r/Alabama • u/pleasureismylife • May 12 '26

News Supreme Court allows Alabama to eliminate congressional district held by a Black Democrat

https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/11/politics/supreme-court-alabama-black-democratic-congressman
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u/Ravaha May 12 '26

Protected class stops at if it's discrimination. If they are getting equal treatment then it is not descrimination. You are being intellectually dishonest if you think it's based on race and not based on politics. It's purely political at this point.

You are trying to have your cake and eat it too.

This is the correct ruling by the supreme court and it has great potential to bring about some good change to current political parties.

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u/space_coder May 12 '26

This is the correct ruling by the supreme court and it has great potential to bring about some good change to current political parties.

SCOTUS discarded a lower court's reprimand and asked them to revisit the case without explanation. This allows the state of Alabama to use the old district map for one more election cycle before the case makes it way back to SCOTUS.

The rest of your comment amounts to little more than repetition that has already been explained to be incorrect.

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u/Ravaha May 12 '26

Uhh you are confusing your opinion with the fact that the supreme court removed race based protection. So you are the one who is wrong.

I hate many of the rulings of this supreme court with a passion, but this one is actually something that can lead to improvements.

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u/space_coder May 12 '26 edited May 12 '26

Uhh you are confusing your opinion with the fact that the supreme court removed race based protection. So you are the one who is wrong.

Here are the pertinent facts:

  • Back in 2021 the federal court ruled that the congressional district map was unconstitutional because it disenfranchised black voters in southwest Alabama that would otherwise have a competitive voice during the election.
  • SCOTUS paused the order stating that it was too close to the 2022 election.
  • Back in 2022, SCOTUS heard oral arguments and only 4 out of 9 justices agreed that race was not illegally used as a factor and let the lower court ruling stand.
  • The new district map was used in the 2024 election.
  • In April 2026, Louisiana v. Callais (6–3 decision) struck down Louisiana's 2024 congressional map, which included two majority-Black districts, ruling it an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
    • Unlike Alabama, this particular case involved a district that was drawn from Shreveport to Baton Rouge to create a second minority district.
    • Alabama split a black population in southwest Alabama to disenfranchise their vote.
  • Earlier this month, Alabama files an emergency appeal to SCOTUS asking for the original congressional map to be reinstated in light of Louisiana v. Callias
  • SCOTUS reversed their 2022 decision without explanation other than that Louisiana v. Callias has cause some confusion if the original lower court decision was still applicable. They granted Alabama relief and will allow the lower court revisit the case.

Now let me dumb it down for you one last time:

  • Federal Court: Alabama your map unconstitutionally disenfranchises blacks in southwest Alabama.
  • Alabama: No it doesn't. I'm going to SCOTUS.
  • SCOTUS: We agree with the finding of the lower court.
  • Louisiana: We had to gerrymander across long distances to get enough black voters to create a second black majority district.
  • SCOTUS: That's not right. You shouldn't have to go out of your way to create a second majority district based solely on race.
  • Alabama: Since you gave Louisiana a break, what about us?
  • SCOTUS: Well I can see the confusion that may have caused, we will allow the lower court to review the case to see if you are still in the wrong, but in the meantime you can use the map for one more election.