As Alabamans headed to the ballot box on Tuesday to choose their next senator, thousands of Americans took to social media to issue one final plea: "for the love of all that is decent," please do not vote for the accused child molester, "flagrant bigot," and Trump-backed GOP nominee Roy Moore.
"Dear Alabama: This is the day. Time to get up, stand up and march to the polls. Line up for as long as it takes. Persevere so that your voices can rise up against hatred, misogyny and racism."
—Curtis Etherly
"Dear friends and loved ones in Alabama, please do the right thing when you go to the polls tomorrow," urged writer Jason Aaron, in a message that was echoed across Twitter late Monday. "Roy Moore perfectly and luridly encapsulates so much of the most shameful parts of our state's history."
Many used their last-minute calls on behalf of "basic humanity" to highlight the most inhumane of Moore's comments and actions—from his alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old to his nostalgic pining for the days "when families were united...even though we had slavery." Moore also once suggested, in a 2011 interview that recently resurfaced, that scrapping constitutional amendments after the 10th would "eliminate many problems."
"It was of course the 13th Amendment that ended plantation slavery in America," notes The Intercept's Shaun King. "The 14th Amendment required states give all people equal protection under the law. The 15th Amendment extended the right to vote to all men of color. The 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote. That's a lot of amendments that afforded basic rights to lots of people."
The "Dear Alabama" pleas continued through Tuesday morning, with people nationwide urging Alabamans to "rise up against hatred, misogyny, and racism" by rejecting Moore and backing his Democratic opponent, Doug Jones.
Dear Alabama: This is the day. This is the moment. Time to get up, stand up and march to the polls. Line up for as long as it takes. Overcome any and all obstacles placed in your path. Persevere so that your voices can rise up against hatred, misogyny and racism.
— Curtis Etherly (@CurtisEtherly) December 12, 2017
Dear Alabama,
Please do not vote for a racist antisemitic xenophobic misogynistic bigoted man who thinks slavery should be legal, women shouldn't vote, same sex marriage should be outlawed, & 14yr old girls are sex objects.
Sincerely,
Decent Humans Everywhere— Alt Festivus Employee (@Alt_FedEmployee) December 12, 2017
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Our Summer Campaign Is Underway
Support Common Dreams Today
Independent News and Views Putting People Over Profit
OK Alabama!!!
We believe in you!! Today is YOUR DAY! Today is your day to stand up for a good man and stand against a pedophile bigot!
VOTE Doug Jones!!
Comment below after you vote!
Let me know who else you encouraged to vote!Polls open @ 7am!
We believe in you!!! pic.twitter.com/ZWnltWiM8X
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) December 12, 2017
The nation's final appeals came as the campaigns of Moore and Jones both rallied their supporters Monday night. Alt-right figurehead Steve Bannon led the way for Moore, and Joneswas joined at a rally by NBA Hall of Famer and Alabama native Charles Barkley and Randall Woodfin, Birmingham's newly elected mayor.
"There's enough energy in Alabama to turn the vote out for Doug Jones," Woodfin said. "I know what it's like to climb an uphill battles against people who tell you you can't win. Let me be the first to tell you it can be done."
