by Senator Hank Sanders
“Hank, I am in the Dallas County Jail.” Those were the words that my dear wife, Faya Rose Toure’ spoke on the phone. It was the beginning of a very eventful and intense time. Our lives are always jam packed, but this intensified everything. It’s alright because sometimes we have to take a stand!
It began in deception. It ended in jail. The Selma City Council was scheduled to consider a resolution giving an acre of public land in the Live Oak Cemetery to the Friends of Forrest, a group trying to immortalize Nathan Bedford Forrest by constructing a large monument of him on public property in Selma.
Forrest was the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. He built the Klan into a powerful national organization that killed or hurt thousands of African Americans while terrorizing millions. He was also a Confederate General who, on two occasions, led his troops in slaughtering Black Union soldiers, along with women and children, after they had surrendered. Prior to the Civil War, he was one of the biggest slave traders in the country. Sometimes we have to take a stand.
Selma City Council President Corey Bowie told Faya Rose and others that they were not voting on the proposed land give-away at the council meting that Tuesday night. However, after the media and many citizens had left, some two-and-a-half hours into the Council meeting, Council members commenced considering the resolution. Faya Rose repeatedly asked to speak, but Council President Bowie repeatedly denied her request. He asked the Mayor to remove her from the Council Chambers. The Mayor of Selma, George Evans, had a policeman remove her. He handcuffed her and took her to the Selma City Jail. She was quickly transferred from the Selma City Jail to the Dallas County Jail several miles away.
No reservations or limitations were placed in the deed of land. Three African American Council persons voted against the land give-away. Two others voted with the three White Councilpersons. One African American was absent.
“Hank, I refused to make bail. Bail is a thousand dollars, but I was arrested wrongly. I am staying in jail. Please do not make bail for me.” I agreed and immediately headed for the Dallas County Jail. I understand that sometimes we have to take a stand.
When I got to the jail, several others were present in fervent support. I did not try to persuade her to leave jail because I agreed with her position. It’s a shame to have a monument on public lands to Nathan Bedford Forrest, the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. It’s a shame that the Selma City Council President said the Council would not consider the land give-away to Friends of Forrest that night when that was clearly their plan. It’s a shame they resorted to deception in the darkness of night. It’s a shame for the Council to give an acre of land in a crowded public cemetery for a monument of a man who slaughtered civilians and Union soldiers in cold blood after they had surrendered.
A monument to a person says that this person lived a life such that he/she should be lifted up as an example to be followed. A monument on public lands says that all people should follow this example. If the Friends of Forrest want a monument to Nathan Bedford Forrest, they should build it on private lands. It’s a crying shame for the City of Selma, an international symbol of struggle for freedom, to give public lands for a monument to a murderer, a terrorist, a traitor, a slave trader. Sometimes we have to take a stand.
Live Oak Cemetery is located smack in the middle of an African American neighborhood. With Alabama’s new gun laws that allow folk to carry guns in public and the potential appearance of KKK types, there is bound to be trouble, deadly trouble. I do not want further killing, and neither should the Selma City Council.
Faya spent the night in jail. She says the jail personnel were very professional and considerate. That night, I had a message sent out on the internet. The next morning, I was on the Faya’s Fire Radio Program to share the injustice. I drafted a statement to be widely distributed. I took many calls of concern from around the country. This is a terrible injustice so I was going all out. Sometimes we have to take a stand, and I appreciate Faya Rose taking a stand.
Among others, the Mayor of Selma called me. He said that he did not have Faya Rose handcuffed and arrested. He only asked the policeman to escort her from the Council Chamber and he did not know that she had been arrested until the next morning. He said he was on his way to the Dallas County Jail. I headed for the jail myself.
Faya Rose refused to make bail on principle. The next day the charges were dropped. She could not stay in jail without trespassing. I took her to my office to get her van and other things. A few hours later, we left for Bay Minette to spend Thanksgiving with nine of the 11 living Sanders’ siblings. However, struggle was still on our minds. We cannot allow this matter to rest. We must take a stand.
Now on to the Daily Diary.
EPILOGUE – Sometimes we have to take a stand. Even if we stand by ourselves. Even if standing costs us dearly. Even if those refusing to stand do not understand. We just have to stand.
