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Ava DuVernay, activists plead with Alabama to ‘be on right side of history’

Twitter points out Alabama’s past progressive wins—and how Roy Moore would be an abomination.

Photo of Danielle Ransom

Danielle Ransom

ava duvernay

As Alabamans head to the polls to vote for their next senator on Tuesday, many on social media are pressuring voters “to be on the right side of history.”

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https://twitter.com/TwitterMoments/status/940585891361411072

Democrat nominee Doug Jones is running against Republican nominee Roy Moore for the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Session. Leading up to the election, it seemed like Moore would have the election on lock, just like his predecessors did in a state has solidly voted Republican for the last two decades.

However, in November, the Washington Post published a report in which multiple women said Moore sexually assaulted them when they were underage. The allegations caused a massive divide in the Republican Party, as GOP politicians had to choose to publically continue to support Moore or denounce the former judge; President Donald J. Trump eventually endorsed him. Even 60 Alabama pastors signed a letter saying Moore was unfit to be a senator.

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Even if Moore wins, the victory is neither sweet nor without complications. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wisc.) wrote a letter calling on Congress to implement protections for interns should Moore win.

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Meanwhile, others on social media are calling on voters to remember great historical feats in Alabama that gave people more rights and protections, not made them feel less safe: like the creation of the Voting Rights Act, the Montgomery bus riots, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s walk in Selma. Director Ava DuVernay, Channing Tatum, and many other media personalities and activists are are highlighting past wins while calling attention to the detrimental effects Moore’s policies would have on the state.

https://twitter.com/ava/status/940608013013884928

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https://twitter.com/politvidchannel/status/940623474111811584

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https://twitter.com/ErickaAndersen/status/940547849229684739

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On the opposite, far-right end of the spectrum, some users rallied against the allegations against Moore, calling them fake and encouraging voters to not fall for “media hysteria.”

https://twitter.com/Tarleton_exe/status/940634198670565376

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https://twitter.com/thebradfordfile/status/940583390847356928

The New York Times reports that the race between Jones and Moore is close with neither holding a clear lead as voters line up at polling stations, which close at 8p.m.

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The Daily Dot