Op Ed: Jeff Session is Great!
2 min read
Lauren Brumfield | The Blue & Gray Press
By IAN SCOTT WILSON
Jeff Sessions, on February 1, was approved by the Senate Judiciary committee in an 11-9 vote. The full Senate voted 52 to 47 (as opposed to 56 to 43 for Loretta Lynch with Republicans breaking rank, and 75 to 21 for Eric Holder also with Republicans breaking rank). This is fantastic! Of course, the vote in the Judiciary committee was split completely down party lines. Similar partisanship also occurred in the final Senate vote, but with one Democrat voting for Sessions. I find this to be reason for excitement. The man is a strong Constitutionalist—an idea inseparable from what makes the United States the greatest nation in history. But still he has his detractors. However, every argument against Sessions falls flat upon even the briefest review of the facts. Cries of “Sessions is a racist” is basically the loudest and so should be addressed.
Racist is a strong word, and racists do exist, though not in the case of Sessions. Sessions has actually been a strong proponent of civil rights for decades. Consider the following: Sessions co-sponsored a bill that awarded Rosa Parks the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest awards for civilians; Sessions was part of the case against a KKK lynching of a black man in Alabama in the 80s and helped to make sure that the actual racist was executed; and Sessions fought voter fraud on behalf of black prosecutors in Alabama (also against black defendants, hence the racism charge). But instead, Democrats would rather call him a racist and shut down the conversation, because to even question the accusation is heresy. Forget facts, it matters far more that they feel he is a racist. Here is my challenge: prove it.
The real reason he is being opposed is because he is a conservative. He values the Constitution and doesn’t have a D after his name.
You’re just wrong. Maybe when people are being oppressed listen to their thoughts rather than deciding they’re prejudiced against you because of your party affiliation. The fact that he voted for a few pieces of legislation having to do with black people doesn’t make him not racist. I notice you didn’t bring up his support for voter restrictions which primarily effect black people and other minorities. He was blocked from a federal appointment for racist statements DECADES ago. Also, prosecuting white people for CRIMES does not make you some paragon of virtue. It’s the law. Session is also supported by David Duke, which speaks for itself. He thinks that non-religious people are incapable of governing. He discriminates against LGBTQ people, and feels that institutional racism doesn’t exist. There’s your damn proof.
I’m so glad that being against KKK lynching is the new criteria for being a civil rights icon!
This is not not necessarily true. Did you forget about the letter written by Coretta Scott King that was read by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) basically opposing his nomination to a position on the federal judiciary? and that didn’t go through under a Republican government.
I oppose Sessions not because of racism but because he is a constitutional extremist. I find the strict constitutionalism ideology to be intellectual dishonesty. It claims that the written text is parmount which seems legitimate at first but there is no text that is not open to interpretation. No one knows the orginal intent and words on a page can only reveal so much. When reading any text we see what we want to see. Judges are not robots so to ask them to not rely upon their life experiences or consider the consequences their actions may have is naive. Even the king of strict Constitutionalism the late Antonin Scalia was swayed by his personal experiences primarily his religion. My problem with Sessions and others like him is their hypocrisy. Having a conservative judical philosophy is fine but don’t hide behind a over two hundred years old document.
Why do people think he is racist? I see someone mentioned a comment he made decades ago – is that the proof of racism? Or because someone who is racist likes him makes him a racist? A lot of people in this world would be in big trouble if that were true. I know of some murderers who supported Obama – does that make Obama a murderer? Absurd.
Good article. I couldn’t agree more.
Sessions is a good man. He prosecuted the KKK and essentially bankrupted it in Alabama.
Calling conservatives racists without evidence is now the paradigm for the pathetic left.
There’s a lot I could say, but, “Session”
Really glad about Jeff Sessions, he’s pretty awesome! In my opinion, he’s done far more for black communities than most Democrat politicians. They should be following his example!