Ala. Democratic party executive director calls for lawmaker’s resignation after stance on confederate park

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Alabama Democratic Party’s executive director called Friday for Rep. Will Dismukes, R-Prattville, to resign after the lawmaker’s public support to not defund the Confederate Memorial Park.

Alabama Democratic party Executive Director Wade Perry said Dismukes is “stuck in the past” and supports the “lost Confederate cause.”

“We need elected officials who work for a better tomorrow for all Alabamians,” Perry said in a statement Friday. “That should go without saying. If little Will wants to play dress-up and pretend to fight for the lost cause, he should resign.”

Dismukes said preserving monuments is a way to preserve history and the past.

“I just want to ensure that our past is protected, that we don’t just erase it because it makes us uncomfortable or it’s not exactly what we want to say or what we want to hear,” he said. “Because if we really look at our country as a whole, there’s a lot of things in our past that aren’t pleasant.”

Perry’s statement said “His (Dismukes’) job is to pass laws that help Alabamians, not honor folks who fought to preserve the institution of slavery.”

Dismukes said he does not stand for slavery in any way.

“I’ve been called a lot of things. A racist and all kinds of other stuff and that’s just not me at all. I can tell you that I don’t stand for slavery in any shape, form, or fashion,” Dismukes said.

Dismukes is a former Chaplain of the “Prattville Dragoons: Sons of Confederate Veterans.” He also responded to the calls to resign in a Facebook post.

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