Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter is online after making comments that many people believe were aimed at rolling back protections tied to Black Americans and the historic 14th Amendment.
During a recent press conference following the passage of Alabama Senate Bill 1 (SB1), Ledbetter spewed hateful rhetoric.
“Certainly hope that the supreme court will overturn amendment 14, that gives us a shot to revisit those,” Ledbetter said.
Social media is now speaking out and calling for Black Americans to pay attention to what’s happening politically.
Many people online are also questioning what exactly Ledbetter meant by “revisit those,” with some calling the comments dangerous, reckless, and deeply offensive considering the historical significance of the 14th Amendment.
The controversy comes after Alabama lawmakers passed SB1 — a bill that authorizes a special primary election for State Senate districts affected by late federal court rulings involving redistricting maps. The bill was designed to allow new elections if district maps are changed too close to a general election.
For those unfamiliar, the 14th Amendment is considered one of the most important amendments in American history. Ratified in 1868 after the Civil War, it granted citizenship and equal protection rights to formerly enslaved Black Americans.
The amendment states that:
- Anyone born or naturalized in the United States is a U.S. citizen.
- States cannot create laws that strip away constitutional rights.
- Every person must receive equal protection under the law.
- No state can take away someone’s life, liberty, or property without due process.
Civil rights advocates have long considered the 14th Amendment one of the foundations of modern civil rights protections in America.
