Since January 1, 1993, it's been hard to be a Democrat in the heart of Dixie, the great State of Alabama. That was the date that the University of Alabama won their last national college football title. That, combined with the fact that the state has not gone blue since Carter in '76 has given liberal Alabamians little reason for hope in the last 17 years. But tonight, proud southerners who are also proud progressives have, for the first time since that day almost two decades ago, reason to be proud.
We have endured poverty, with over 60% percent of Alabama children going hungry at some point during 2008. We have also endured failure in the realm of college football, the only athletic competition that matters in this state. Since the '93 title, we have won Southeastern Conference titles but have not been lucky enough to compete for a national championship. We have endured electoral defeat with little hope of turning the state blue in a national election. Even the DNC seemed to give up on us, which I can personally attest to as the Veterans for Obama state chair during the last election.
But tonight, for just the next few weeks, we are champions. Those that reside north of the Mason-Dixon or west of the boundary that divides SEC from Big XII may not consider us so, but in the states and among the proud southern tradition which subscribes to Southeastern Conference allegiance, we are the greatest team in the nation regardless of what may happen in Pasadena.
Alabama may have not went for Obama, much less as overwhelmingly so as the rest of the nation did. But Republican or Democrat; liberal, conservative or centrist; regardless of your ideological affiliation, Alabamians can join hands in triumph. Those who have not had reason for joy in the state's popular vote for national elections, nor in votes for the governors mansion (save the election and controversial incarceration of Democratic Govorner Don Siegelman) can join hands with those liberals who have not been able to express any from of escalation since that 1993 new years day and cheer for our team-- the men in Crimson, the men of Alabama:
Yea Alabama! Drown 'em Tide!
Every Bama man's behind you, hit your stride!
Go teach the Bulldog's to behave,
Send them Yellow Jackets to a watery grave!
And if a man starts to weaken, that's his shame,
For Bama's pluck and grit have writ her name in Crimson flame,
FIGHT ON! FIGHT ON! FIGHT ON, MEN!
Remember the Rose Bowl, we'll win then!
Roll on to victory, hit your stride!
You're Dixie's football pride, Crimson Tide!
ROLL TIDE! ROLL TIDE!