsden to visit and appreciate. Time will tell how the people of Alabama will judge the Judge in this most recent controversy involving allegations of inappropriate contact with underage girls back in the 70’s. But there is a lesson in this for Wilcox County. 

When the Washington Post article was first published there were immediate calls for Roy Moore to step down. Maybe some of the calls were too quick because there, of course, should be some form of investigation rather than a rush to judgment – especially taking into account the concerns of some regarding timing and the current political climate. Roy Moore continues to say he has no plans to quit. He claims he is an innocent man, and that he will be suing all of the women involved, including the latest who he denies even knowing.  

The calls for him to disqualify himself came because anyone who has had sexual involvement on any level with an underage girl is disqualified from serving in public office. In other words, if the chairman of your county commission was a teacher who had a relationship with a student – and after an investigation, his teaching certificate was revoked and he was fired – that simultaneously disqualified him to hold public office, even if his name stayed on the ballot. 

That kind of behavior says a lot about a man. It says a lot about the men who serve alongside him too. Their prior knowledge, their acceptance, and their silence speak for them. Only weak people follow a disqualified leader. Strong ones demand accountability. 

Amanda Walker is a blogger and contributor with AL.com, The Thomasville Times, West Alabama Watchman, and Wilcox Progressive Era. Contact her at walkerworld77@msn.com or athttps://www.facebook.com/AmandaWalker.Columnist