Bringing Bessemer Back, Mr. Mayor

Bessemer is undergoing some changes, but we need more.

Here is a picture of the interior of Broken Vessel Full Gospel Church, undergoing renovation. The new congregation is saving a historic building of great importance to the city of Bessemer.




The former South Highland Baptist Church is recognized as a historic structure.

Now if we could make progress on Arlington School. I believe the School Board is now the hold up on this project, they need to move forward and let interested groups take control of this property.

And of course, we need to demolish structures, whether they are historic or not, that are no longer salvageable. I realize I have published picures of this bulding before, but I will keep reminding people of our city's unwillingness to take care of problems that can only described as "blight." This structure provides a breeding ground for vermin and becomes an unsafe playground when young children go exploring. Is it stretching it to say that leaving structures such as this around our city, and not promoting litter control and neighborhood beautification projects by our city leaders is their way of keeping the people down? Just where they want us? If the mayor and council wanted the city to look better and to be better, could they not do it? If they really wanted more educated and productive people to move to Bessemer, would they not take care of these problems that our image is based on? Or do they like Bessemer just as it is. The mayor is on TV proclaiming "Bessemer Is Back" and touting Academy Drive developements and the Colonial Properties development near I-459. Joy. We get to be like Trussville! Not that anything is wrong with Trussville.

But Bessemer is unique. We don't need to be like any of the other communities surrounding Birmingham, although we may occasionally refer to them. But we can be better. By preserving the rich history we have in architecture (both downtown and in our neighborhoods). By recognizing and celebrating the diversity of our population and culture. The Sweet House sits across the corner from the Arlington School. Fully restored, it stands in stark contrast to the deteriorating school (and the drug den on the other corner).

And we can begin this by nurturing respect for ourselves and our neighbors. It's hard to respect someone, and even harder to lift them up, if you don't know them. When we begin to show respect for our community we will see it looking cleaner. When we begin to show respect for our family members we will see kids doing better in school. And when we begin to teach respect to our children for the property and well being of others, we will begin to see crime decrease, and litter disappear, and vandalism decrease.

I am going to meet with Earl later this week to discuss issues that I think are important to our district and to the city. If you have suggestions, let me know.

Oh, and I saw a fledgling towhee this morning, so the wild bird population continues to grow in our backyard. Couldn't get a picture of this one, though. And you will notice a couple of new pictures over to the left of flowers blooming. you can look forward to seeing more roses over the next few weeks.

Jeff Key

No one has an opinion or wants to comment on race relations? Don't worry, I'm going to have more to say about it in the weeks and months to come.


Some of you know Jeff Key or know of him. Jeff is a former Marine and Iraq War veteran. He is also recognized for his play, The Eyes of Babylon, and is the subject of a documentary entitled Semper Fi which will air on the Showtime network in late June. Jeff was raised in nearby Walker County, so he is a local, now living in greener pastures. I say that because he has chosen to live in a place where he can be open about who he is, and respected and tolerated. Jeff is gay, and he now fights for equality, both in civilian life and in the military
He left the military, as portrayed in The Eyes of Babylon, because he could no longer accept being asked to take innocent life for corporate gain. The Eyes of Babylon reflects this part of his story, and played here last year, and many of us saw it. If you ever get the chance, see this one man play.

I spoke with Jeff last week about featuring his story and his activism on this blog. We had been in contact since the resolution for inclusion in Birmingham was defeated, and he made sure to point out that things were not like that in L.A., and that 2000 miles makes a world of difference. I first met Jeff at Equality Alabama’s Day of Equality last year following his portrayal in The Eyes of Babylon here in Birmingham. Since then I have been impressed with his openness and his desire to correct things both here and in Iraq.



Three years ago Jeff started a foundation called the Mehadi Foundation, named after a young boy he befriended while in Iraq. This non profit foundation was created to serve two purposes: one, to provide assistance to returning veterans who have emotional or psychological scars from the war, and two, to provide assistance to the Iraqi people who have been adversely affected by the war. Currently the Mehadi Foundation is focusing on organizing a peer group for veterans called Vets4Vets (website http://www.vets4vets.us/) which is a peer support group where veterans of this war can come together and talk about issues in a non-judgmental, non-political and non-partisan setting. Jeff has said "Psychological scars always heal more slowly than the bloodier variety” and this effort will surely help heal some wounds. The other part of their mission involves assisting in restoring clean water sources for Iraqi citizens whose infrastructure has been destroyed with the war and occupation by U. S. military. As a public health student I am well aware of the problems that lack of access to clean, safe water is for people across the world, and add to that the ravages of war and it is easy to see that this is a worthwhile endeavor. To find out more about the Mehadi Foundation or to make a donation visit http://mehadifoundation.org/. Donations are tax deductible.

I asked Jeff if he was still in contact with Mehadi and he said due to danger to the young man he was not.



The Showtime documentary uses excerpts from his play, interviews with his fellow marines and from friends and family in Alabama and LA to tell the story of his life growing up gay in Alabama as spiritual child who struggles because of some of his church's teachings and on into his life in the military and then in the peace movement. Semper Fi will have its world premiere at Birmingham Shout Gay and Lesbian Film Festival at Workplay on April 29 before being featured on Showtime. For more information visit http://www.bhamshout.com/. Please support Birmingham Shout and Jeff.


I wish that all returning servicemembers had the vision, the ability and the strength to do what Jeff is doing: providing a much needed service to those who served in the same capacity as him, and helping to rebuild the country that we have torn down. In addition, he is continually raising the awareness of the injustice of this war, as well as awareness of the injustice of the current don’t ask, don’t tell military policy that bans gays (who are open about who they are) from the military. To me this translates into the broader picture of the injustice in our country toward gays and lesbians anyway. Thank you Jeff for being such a leader, a true hero, and a veteran.

Apologize for Slavery? How about Segregation?

Our state legislature will probably be debating apologizing for slavery today. The resolution is six pages long, and was introduced by Sen. Hank Sanders who says “an apology for centuries of brutal dehumanization and injustices cannot erase the past…”
Alabama was admitted to the union in 1819. The importation of slaves into the United States had been banned 11 years earlier. The Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery in the United States, was ratified in 1865. Alabama, as a state, supported slavery for 46 years. So Alabama is in no way responsible for “centuries” of injustices. And many Alabamian’s ancestors did not live in Alabama during the times of slavery, or like mine, (Gabriel M. Overstreet) actually fought for the North.

I am reminded of Frank Matthew’s recent appearance before the Birmingham City Council requesting an apology for slavery, when the city of Birmingham did not even exist prior to the end of slavery. Birmingham was founded in 1871.

I think what would be more meaningful would be for Birmingham, and Alabama, to pass a resolution apologizing for segregation. I think the effects of segregation have more of an effect on African Americans today than slavery does. In separate ways, they are both demeaning social institutions, but only segregation is still in place. People are still alive who felt the effects of segregation, and people are still alive who promoted it. In fact, some still do.

During my campaign for city council, I was criticized for promoting “racial mixing” after using a clip art picture on a flyer of a white kid and a black kid playing together on a see saw. I was told that children being forced to play together on playgrounds was a subtle way of promoting racial mixing and inter-racial marriage.

In 2007!

We still live in a segregated society, a lot of it self induced. For the most part, we segregate by race on Sunday mornings when we go to worship. Our schools are segregated, in part by white flight to private schools. Pubic transportation in Birmingham is segregated; Rosa Parks would never have to worry about where she sat because white people, for the most part, don’t ride buses in this city. Patricia Todd had to fight for her seat not because she is gay, but because she is white, and black leaders felt that the seat was "stolen" from them. Apparently they want to remain segragated.

I mean, if you can't elect a white person in a predominately black district, does that mean we can't elect a black president in a predominately white country? Sorry Barack, that's the way black leaders in Alabama want it.






Slavery is history, not to be forgotten, but not to be focused on either. Focus on the issues that affect us now and the lingering effects of segregation surely do just that. Focus on the disparities in education, in tax structures that unfairly affect the poor. Focus on the high cost of health care and how our system excludes many who are most vulnerable.

Focus on the pipeline to prison that exists in our socity today for young black men.

Focus on city leaders, both white and black, who do not believe that every citizen, whether black, or white, or Hispanic or young or old, gay or straight, able bodies or disabled, deserve equal treatment and respect, and who even in 2007, use the politics of division to keep the public suppressed.

Focus on media personalities and celebrities who resort to name calling (we seem to be doing that) to promote their careers.

Focus on treating your neighbor with respect, and respecting our differences.

I have to mention Artur Davis and his vist to Birmingham the other day. He was right on the money with most of his answers, but for a good discourse on his appearance visit The Human Animal at http://thehumananimal.blogspot.com/, one of my blog links.

Bettye Changes Her Tune, Imus Should Change His

Republicans are coming to the defense of Don Imus, with John McCain indicating that Imus’s apology (although he hasn’t yet apologized directly to those he offended) is sufficient and Rudy Giuliani acknowledging that he would go back on the show with no qualms. I don’t think the locker room mentality that Imus plays to with his degrading manner of speak is limited to conservatives, rather it pervades all of society, but the fact that some high profile republicans seem to be almost embracing him is just creepy. No, the pundits are right. We need to change the nature of dialogue in this country, and record label executives need to ignite this change by directing rap and hip-hop singers to soften their language. Then people like Imus, Isaiah Washington and Ann Coulter need to be muzzled.

Remember less than a year ago when County Commissioner Bettye Fine Collins questioned whether Bessemer was growing sufficiently to justify building a new courthouse? ''Is Bessemer growing residentially that it needs to serve more people? No,'' Collins said. ''We've got a courthouse satellite in Forestdale, we've got one in Center Point, we've got one in Homewood and now one in Gardendale. Why in the world are we building a $100 million deal in Bessemer?'' She did not understand that our courthouse was a full service courthouse, and not a “satellite.” She wanted to delay the funding for the courthouse until the new commissioners took over and now we know why. They could have then stopped construction before it even began, much like they’ve done with the new fire stations in Lipscomb and Brighton.


Well she must have read my letter that was printed in the Birmingham News last July (in which I pointed out that she didn’t understand the history or the importance of the Bessemer Cutoff and the courthouse, and invited her to leave her little world and come visit Bessemer and learn about us. I mentioned that historic neighborhoods are being restored, plans are in place to revitalize downtown, our public education is improving, and new families are moving to Bessemer). Because at the groundbreaking ceremony yesterday for the courthouse she said “Bessemer has a rich and wonderful history. This groundbreaking helps the resurgence of downtown and reflects the renewal going on all over the city.” What a change in attitude!

We should rally around State Representative Patricia Todd’s minimum wage bill. Our legislature just voted themselves a 62% raise (she voted against it), don’t you think they could muster up the decency to vote for an increase in the minimum wage? The proposal faces a key committee vote today.

And poor Dannielynn. I bet if she had her way, she wouldn’t choose Larry Birkhead or any of the other tabloid personalities as her father, or the life that she is going to be forced to live. I won’t disgrace my blog with a picture of those players, I just feel for the little child.

Great News for Bessemer

The former South Highland Baptist Church on Dartmouth Avenue has been sold. The new owners are the Broken Vessel Church (there may be more to their name, but that is enough for now), a fairly new congregation led by Rev. Donald Moulton. I met him and the organist today. They assured me that they want to maintain the historical integrity of the facility, and have begun work on the roof and interior. Later this week they plan to begin painting the trim outside and doing landscape work.

Members of the Bessemer Historical Homeowners Association and others will be glad to here of this, so spread the word. Rev. Moulton said at some point he will be putting stained glass windows back in the building.

Al, Where were you?

I sometimes watch Imus in the Morning on MSNBC, not to hear what the hot head says, but to hear the people he interviews and listen to the musical artists he has on the show. Now he's in hot water for using a racial slur (that he probably first heard from black rap artists) against the Rutgers women's basketball team and Al Sharpton is calling for his head.

Sharpton is using an awful lot of energy rallying his supporters against Imus, forgetting what he should be preaching (as a minister) about forgiveness. Oh, I know there is a difference between forgiveness and suffering the consequences for your actions, but Al, where were you when Isaiah Washington was calling T. R. Knight a fag? While some were calling for Washington to be fired, did Al Sharpton join them in demanding that severe punishment?

Sharpton says that if Imus is not fired, that gives a free pass to the next person who uses a similar slur, and it reinforces the notion that it's OK to use such language. OK. But why then was Sharpton not outraged when the NAACP awarded Washington the coveted Image Award just weeks after he had left gayhab or rehab or whatever system he entered to learn about diversity. Does that not validate the use of bigoted and offensive language against gays?

I said Sharpton was using a lot of energy because there is something more productive he could be doing. The 2007 Bryant-Jordan Student Athlete Award recipients were honored today in the Birmingham News. Congratulations to the 12 young men and women, and especially to Tommie L. Strain, III of Woodland High School, the overall Scholar Athlete Winner and LaTashia Sheree Greer of Dadeville High School, the Overall Achievement Winner. Of the 12, LaTashia is the only Afican American male or female in the group. Now I know that there are many, many African Americans on high school sports teams, and to have only one receive this recognition highlights the disparities that exist in our public school system. Maybe Sharpton should spend some time in Alabama and protest the racial disparities that we see everyday.

You are invited to a Conversation with US Congressman Artur Davis (D-7th District)
Member of House Ways & Means and Judiciary Committees
Tuesday, April 10, 6:45 pm
Linn-Henley Lecture Hall, Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Congressman Davis will take your questions on the Iraq war, global climate change, universal health care, and other issues of interest. This event is sponsored by the Over the Mountain Democrats, but everyone is welcome — no party affiliation required.

Sessions to Have Competition

Yesterday I mentioned the Sack Sessions web site (http://www.sacksessions.com/ ) and alerted you to a link over to the left to that site. Today the site was mentioned in an article in The Birmingham News titled "Democrats looking for a challenger to Sen. Sessions." Sessions has been an embarassment to this state, if for no other reason, his resemblace to a character from Rowan and Martin's Laugh In. If you don't remember, you are too young.



The article lists various potential candidates, among them State Senator Vivian Davis Figures and State Agricultural Commissioner Ron Sparks. Sparks, who has successfully run two statewide campaigns, looks to me to be the stronger candidate. During his most recent campaign he was on For the Record and he was very persuasive in making his points about agricultural trade with Cuba and other issues.


In 2004, Alabama saw an economic impact from trade with Cuba of over $300 million. In 2005, Cuba purchased about $140 million in products from Alabama creating a $400 million economic impact for the state. In 2006, Cuba bought almost 1/3 of its entire US purchases from Alabama. I have for a long time been a proponent of normalizing relations with Cuba, our embargo does nothing but hurt the people of that country.







In this picture Ron Sparks is giving Pedro Alvarez, the CEO of Alimport (who determines which North American products will be imported to Cuba) a cooking lesson with Alabama catfish.



In Sparks last election in 2006 he received 701,000 votes across the state. In Sessions last election in 2002 he recieved around 793,000 votes. The senate race is always a much higher profile race, so it is not surprising that Sessions would get more votes, especially considering the Republicans were thought of favorably in 2002. Now the political scene is different, and I believe Sparks could make up that difference and we could send a Democrat to Washington. He is in his second term as Agricultural Commissioner and can not run again. He would not have to give up his current office to run

It's not too early to start thinking about these things.