“THE PEOPLE’S PAPER” VOL. 19 ISSUE 11 ~ July 2019 [email protected] Online: www.alabamagazette.com 20 Pages – 2 Sections ©2019 Montgomery, Autauga, Elmore, Crenshaw, Tallapoosa, Pike and Surrounding Counties 334-356-6700 JULY 4, 1776 Who Will Be Defenders of Birth of a Nation Our Constitution? PAUL HARVEY’S ‘IF I WERE THE DEVIL’ media fanning the flames. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to TRANSCRIPT - 1965 ~ EVEN AS WE SEE IT TODAY 2019 ...... refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal “If I were the devil … If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf detectors at every schoolhouse door. the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of its real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting ripest apple on the tree — Thee. So I’d set about however necessary to take pornography — soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first — I’d begin with a schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please. priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas To the young, I would whisper that ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince a bottle. them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ And the old, I would If I were the devil I’d take from those who have, and give to those who want teach to pray, after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington… until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid And what do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work in Patriotism, I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize that swinging is more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And the rest with pills. thus, I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil I’d just keep If I were the devil I’d soon have families at war with themselves, churches at right on doing what he’s doing.” war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing Paul Harvey, good day. By DHr. Maorthan Pooole Sirmmionns gWo mOen ofu Serrvice tHo oure Corunotry!ines Pages Thank You! 6A and 7A 2019 Montgomery Mayoral Forum Candidates for Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama will gather 6 PM - 9PM Thursday, July 18, 2019 at the Crump Senior Center, 1751 Congressman William L. Dickinson Drive. All qualified candidates for Mayor of Montgomery are invited. All citizens of Montgomery are invited. The Forum is sponsored and administered by East Montgomery Neighborhood Alliance and Midtown Montgomery Neighborhood Alliance. The Education Statio n... ROBSERVATIONS... 88tthh AAmmeennddmmeenntt BITS AND PIECES, Alabama Territory #8 Emerges as a State Ron Holtsford - Page 2A Page 5A Page 3A PRSRT STD GAZETTE PUBLISHING US POSTAGE PAID 12 East Jefferson St. MONTGOMERY, AL Montgomery, AL 36104 Return Service Requested PERMIT #69 1778 E. Main St., Prattville, AL 36066 (334) 365-6552 Hours: Monday ~ Friday 9 ~ 5:30 Saturday ~ 9 ~ 5 Sunday ~ Closed 2A Read us online at Alabama Gazette.com ~ Like Us on Facebook July 2019 Inside the Statehouse with Steve Flowers Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column on Alabama politics appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. The views of submitted editorials may not be the www.steveflowers.us express views of The Alabama Gazette. Legislative Session for Most Part Successful, Especially for Governor Kay Ivey The 2019 Legislative Session was one of the most controversial yet was also passed on a positive note. The budget calls for spending $2.2 billion productive sessions in memory. dollars. It includes a two percent cost of living increase for state employees as Governor Kay Ivey’s first Session of the Quadrennial was a roaring success. well as an eight percent increase for the state’s understaffed prison system. It’s hard to remember a governor getting everything they wanted since the Representative Steve Clouse (R – Ozark) is the veteran chairman of the House George Wallace heydays. General Fund Committee. Wallace in his prime simply controlled the legislature. It was more like an One of the downsides of the Session was the Legislature’s inability to pass a appendage of the governor’s office. Kay Ivey has apparently taken a page from Constitutional Amendment to allow Alabamians to vote to have a lottery like the old Wallace playbook. By the way, that is probably apropos as Kay cut her 45 other states, including all of our neighboring states. teeth in Alabama politics working for and learning from the Wallaces. It would pass overwhelmingly if put to a vote. Alabamians are simply tired Governor Ivey started out the session by passing a gas tax increase which of seeing their money going into the state coffers of Georgia, Mississippi, will fund major transportation/highway needs in the state. She ended the last Tennessee and Florida. week of the session by garnering legislation to give the governor control of the State Senator Jim McLendon (R-St. Clair) offered the best opportunity and Pardons and Parole Board and then topping that off with legislation that will most modern and profitable lottery proposal. However, his Bill was ignored in allow a vote next March on Alabama having an appointed state school board deference to the Indian Casinos legislation which was overtly written to continue rather than an elected one. If this controversial amendment is approved by to give these Indian Casinos a monopoly on electronic gaming in the state. The voters, then the governor will make most of the initial appointments. Indian casinos arrogantly flaunted their influence in the Legislature by offering One would have to say that Kay Ivey has pretty much got a lot of influence a watered down, archaic, paper only lottery that would be obsolete within five with this Legislature. Kay’s years of experience and probably more importantly years. her relationships with legislators is paying dividends for Alabama’s female McLendon’s Bill would have generated $250 million. The Indian Casino’s Republican governor. Lottery would have given the state a paltry $100 million at best for a few years. Any legislative session could be considered a success if both budgets pass. The House Democrats boldly and wisely killed the Bill with the hopes that if It is, by the way, the only constitutional mandate for a regular annual session. you are going to approve a lottery, that it would be one that would benefit the The Education Budget is record breaking. It is a $7.1-billion-dollar budget state and not the Indian gambling syndicate. with a $500 million dollar increase over last year’s budget. This largest in In essence, the Choctaw Indian Casino’s in Mississippi killed the lottery 20 years history budget gives teachers and education employees a four percent cost of ago with last minute money before balloting. The Poarch Creek Casinos beat it living raise. It will also increase funding to the state’s heralded pre-kindergarten this time before it could get out of the gate. The power that the Poarch Creek program. Alabama Community Colleges will get a significant increase. Indian casinos are building in the Alabama Legislature is dangerous. Legislators seem to realize the importance of technical training in the state in CBS 42 in Birmingham took a poll the last week of the session asking how attracting manufacturing jobs. State Senator, Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) and Rep - their viewers rated the Legislature and Legislative Session. It was 86 percent resentative Bill Poole (R- Tuscaloosa), the Chairmen of the Education Budget negative. However, this is nothing new. Alabamian’s have always rated the Committees in the Senate and House did an excellent job of shepherding the Legislature negatively. However, if you ask them about their own legislators school budget through the legislative labyrinth. they will either not know who they are or they like them. The General Fund Budget which generally lags behind the Education Budget July 3, 2019 Can A Convicted Murderer Sentenced To Death Be Executed If They Are Insane Or Have Dementia? Under English common law it has been long held Madison was sentenced to death in 1994.