He prosecuted Klansmen who killed the four AA girls in the church in the 60’s. If they don’t realize that he is for them after that, then it is on them.

He is also spending a lot of time in black churches.

You can see all his ads on his youtube channel.

sitting back and allowing the likes of Moore to win? What is the matter with Democrats?

Of course. We are born wired for liberal or conservative personalities and only after that environment gets in on the act and we orient politically. Conservative black Alabamans get a double or triple conservative hit, including being raised in religious sects that mostly contain both strong black and conservative orientations. Liberal black Alabamans largely get those hits too because they're so pervasive.

So this has nothing to do with what's "the matter" with Democrats. When black conservatives vote Democrat it's always provisionally to serve their own beliefs and interests. They haven't thrown in with liberals. And black conservative partisan hostility toward liberals of all colors is just as real as that of white conservatives.

Also, although both conservative and liberal PoC united into one monolithic political force to have power to throw around in presidential elections, that doesn't necessarily hold in state races.

By that I mean truly batshit. I know most African Americans are not that, even in Alabama. It makes no fucking sense for anyone to sit out and allow that piece of shit to win, when an actual, decent human is running, who will certainly serve ALL the people effectively.

Pro-life, anti-gay, "family values" conservative.

What on earth made you think that black Southerners were liberal?

Black voters consistently vote 90-10 for democratic candidates regardless of the candidate’s ideology, including in state wide and local races. There is no significant conservative black movement that supports republicans.

not make a conservative liberal. They'd almost to a one take that as an insult.

PoC voted heavily for Hillary 2016, but not as many as voted for Obama. She was extremely unfairly blamed for that, and so were the PoC who did vote Democrat who were accused of not coming out in as large numbers as for Obama. Most of the falloff was in black conservatives who lacked that special motivation to vote Democrat.

Plus, although I've never seen numbers from studies on this, without doubt misogyny was also a factor. We're talking conservatives after all, who are, generally speaking, even more prone to the misogyny that was a factor for all voting groups, including women's.

But more needs to be done to show we care about issues black voters face TODAY and no, I don't mean just voter suppression.

From all the POC voter suppressions across most of the red states, this is how to steal the election. Claim that black folks are not energized. One thing about the South, POC know how important it is to vote.

One would think that could be decisive in a potentially close race like this one. Massive voter turnout efforts ought to be a top priority. Maybe teaming up with church leaders?

about how the problem in the country is the special rights "people" got in the 1960s. You know the right for African Americans to vote. I would tie it to the GOP judiciary and DOJ attempts to suppress the voting rights of African Americans. Plainly state that this may be the last time you will get the right to vote.

before Moore's pedophilia became topic number one and I'm not sure this is entirely accurate. Almost everyone I spoke to knows Jones history and it did give him a head start. The problem, and I think you see it in the comments here, is that too many people think his history should be "good enough" for us OR are living in a fantasy world where black turnout is a given. Black voters in Alabama face major problems and they go far beyond voter suppression. If we don't address those, the head start Doug had at the start will diminish and we will be looking at a repeat of Wayne County Michigan 2016.

I did some research on Alabama from 50 years ago. People were killed for registering voters. It took real guts to go and vote back then. Lose your job, lose your home...

So what's going on now?

And is there anything we can do to help?

about my (nice phrase) political activism during the late 60's/early 70's from time to time. I happen to support Doug Jones, despite some obvious flaws, and took one of those opportunities to talk about this race when I was down there. Almost everyone in the room knew what he had done re: the bombing and he had a remarkable amount of credibility considering what a lot of that particular demographic thinks about ex-prosecutors and the criminal justice system in general. I was hopeful at the time that it would carry over, particularly because Moore's loathsome sexual proclivities are far from his worst attribute in their eyes (Moore being a racist murdering cr****r beats it hands down). Moore's "deplorability," however, won't get them to the polls.

Those kids face real discrimination in every facet of their lives and no one will talk about it. I like to use the Kaepernick example because its someone white folks have actually heard of. You will see some in our party coming out of the woodwork to yammer about universal principles like "free speech" or "stopping rogue cops" but those kids know what Kaepernick knows and that is that they will get done wrong by 90% of the cops they run into because the SYSTEM is racist. They are just waiting for the politician who has the guts to say it. That is why, when Holder (after he quit AG) and Obama (post-2012) started talking about it (a tad belatedly, but you can't blame them for not being totally up in white people's faces from the get go), when they started saying outright that the 1994 Crime Bill was racist as shit and that it was destroying our cities, young black people started shouting it themselves. But there are hundreds of other examples, from jobs/promotions not going to kids in braids or dreads because "the customers don't like them" to who gets the cops called on them for talking back in school to . . .

What are they looking for in this race. . . they're looking for Doug to say that racial discrimination is a determinative factor in American life . . .he doesn't even have to have a plan to stop it, he just needs to have the courage to say it where everyone can hear it. To steal a phrase . . . truth and reconciliation.

If Doug Jones says it, I think he's doomed. There has to be an oblique way to say it that will keep him from being branded as a Ni**er-lover.

I think he can say "a system that is fair".

He needs 90% of the black vote PLUS 30% of the white vote. That's a tough tightrope. I wish him the best. I think I'll send him some money.

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_jones_fr_homepage?refcode=MS_HP_FR_2017.11.20_X_homepage-donate_X__X__X&amount=25&amounts=15,25,50,100,250,500,1000,2700&recurring=auto

I will go back down to help with GOTV about seven days out because I am just up in Memphis.

This is what makes winning in the South tough. Doug is by far and away the best white guy we could have run. Personally I think he is unfairly being painted with the same brush as the (other than Obama) national party. He is a good person.

Btw, I don't think we need even one vote from someone who would use that phrase.

I think he says it. In ways that would be hard for Alabamans to challenge. Whatever "boogeymen" he has in his closet, his personal life is very Alabaman.

Here is his statement on Civil Rights.

I was born just outside of Birmingham in Fairfield, Alabama in 1954 and came of age during the height of the heinous hatred and violence of 1960’s Alabama. Along with the horrors of racial discrimination, I had a front row seat to the bravery and persistence of the American heroes of the Civil Rights Movement –many of whom became friends and mentors.

For me, those formative years forged my values and a deep sense of responsibility to fight for what’s right and to treat everyone with dignity and respect as fellow human beings. I followed those values to law school to learn to fight for justice. I am proud of my service as U.S. Attorney, and am proud to have successfully taken on the Ku Klux Klan, terrorists like Eric Rudolph, and many others who sought to use fear, hatred, and violence to inhibit the rights of others.

I believe that we are all created equal in the eyes of the Lord and the law. While we have made progress on civil rights as a nation, we cannot be complacent with continued threats to equality and justice. The racially motivated Charleston church massacre and Charlottesville are stark reminders of that continued threat. I believe that the United States of America is a land of laws, justice, freedom, equality, and opportunity.

I will take those values to Washington, and keep fighting for what’s right – whether it’s popular or not.

I'm behind the guy. I'm near maxed on direct donations and am going back.

voter energy than one person's comment. (note - most of the article is behind a paywall)

That said, Black voters are indeed crucial to Jones having a chance.

The implication is that statewide AL Black voters have low energy regarding Jones, and most of the article is behind a paywall.

Synopsis:

Doug Jones needs very high turnout.
The same that president Obama had.

It is a special election.
Many residents are not even aware that there is an election. (I know. I know)

Sure Moore is creating all sorts of national attention, but I don't know much this is resonating back home.

When we have special elections in Texas, turnout is like 10%.

This isn't so easy a statewide race.

Yet, in interviews in recent days, African American elected officials, community leaders and voters expressed concern that the Jones campaign’s turnout plan was at risk of falling short.

“Right now, many African Americans do not know there is an election on December 12,” said state Sen. Hank Sanders (D), who is black and supports Jones.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The challenge for Jones is clear. According to Democrats working on the race, Jones, who is white, must secure more than 90 percent of the black vote while boosting black turnout to account for between 25 and 30 percent of the electorate — similar to the levels that turned out for Barack Obama, the country’s first black president.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As a result, Jones and his allies are waging an aggressive outreach campaign. It includes targeted radio and online advertisements, billboards and phone calls. Campaign aides are debating whether to ask former first lady Michelle Obama to record a phone message for black voters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jones campaign said it has placed about 40 billboards across the state, some of which show photographs of the four young black girls who were killed in the 1963 church bombing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Turnout for a special election is a problem across the board, and we are putting as many resources as we can behind making people aware not only that there’s an election, but with the opportunity that Doug Jones presents for Alabama,” said Giles Perkins, the chairman of the Jones campaign.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rep. Terri A. Sewell, who is African American and the only Democratic member of the state’s congressional delegation, said she recently took Jones through six churches in her home town of Selma — and sought to introduce Jones as an effective advocate for their community.

“Doug is not a default candidate,” Sewell said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Alabama chapter of the NAACP is also helping inform voters about Jones, even as it is not officially endorsing a candidate in the race. Benard Simelton, the president of the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, said in an interview his group is making phone calls to what he termed “sometimes voters,” meaning those who tend to vote only in presidential elections.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But Simelton voiced some reasons for concern that black turnout may not be as high as it needs to be for Jones.

“I hate to say it: A lot of people are apathetic about voting, because they don’t think their vote counts,” he said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kyle Campbell, 21, a University of Alabama law student who has been actively involved in Democratic politics in recent years, said in an interview that energy in his circles for the election is on par with a presidential race.

“Every young, black voter that I talked to who voted in 2016 is going to vote in this election,” Campbell said.

I like what the 21 year old had to say.

be dismissed. You will never ever have the chance to be represented.

unicorns?

Fine, Alabama. You're a continent away from me. I'll just put on my 'why should I care?' face.

the perfect candidate...a savior...akin to Roosevelt I guess who will swoop down and save the day...it won't happen folks...save yourselves. It is the only way to stop the GOP. Vote Democratic always.

What else do you need to know?

...an older man dating a teen girl as pedophilia and is outraged by it?

I'd wager that Moore's penchant for dating teen girls is a far greater outrage outside Alabama than within and among Alabama's POC, it isn't even an issue they're concerned with.

They claim to be religious (Bible Belt) but I'm not sure what kind of religion they are talking about if this kind of behavior is the norm.

That Moore's sexual predation should be at the top of issues black voters in Alabama should worry about?

Are you seriously suggesting black voters are not going to vote because of some other issue?

...that Moore dated young girls, they also resent sanctimonious white liberals telling them that they're supposed to be outraged by it.

Furthermore, I'd be careful tossing the term "pedophilia" around this part of the country where, right or wrong, "May-December romances" have been a normal part of life for generations.

The point is, that Moore chased teen girls isn't an issue that's going to energize black voters and get them to the polls.

In fact, as I mentioned elsewhere, telling POC that this is something they're supposed to be outraged over might be a little condescending, particularly when there's likely countless people in the black (and white) communities of Alabama who don't find these types of relationships unusual, let alone offensive, and may actually relate with Moore on this.

Be careful who you're calling a pedophile in rural Alabama. This place isn't Manhattan (or Canada).

...the struggle to be able to vote cost too much for most of them to fritter away their vote.

And there's a huge difference between looking for a wife and sexually assaulting a teenage girl. Pedophilia isn't part of the "dating game".

So, does one have to be careful about who you're calling a pedophile on the moon?

Then they have no reason to bitch as laws and policies erode away that effect them way more than others....they will become more powerless in society shaped by right wing racists

I have no sympathy; we've often had to choose the lesser of the evils. In this case, it's not even close. One is actually evil, the other not.

necessarily loved the candidates we end up with. But a goddamn choice between a klansman and a normal person. Who also has a pretty decent background shouldn't be this fucking hard. What exactly is the expectation? That he shows up at your particular home and fucking make you breakfast. I've had many issues with the Democratic party through the years and have no problem discussing them. Same way I gave zero problems with criticizing my family. So even if you consider the choices to be a moldy piece of bread or a shit sandwich. It ain't hard to take one moment of a day to stand in line and get this done. Because next time (by the time these ghouls get done) you might not even have the option to exercise this right.

and give them shit. Lobby them, whatever. Stay engaged, participate. This is lazy and short sighted thinking to maybe show up every 4 years and leave the rest to someone else. Right now the system is probably at its worst. People don't realize the power that mere numbers give us collectively. When we lose it all maybe we'll start giving a fuck. But by then.......

That alone ought to be motivation enough to keep them out or to get people to vote. I don't understand what Jones would have to do in order to win the votes of anyone. It seems self-evident to me.

On the one hand, the article conveys voter apathy/vote doesn't count as a reason for this "low energy" while on the other it quotes a young man that tells the opposite story. From the article:

Kyle Campbell, 21, a University of Alabama law student who has been actively involved in Democratic politics in recent years, said in an interview that energy in his circles for the election is on par with a presidential race.
“Every young, black voter that I talked to who voted in 2016 is going to vote in this election,” Campbell said.

The article also maintains that most African Americans in Alabama are unaware of the election. I find this very hard to believe. Two weeks ago, ok, but now?

want to keep the voting down.

But every cable network news program has been carrying this story for the last 2 weeks. I just find it hard to believe that people Nationwide are aware of this election but Alabamans are not. Now they may not care but they have to be aware at this point or they live in a cave.

Most people focus on other things. If I go outside and talk to someone I usually know a lot more about what is going on because I read the news daily.

Thanks for the reminder.

I can't imagine why a black voter would not rush to be the first in line on election day.

You folks need to reassess.

candidates the GOP has ever fielded only need to look at the condescending, tone-deaf sanctimony on this thread.

I have to wonder how many posters here have ever even met a black person?

Do ANY likely "Dem" voters need to be energized?

Republican voters don't appear to need "energizing"; they just vote. Rain? Snow? they vote. Favorite team just lost? They vote. Somehow, Republican voters, whatever age group, whatever income range, they just seem to vote at higher rates than Dems. They're like the movie character "Terminator".

And they obviously vote for "their" candidate, no matter how horrible, unqualified, or distasteful they personally find that candidate. Their only purity test is: "Is there an (R) next to the name on the ballot?"

And this is why they win. They understand/believe/know/feel that their candidate is always better than any Democrat, period, and they WILL act on that.

=========

How to connect voting with power?

at all. There are two parties period.

News flash: your favorite candidate may not be the nominee. Many times you have to choose the best of the worst. In this case, it's an easy call. Especially for black voters. Did Roy Moore prosecute people for killing those beautiful little girls in the church bombing? Of course not. Roy would have taken them to his cabin in the woods.

Especially when the effects upon you will be worse.

And there was a good AA turnout in NOVA. How do they define energized, anyway?

To vote against him, nothing will

Absolutely none. Especially in this case where the choice is clear as day.

And I say that because even African-American Alabamans are conservative. What scares me is that they may stay home.

I wish Doug would address this issue head-on in a way that would assuage these voters. They don't see him as pro-choice, they see him as pro-abortion and that makes a big difference. It's a tough needle, but he need to look to other Democrats from conservative states to see how to thread it (Tim Kaine, Mark Warner). Emphasize his desire to reduce unwanted pregnancies, but respect the law established by Roe v Wade.

I also think Joe Biden handled it well.

We have a Dem running for governor here in Texas.
Some Republicans approached him and the first question they asked was about abortion.

don't use repuke language

But Alabamans don't. They say he is pro-abortion. It is up to the campaign to do something to try to change that perception. I really think this issue is what is preventing more Republicans from crossing the aisle to vote for Jones.

This is politics. Not a concert or sporting event. It is inherently boring. But it effects EVERY aspect of your daily life. So if you don't care about higher taxes, healthcare, clean water, having a retirement.... Hey by all means, stay the fuck home if Jones doesn't make you cheer out loud.

why doesn't that energize them ? Heck, that would energize ME

Why are we accepting the narrative that Black voters have to come fix what White people fucked up?

do you not understand? MOORE IS A PERVERT AND A RACIST PIECE OF SHIT. DOUG JONES IS NEITHER. <===== WHY IS THAT NOT ENOUGH "MOTIVATION"?

FOR GOOD

the State Department.

Anyone who doesn't come out and vote for Jones deserves what they get.

Then, what will??