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By Saige Newton
Assistant Campus Editor
October 31, 2002

   About 50 people gathered at the Eagle's Cage on Tuesday, holding signs stating "Fight to Rewrite" and "New Century New Constitution."

   They were showing support for the reform of the Alabama Constitution.

   The rally was part of the statewide bus tour to promote reform and Amendment 1 before the Nov. 5 election.

   There are 33 amendments that could be added if the reform passes. It requires that any constitutional revision must be approved by a statewide vote.

   The event was sponsored by the Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform and co-sponsored by the College Democrats.

   The speakers included Joe Sumners, director of Economic Development Institute in Auburn; Wayne Flynt, a distinguished University professor; Bill English, a Lee County Probate Judge; and the Rev. Johnny Green.

   Taylor Hill, a member of the College Democrats, commenced the rally with his opinion on reform.

   "Young people are who we care about the most. You are going to be thanked by your children and grandchildren. You will give them the best education possible if you vote for this, and you will give me the best education possible," Hill said.

   Many students gathered to hear about the reform, because there is concern about the recurring education budget cuts.

   Flynt gave a brief historical background on the Alabama Constitution and why it should be reformed.

   He said the Constitution stripped blacks and poor whites of their voting rights.

   "In 1901, the number of African-American voters dropped from 181,000 to 3,000 in 1902," Flynt said. "As a result, there has been a decline in voting by African-Americans and whites."

   He said the Constitution also held an unfair tax system and allowed all power to be concentrated in Montgomery.

   Flynt said the bus tour signifies what they as reformers are trying to show people.

   The ACCR yellow school bus is decorated with drawings and slogans. It is signed by people who support the reform effort and is loaded with information, stickers, signs and T-shirts.

   "That school bus is old and broken down," Flynt said. "But once upon a time it was a place of dreams for children.
"The Alabama Constitution is old and broken down and worn out. It never served any other function but for racism, and that was the albatross put on this state for 100 years," Flynt said.

   Sumners said the best way to deal with education is to reform the Constitution.

   "The old Constitution did two things: it created a government that did not work and to ensure that they took away the rights of blacks and others," Sumners said.

   "What we have in Alabama is a government that does not work and that makes economic development more and more difficult in Alabama."

   English said 90 percent of incumbent legislators are re-elected.

   "We are run by nine legislators in Montgomery. Three in the Senate, six in the House, and only three of those live in Lee County," English said. "Where are their priorities? They are at home, not Lee County."

   Green spoke on behalf of reforming the Constitution for the sake of religion.

   "Anyone who is against constitutional reform, I would challenge their level of religiosity," Green said.

   "Constitutional reform is a mechanism to release the chains of legislation," Ward said.

   The bus tour will end in Montgomery at the Capitol on Nov. 4.

Did you know?

• The U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times in the last 225 years, while the 1901 Alabama Constitution has been amended more than 700 times in
100 years.

• The state Constitution requires chicken feed to be tax-free, while baby food is not.

• Commissioners in Limestone County had to ask Montgomery lawmakers and voters statewide to be given permission to bury dead farm animals and to
excavate human graves.

• Farmers in the state had to go to the Legislature to pass an amendment to the Constitution so the boll weevil could be eradicated.

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