Repentance and Forgiveness: Birmingham mayor, councilman embrace after City Hall fight
By Jeremy Gray | jgray@al.com
Birmingham, AL
Birmingham Mayor William Bell and Councilman Marcus Lundy today hugged after a fight two days earlier sent both men to the hospital.
The two men stood in front of cameras in the council chambers surrounded by ministers as Lundy apologized for his actions.
"I'm truly sorry for my actions," Lundy said. "That's not how you resolve conflict."
"Please forgive me. I apologize to everyone I hurt. I apologize to Mayor Bell. I apologize to his beautiful bride, his wonderful kids."
Lundy added: "We are family and we're going to start acting like family."
Bell also apologized.
"I stand here today to apologize to the public, to recommitt myself to lifting up this city, to ask for the prayers and hard work of everyone," Bell said.
"I extend my hand of friendship to Councilor Lundy, who I love as a brother. I've known him just about all of his life. Our friendship still endures. And, today, I come to ask the public to give us both a chance to reclaim our leadership," Bell said.
Bell committed himself to continuing to work to move the city forward and to "make sure incidents such as that never occur again in the halls of City Hall."
"My prayers and my love go out to the Lundy family," Bell added. "He and I have embraced and we made amends with each other."
"We understand that it is not about William Bell or Marcus Lundy, but it's about the citizens of this great city and the trust they have bestowed upon each one of us to carry out that responsibility," Bell added just before he and Lundy hugged.
"I am truly grateful for God's grace and His mercy," Lundy said. "God is truly up to something in the city of Birmingham."
Lundy added: "When I came to City Hall, it was to do one thing -- it was to add value to the progress that this city was making. The unfortunate incidents on Tuesday took away from that. It tarnished, in public eye sight, all of the remarkable work we have started.
William Bell, Marcus Lundy make up after City Hall fightBirmingham mayor William Bell and councilman Marcus Lundy hold a joint press conference to apologize for their fight at City Hall.
"I support the mayor. The mayor is my friend, as he stated. I love him. We're like brothers. Teeth and tongue might fall out but the mayor and I are going to be alright.
"But, I just need the public to know, that I am truly sorry for my actions."
Lundy went on to address school age children, saying they should know fighting is not the way to resolve conflict.
"I'm sorry to the parents. I'm sorry to the people of Birmingham. Birmingham is a dynamic city and Birmingham will take its rightful place under the leadership of the honorable Mayor Bell," Lundy said to applause.
"As I went to the throne room of grace, and I asked God for His forgiveness, I stand before the people of Birmingham and I ask you for yours," he continued.
"I thank you," Lundy concluded. "I pray that you pray for us and pray for our great city, because Birmingham will rise like a phoenix ... We are headed in a wonderful trajectory."