📜  Petition to Redraft the Alabama State Constitution: End a Legacy of Corruption and Racism       To the Alabama State Legislature, the Governor of Alabama, and the United States Department of Justice:   
We, the undersigned citizens of Alabama and concerned Americans across the nation, call for the complete and immediate redrafting of the Alabama State Constitution. We demand a new, modern constitution that truly reflects the values of equality, justice, democracy, and freedom as guaranteed by the United States Constitution.       ❌ The 1901 Constitution: A Legacy of Racism, Suppression, and Corruption       The current Alabama State Constitution, originally ratified in 1901, was deliberately written to entrench white supremacy and disenfranchise Black citizens and poor whites. Its chief architect, John B. Knox, explicitly stated that the goal of the constitution was to “establish white supremacy by law.”   
This is not speculation or interpretation—this is historical fact.   
The document was ratified through fraudulent and racist voter suppression tactics, including poll taxes, literacy tests, and voter intimidation.
It enshrined Jim Crow laws into the fabric of state governance.
It has been amended over 970 times, making it the longest constitution in the world, bloated and nearly impossible for average citizens to interpret.
It centralizes power in Montgomery, stripping local governments of their ability to make meaningful changes in their own communities without state approval.
It still contains segregationist language, despite symbolic efforts to remove some of it.
The structure of the constitution continues to undermine public education, reproductive rights, fair labor laws, and civil liberties, while shielding special interests and enabling corporate exploitation.         ⚖️ A Constitution That Contradicts the U.S. Constitution       The Alabama State Constitution directly contradicts the U.S. Constitution in several critical areas:   
It violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment by maintaining systems of inequality and disempowerment.
It limits free and fair participation in democracy, contradicting the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
It allows policies that disproportionately harm marginalized communities, while ignoring national protections around civil rights, education, and criminal justice.         🛠️ Cosmetic Revisions Are Not Enough       Over the years, lawmakers have tried to “clean up” the document by removing overtly racist language. But removing a few words does not undo the deep structural injustice the constitution was designed to preserve.   
We do not want another bandage. We want surgery. We do not want revision. We want reconstruction.       🗳️ What We Demand       We, the people, demand the following:   
A full repeal and rewrite of the Alabama State Constitution through a transparent and inclusive constitutional convention.
Representation in the rewrite from all communities, including historically marginalized groups.
A new constitution that prioritizes: Racial and economic justice
Local empowerment
Education, healthcare, and environmental protections
Human rights, civil rights, and workers’ rights
Equal access to government regardless of race, gender, income, or ability 
Federal oversight to ensure the new constitution complies with the U.S. Constitution and human rights standards.         ✊🏽 The Time Is Now       The foundation of Alabama’s government is a racist, corrupted, outdated relic of white supremacy. If the foundation is broken, nothing built upon it can be truly just.   
Alabama deserves better. America deserves better. We call on lawmakers, civil rights leaders, educators, judges, and citizens of all backgrounds to support this movement to build a new Alabama, rooted in dignity, truth, and equality.   
SIGN THIS PETITION and be part of history. Let’s rebuild a constitution that reflects who we are—not who we used to be.