Cowardly Lion

According to The Huntsville Times, state Senator Lowell Barron has called on fellow Senator Charles Bishop to resign from the Alabama Senate. Barron's "suggestion" is part of the fallout from Bishop's slugging Barron on the last day of the Legislature's 2007 regular session.

According to The Times, Barron said:

"If I were Sen. Bishop, I would consider resigning to prevent further embarrassment to our state and show the nation and the world that Alabama doesn't tolerate this type behavior."

Despite this strong statement by Barron, The Times reports:

Barron said he will wait until after the Senate Ethics Commission makes a determination in the case of Sen. Charles Bishop, R-Jasper, before he decides whether to file criminal or civil charges against Bishop.

Further:

Barron would not say whether the committee should expel Bishop, but he added, "If I were Sen. Bishop, I would consider resigning to prevent further embarrassment to our state and show the nation and the world that Alabama doesn't tolerate this type behavior."

"It is not my desire to file charges against Mr. Bishop, only because of the continued damage it will do to the reputation of the great state of Alabama," said Barron.

Barron seems to talking out of both sides of his mouth. On one hand, he claims he wants to show the world that Alabama doesn't tolerate the kind of behavior exhibited by Bishop on the Senate floor. What better way, though, to show zero-tolerance than for Barron himself to file charges against Bishop?

In fact, Barron's filing charges sooner rather than later would show how at least one Alabamian (i.e., Barron) will not tolerate that kind of behavior.

Waiting for the Ethics Commission to make a determination - and not expressing even a wish that the Ethics Commission should remove Bishop from office - shows a lack of seriousness on the part of Barron. Grandstanding, with an eye toward public consumption, is about all Barron can muster. He does not have the courage of his convictions.

But what do we expect from what passes for leadership in the Alabama Legislature these days?