Hank Sanders: Senate Sketches #1506: The squeeze of reality

  It was all coming to a head. I knew I would have to play a role. I did not expect to play the central role. I did not want to play any role. However, new realities moved in from several directions. Sometimes the squeeze of reality makes us do what we don’t want to do.

  It’s the Greene County gaming constitutional amendment, masquerading as a local constitutional amendment. It is not local and would have a far-reaching impact across the state. I had to step into a central role. Sometimes the squeeze of reality makes us do what we don’t want to do.

Hank Sanders: Senate Sketches #1505: Right and wrong vs. Senate customs

  What do we do when we are caught between institutional customs and right and wrong? I am facing such a dilemma at this very moment. The institutional customs of the Alabama Senate says that one senator does not get involved in another senator’s local legislation except to vote yes or no. On its face, that is as clear as black and white.

  The issue is electronic bingo, which the Alabama Supreme Court has repeatedly struck down. If a bingo bill affects only one particular county, it is clear where customs stop and a question of right or wrong begins. When that is the case, there is no question to ask and no answer to make. That is as clear as black and white.

Hank Sanders: Senate Sketches #1424: What do you do when you are attacked?

  What do you do when you are attacked? Do you fight back? Do you just stand back? What do you do when you are attacked under circumstances that just will not allow you to fight back at the moment? Do you fight back anyway? Do you just take it? What do you do? I had to answer these questions again last week.

  I have been attacked many times over the 31 years I have been in public office, 43 years I have practiced law and the 50-plus years I have worked in the community. Answers to these questions are never easy because it is hard to deal with attacks under any circumstances.