There are two major historical principles about Alabama that grow from our distant history. One is, 'We dare defend our rights,' which is the state motto, and it's sort of a bunker mentality where you think the world is against you. Everybody hates you. Everybody makes fun of you. And so, understandably, what you end up with is a bunker mentality.
And the other characteristic was that blacks need to know what their place is, and they need to stay in their place. And so it was about not allowing Yankees to put you down and not allowing blacks to participate in the political process. ... Alabama politics begins and pretty much ends with race.
