Alabama County Passes Annual Obama Holiday

MARION, Ala. — In central Alabama's Perry County, government workers already get a day off for President's Day, Martin Luther King Day, and Veterans Day. In 2009, they'll get one more: "Barack Obama Day."

The rural county, which overwhelmingly supported Obama in last month's presidential election, has approved the second Monday in November as "The Barack Obama Day." Commissioners passed a measure that would close county offices for the new annual holiday and its roughly 40 workers will get a paid day off.

Sponsoring commissioner Albert Turner Jr. said the holiday is meant to highlight the Democratic president-elect's victory as a way to give people faith that difficult goals can be achieved.

Perry County has 12,000 residents, most of them black. Voters there backed Obama by over 70 percent in a state that gave 60 percent of the overall vote to Republican John McCain based largely on strong support from white voters.

At the state level, Alabama observes the standard federal holidays as well as a handful of its own that include Confederate Memorial Day in April and the June birthday of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. It observes Martin Luther King's birthday in January but the holiday is twinned with commemoration of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on the same day.

The Perry County Commission's three black members and one of its two white members voted for the Obama holiday.

Commissioner Brett Harrison said Wednesday he voted against the resolution because of the costs to the county, which has a $2.2 million annual payroll and is one of the poorest in the state. He said closing the courthouse would also idle some state employees.

"I'm a Democrat, but just in these financial times, it's not using the county's money wisely," Harrison told The Associated Press by phone Wednesday. "The recognition is certainly well-founded."

Turner said copies of the resolution, adopted at a Nov. 25 meeting, have been mailed to Obama and his transition team.

Comments

[lovable]

sean hannity talked about this on the radio today he was sooooooo angry. if it had been ronald reagan he would have been happy or david duke day

[conscioushope]

Poor Sean......

Sorry I missed it.
But, oh I forgot, I always miss his show!

[Digeeedad]

Posters on the hannity website Forum "Washington Politics" are upset as well. Of course most of the regulars there have palpable hatred of Obama. This is without a doubt one of the MOST disturbing mainstream forums on the net>
http://forums.hannity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=7

[ArmyCentrist]

I'm a little PO'd that many Southern states have coupled MLK Day with Robert E. Lee's birthday. Lee was a traitor to the Union, to the American flag. He led campaigns to kill American soldiers. Stop naming schools and highways after him, or at least be fair and name something after Alger Hiss.

[robXdion]

This has been allowed and tolerated ever since Rutherford B. Hayes made a deal to stop Federal troops from enforcing Reconstruction in 1878, which was actually a deal to make him President after a contested election. With that the KKK flourished, the Black Codes & Jim Crow were established and revisionist history was in full swing. The Civil War was then portrayed as an honorable endeavor for "States' Rights" plus JEB Stuart and Stonewall Jackson were blessed saints sent to earth to help Gen. Lee and Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln were just debating baseball teams. That's the extent of understanding now because the truth hurts just that bad.

[scitilopnacirema]

I disagree with celebrating both on the same day, but am not opposed to some recognition of Lee. History shows Lee to be in favor of freeing slaves, but not through war. Also, it is more accurate to say that he fought for Virginia than it is to say that he fought against the Union. Honor Lee, but not as a counterweight to the celebration of King.

[PATina]

He fought for Virginia which was fighting against the Union. He's still a traitor no matter how you slice it.

[conscioushope]

Good point, army.....

The irony ( perhaps the "dig") is not lost on me.

[jamie461]

I agree. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, and it annoys me no end that Lee's birthday is "celebrated" that day. It's really only recognized by the bigoted, white supremacists and their sympathizers, but it still grinds me.

[Yalegirl03]

Me too. I grew up in VA which also had MLK/ Robert E Lee day. In school we never learned about Lee outside of history class Civil War discussions. We just celebrated it as MLK Day despite what the state said. In VA it just seems to be a vestige of the old days when the state was more in the grip of bitter racists. I am glad that the times are changing. VA elected Douglas Wilder, the first black governor and the state went for Obama, the first black president. If that is not a sign of changing times, I don't know what else is.

I think it is reprehensible that Lee is celebrated. He was a treasonous racist. But, I've never had sympathy for adulation of confederates.

[moda31]

wow the biggest thing i learned out of this piece is that there are actually a bunch of idiots out there who couple MLK's birthday and commemoration of robert e. lee into one holiday, that's simply unbelievable.

[robXdion]

Of course. They do it out of spite. These people actually see MLK as a "threat to the white race". And they use R.E. Lee as retaliation. . . . .even as they adamantly declare the Civil War had absolutely nothing to do with slavery. And in this so-called advanced society with advanced education and degrees questioning this lunacy causes hysterics and seizures.

[BabsfromKansas]

I didn't know that either - i find it shocking!

[AlabamianForObama]

I have been a big Barack Obama supporter from the beginning. Before Barack announced his candidacy, I listened to his book The Audacity of Hope on my way to my uncle's funeral in Northern Virginia. Barack spoke to me. I felt that he is the one to lead us out of these dark years of fear and divisiveness. It was with great excitement and hope that I watched his announcement on that cold day in Illinois. I donated and volunteered during the primary campaign, made calls on his behalf, drove people to the polls and took 2 of my daughters to see him in Birmingham. We traveled to Nashville for the Belmont debate and had the privilege to meet David Axelrod. I told him that I was doing my best to turn Alabama BLUE! He said to keep up the good work. We didn't go blue, but the enthusiasm in our state was much higher than the national news would have the rest of the country believe. It has been an amazing ride! Living in VERY RED state northern Alabama, it's not always easy to be the outsider, but I proudly displayed an Obama/Biden sign in my yard, bumper sticker on my car and a pin over my heart. My prayers that Obama would be elected on came true. We need his vision and leadership in Washington and this Alabamian is happy that she helped to elect him.

[BabsfromKansas]

I am happy you did, too!

[Cookie100]

It's a holiday for me now also. It was my mom's b-day, so once she passed away, I stopped thinking about inauguration day. I am so excited to mark the day again and celebrate!
The past 8 years have been like a nightmare, and I still pinch myself when I think, he is actually going to be our president. Thank you America, thank you.

To have habeas corpus restored, Gitmo closed, to be able to mail a donation to Greenpeace, Amnesty Int'l or even The Wildlife Fund in the past, concerned me. I can breath again for the first time in 8 years.

Karl Rove and Bush can attempt to rewrite history, but we all know what's happened, all the wrong they have done. We were no longer living in a Democracy. For that Rove, Bush, Cheney, Tennet, all of them, they can SAY what ever they want, but since you reap what you sow, the universe is now responsible, and pay back is a bi*ch you guys. Karma, it's the law.

[Pquilson]

We have never lived in a democracy. We live in a republic. There is a difference.

[theone718]

It'll be a national holiday in the future. Don't know when but God willing I will be alive to enjoy it.

[arspar183]

this is a step in the right direction to making my dream come true
changing the name from Alabama to Ala-Obama. heh heh heh

[CintiBlue]

Good one; it rolls off the tongue quite nicely. Thanks for the chuckle.

[southerngirl08]

I live in Mobile, AL and you would the surprised at the HUGE number of Obama supporters here. There are some of us here, yes in Alabama, that love Obama and support him fully.

[PoliticalAdInfinitum]

First Kenya makes Nov.4th Barack Obama day, Now A county in Alabama.
The whole country should have a holiday on Nov 4th for Elections but more importantly, because Barack obama was Elected

[Hawka]

Alabama celebrates Barack Obama day? Alabama?

[Igetitnow]

I love it! Good for them!

[4wehttam]

Not fair. I think that should be for all of us. This is historic, we should all partake. Maybe they should let voters decide if a national holiday is in order for all 50 states.

[barackobama4prez]

in alabama? wow....

[Petey131]

Commissioner Brett Harrison can work that day if he wishes.