What we learned yesterday

Where to start after yesterday's primary election?

I've not spent 13 hours at a polling place since my own campaign on election day 4 years ago. Those of us making a last minute effort to influence voters had a good day at Thompson Manor in Bessemer.

Do we do any good by handing out ballots or candidate info to people on their way in to vote?

Who knows, But in a close race, when there are many races on the ballot, a voter might be coming to the poll in strong support of only one candidate in a single race, and really not decided on the other races, so we pass out our literature in hopes of gaining a vote or two.

At any rate, I think the voters of Alabama proved one thing yesterday. We are not a teabagger state.

Xenophobe Tim James seems destined to be left out of the runoff. He's currently in third place.

Theocrat Roy Moore can ride off into the sunset on that horse he's pictured on in today's Birmingham News.

Racial profiler wanna-be Steve French lost. (The victor of this primary may well be a teabagger).

Laughingstock Dale Peterson lost his youtube based campaign of threat to a couple of more sensible Republicans that will face each other in a runoff.

Teabagger-come-lately Parker Griffith lost his Republican bid for the seat that Democrats gave him 4 years ago. It's not nice to fool Mother Nature, and it's not nice to fool Democrats either, Griffith. (His replacement leans teabag).

As for the Governor's race, the only surprise on the Democrat side was the margin of the Ron Sparks win over "throw 'em (both gays and blacks, other wise known as "your base") under the bus" Artur Davis.

Davis' vote against the health care bill has to go down down as one of the biggest political errors in Alabama history. Pundits are downplaying it, while every single black person I spoke with, and there were many, said that vote sealed the deal against him. Whoever advised him to vote that way (surely he didn't come up with that himself, heck, he's got a Harvard education! after all), should be fired. Oh wait, they don't have a job now anyway, do they?

On the Republican side, it is truly a gift from God if in fact it turns out that Tim James can join Roy Moore at Buck's Pocket (many of you younger readers might not know, but Buck's Pocket is "where all the defeated public officials go to lick their wounds after an unsuccessful election."




In the race to replace Davis in AL-07, Terri Sewell led the pack with 31,489 votes over Sheila Smoot with 24,376 votes. Earl Hilliard, Jr. came in third with 22,939 votes. Sewell and Smoot will face each other in a runoff.

Six weeks of campaigning to go for those in runoffs. I will investigate some numbers and comment more on these and other races later.

As Ugly As It Gets

At least one TV in our home was on C-Span all day yesterday. That doesn't mean I was parked in front of it all day, but I did see the good parts.

All the rhetoric that we have heard over the last 427 days (that this legislation has been worked on) will soon be forgotten. Health Care Reform will be seen to be a benefit to society and America will be a better place.

Republicans seem to think this gives them momentum, but I believe just the opposite. I am a typical Democrat, in that I support most of the policies of the party and usually vote for Democrats. And my elation this morning is profound. If I use the feeling after Barack Obama was elected as a baseline of 100, then today I am feeling a 93.

And if all Democrats in America are feeling a 93, then we will do well in November. A fringe benefit from this vote will be about 32 million votes. Democrat poll number should go up this week and continue to rise in the run up to the 2010 election.

Nancy Pelosi ended the night with her remarks on the floor of the House by smiling and giving examples of the positive ways this reform will benefit women in particular and Americans in general. Every woman in America should vote for Democrats this year after what Pelosi has done and after what Lilly Ledbetter did to advance equality. Being female is no longer a pre-existing condition.

Minority leader John Boehner screamed "Hell, no," several times in a fit of rage.




An unidentified Republican called out "baby killer" as Bart Stupak was speaking.

(Update: I just read this tweet: "Dear Congress: Before you shout "baby killer", remember that 5,378 babies have been killed fighting in Afghanistan/Iraq.")

John Lewis was unfazed as Republican supporters chanted "ni**er" at him as he approached the Capitol on Saturday.

John Lewis and me at last year's Weekend of Equality.

Let's just say that Democrats and progressives were on the high road over the weekend, while Republicans and teabaggers were on the low road.

Shamefully, as has been the case throughout history, Alabama's congressional delegation stood firm in their attempt to deny insurance to 32 million Americans and to prevent the Medicare donut hole from closing.

Artur Davis will be left behind as he will no longer be in office in Washington to see this reform implemented. Terri Sewell, who is seeking to replace Davis in AL-07, had this to say.

"Today's vote brings this country a step closer to ensuring that all Americans have access to affordable quality coverage. It is important that health care reform does not end here, but that we continue to press for a public option that will ensure coverage of 100% of Americans. In Congress, I will work with President Obama to make sure that this is done," said Sewell.

Sewell hopes to be the first black women elected to congress from Alabama. We need a woman representing Alabama. Our seven congressmen, including Davis, voted against the interests of women in the area of health care last night.

Ron Sparks wants to be governor, and said this.

“I have been on record supporting affordable health care,” said Commissioner Ron Sparks. “I am happy for the 7th District, which will finally get the assistance they desperately need and want. I have never seen a Representative so blatantly ignore the will of the people in his district like Artur Davis has done. He was elected to represent the 7th District, not the special interests, but he chose to return to Washington to vote against his constituents."

Read what some other locals said at Left in Alabama.

Artur Davis? No!

Update: Update about Artur Davis. From a comment from a friend. " Please call his office.......1-202-225-2665 (congressional office). 205- 322- 9096 (local campaign office). They are getting lots of calls and maybe he will reconsider......." Call both, the person at the campaign office tries to put you off but tell her, no, his "no" vote will mean a "no" vote from me and many others in his race for governor. I called both.

Till after the vote is taken, at least...

My lack of support for Artur Davis is now solid.

After what he said about the Health Care bill yesterday, it is clear that he is putting his aspirations to be governor above the needs of the people who voted for him, including myself and my family.

I met Artur Davis years ago at a neighbor's house here in Bessemer when he was first running for congress. Like so many of the politicians who begin their run, we had such hopes for him. I called his office in the days that followed to see what his views on gay issues was, and was assured that he was a supporter of the gay community. His predecessor, Earl Hilliard, was 100% supporter on our issues, so Davis had some big shoes to fill as far as equality issues went. We believed him.

His failures in LGBT issues are well documented. He voted against ENDA, the Employment Non Discrimination Act, so he voted against my economic security. He voted against the hate crimes bill, which means he voted against my safety.

At a forum sponsored by Over the Mountain Democrats in January 2008, when discussing LGBT issues, Davis said (paraphrased), “It is not the role of government to tell people how to think,” referring to proposed legislation.

Does he not realize that he was sitting on that stage only because the government, in the 1960's began telling people how to think? That despite the will of the people of this state and others, the government told "us" that "we" could not fire a worker because of their color? That "we" needed to believe that people of his color were equal and treat them that way?

But he believes "it is not the role of the government" to influence people in this way?

He threw the gays under the bus. The same bus, that a few decades ago would have seen him sitting in the rear of. Equality for him is a black and white issue. That's all, though. Lady Gaga got it right in DC when she said, "It's not equal if it's sometimes."

I sent his campaign an email yesterday. I told them that the CBO report was out, and that the Office of Energy and Commerce report was out, and that I hoped he would look at those and change his vote on the health care bill for the sake of the people in his district. The Energy and Commerce report shows how Davis's district would benefit under the Health Care bill.

I heard Davis's interview on Fox 6 last night, and it is obvious that he has received the same Republican talking points memo that the GOP members have. He mischaracterizes the bill and in doing so, only shows his ignorance about it.

I even told them I would offer my support (in spite of the gay issues) if he would vote for the bill.

They must have gotten my email because on my caller ID last night was "Davis 2010", but I tried to call back and they don't answer and the message says they don't have voicemail.

Here are some of the benefits to AL-07 from the health care bill.

Improve coverage for 309,000 residents with health insurance.

Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 179,000 families and 12,800 small businesses to help them afford coverage.

Improve Medicare for 105,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole.

Extend coverage to 61,500 uninsured residents.

Guarantee that 11,900 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.

Protect 2,200 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.

Allow 55,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans.

Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 39 community health centers.

Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $304 million annually.

And

No deficit spending. The cost of health care reform under the legislation is fully paid for, in large part by eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and excessive profits for private insurers. The legislation will reduce the deficit by $130 billion over the next ten years, and by about $1.2 trillion over the second decade.

It's going to be hard to vote for him for governor (should he win the June primary) in November even if I hold my nose, if he votes against this bill. Maybe I should start paying more attention to the Republican candidate ads.

DINO Davis and the truth about the economy

Our local DINO Artur Davis said on Tuesday that he will continue his opposition to health care reform. "I've said it's a no," he said.

What he's actually doing is ignoring the voters in his heavily Democratic district and pandering to the so called moderates* in Alabama in hopes of getting their votes in June. Or November.

I will be so glad not to be represented by Davis at the end of the current term. Maybe we can elect a congressional representative who sticks to the values that got them elected in the first place, rather than changing their stripes to meet the (supposed) expectations of a different electorate. I wouldn't be surprised if Davis' worst numbers come from the counties in his district.

Don't interpret that as an endorsement for Ron Sparks because I'm disappointed in him as well, after his comments about constitution reform. Somehow I will have to make a decision come June. Flip a coin? Throw a dart? Paint their names on two ping pong balls and make a lottery out of it? Cross over and vote for Roy Moore?

Meanwhile, Mooncat over at Left in Alabama posted this link to a Bloomberg story about the economy, and included this quote.

One year after U.S stocks hit their post-financial-crisis low on March 9, 2009, the benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 Index has risen more than 68 percent, and it’s up more than 41 percent since Obama took office. Credit spreads have narrowed. Commodity prices have surged. Housing prices have stabilized.

“We’ve had a phenomenal run in asset classes across the board,” said Dan Greenhaus, chief economic strategist for Miller Tabak & Co. in New York. “If he was a Republican, we would hear a never-ending drumbeat of news stories about markets voting in favor of the president.”

How long will we keep hearing from the Party of No about the failing economy under Obama when in actuality, things are looking good? Or at least, better and on the way to good.

As Mooncat said, Obama's "done this with no help whatsoever from Republicans in Congress, who have voted NO on every single economic initiative."

Wake up, people.

*there are no moderates in Alabama, only progressives and teabaggers, it seems.

And now, in this wonderland we call Alabama, let's get freaky-deaky.

Gaga in Wonderland (possibly NSFW in Alabama)

Endorsements

My Western Tribune column (same-sex marriage) follows this post.

You can waste your day but have fun keeping up with LaLa's trial, with live continuous updates by Kyle Whitmire (Birmingham Weekly) here.

Terri Sewell, running to replace Artur Davis in AL-07, has recieved the endorsement of the National Organization for Women PAC.

This is her first national endorsement, and it highlights her support from women.

Sewell would be the first woman elected to congress from our state.

“NOW PAC is proud to endorse Terri Sewell in her groundbreaking campaign. We are confident she will be a strong leader in Congress for full equality for women and girls,” said NOW PAC Chair Terry O’Neill.

In the governor's race, former Birmingham mayor Richard Arrington has endorsed Ron Sparks. This is surprising considering that Arrington, in his own words, "I have spent most of my life making decisons based on race."

He says his endorsement is not anti-Davis, rather it is pro-Sparks. But he also has questions about the effect Davis at the top of the ticket might have on democrats chances down the ticket and on the control of the House and state Senate.

I giggled a little bit reading that the Davis camp said voters "will also make their own independent judgements" about who to vote for, while promoting the endorsement of their candidate by Judge U. W. Clemon. Should we make up our minds independent of his opinion, too?

Certainly, we all make independent decisions about who to vote for, I hope, after learning about the candidates and seeing if they share values and have a plan for whatever office they are running for.

Artur Davis falling out of favor

This was a big weekend for the Democrats, what with the DFA training and all.

Oh, and the DFA social. That's where the news came from. Read what Mooncat wrote.

Memo to self: Remember, it began way back here and continued here.

Memo to Artur Davis: when you are in a hole, quit digging.

Memo to Artur Davis' campaign staff: don’t advise your boss to throw a group of politically active, DINKs and SINKs with plenty of disposable income under the bus.*

Memo to a particular staff member after our conversation yesterday: No, the fact that Artur Davis does not support gay marriage does not mean he could “never” get the support of the gay community, even if he hadn’t reversed his position on hate crimes. Remember Barack Obama? Remember his statement on same-sex marriage. Remember how gays supported him with money, time and votes?

Memo to that same staff person: This is the worst explanation for your bosses vote that I have ever read. Adhere to the constitution and what is "in your heart," not what a few constituents say. BTW, remember the 1960's? Civil Rights? Legislators taking risks voting against their constituents wishes?

Memo to progressive democrats: Artur Davis has calculated that if he loses the gay support, so what. Remember, we stick with you on your issues.

Memo to Ron Sparks: Thanks, that was the best response I could have imagined.

Memo to Ron Sparks’ campaign staff person: The offer still stands.

Memo to Democratic voters: stay tuned.

*Double income no kids and single income no kids. Gays are (from this Bessemer Opinions post):

• More than twice as likely as the national index to be professionals or managers.
  
• 3.4 times more likely as the national index to have incomes over 250K.
  
• Twice as likely to have graduated from college

Davis for Governor? No thanks.

Bob Martin, publisher of The Montgomery Independent, published a column recently about Artur Davis and his chances of becoming governor. Well, not exactly, because anybody with any sense can see that the chance of that happening is zero. The column was more about how Davis running for governor could assure Republican success in the governor's race and other
races across the state.

Davis wants to follow Obama's lead. Martin points out that while Obama polled 43% of the white vote nationally, he only received 10% in Alabama.

This says nothing about Davis. His charismatic personality and republican-like talk plays well in our state...to a point.

No, it says more about the people of Alabama. More on this later.

Davis has a good gig in Washington. He needs to stay there. Even though I don't agree with him on a few many issues, if he drops out of congress, Sheila Smoot has threatened to run. Yikes!

Ok, back to the people of Alabama. Over the last few weeks there have been several letters in the Birmingham News about the Civil War and why it happened and such. People from our state still argue that it was not about slavery. They argue tax issues, trade issues, economic issues...but those things all lead back to the slavery issue.

Here are some quotes from the Declarations of Secession from several states.

South Carolina: "...A geographical line has been drawn across the Union, and all the States north of that line have united in the election of a man to the high office of President of the United States, whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery..."

Mississippi: "...Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world..."

Alabama: "...Whereas, the election of Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin to the offices of president and vice-president of the United States of America, by a sectional party, avowedly hostile to the domestic institutions* and to the peace and security of the people of the State of Alabama..." (*sugar coated term for slavery)

Georgia: "...A brief history of the rise, progress, and policy of anti-slavery and the political organization into whose hands the administration of the Federal Government has been committed will fully justify the pronounced verdict of the people of Georgia..."

Texas: "...We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of the various States, and of the confederacy itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior and dependent race, and in that condition only could their existence in this country be rendered beneficial or tolerable..."

Ok, that's just picking and choosing quotes from a few of the declarations, but there is a common theme. Some of the states, with the benefits of previous declarations, were not as detailed, but like I said, just read them and you will see a common theme...the south did not want to give up slavery.

Look back at the quote from Alabama. That is the mentality that today's white vote in Alabama evolved from. The "domestic institutions" of 1861 that allowed "peace and security" are comparable to the "domestic institution" of segregation that was overcome in the 1960's. In 2010, the "peace and security" that might be important to the whites in the state might be disrupted by elevating a black to the position of governor, so it just won't happen.



Alabama is slow to change. Davis running in 2010 will do nothing to bring change, especially as to which party holds the Governor's seat.

Polls

Barack Obama has topped 50% in the polls. No, not that poll, rather the one asking who you would rather carpool with, from Lifetime's Every Woman Counts campaign. 51% would rather carpool with Obama, 31% with McCain.

As far as the vote goes, 49% of women polled said they are supporting Obama and 38% are supporting McCain. The poll asked a lot of questions about women’s views on veepstakes, what Hillary supporters think and more.

A new CBS poll this morning has Obama 45% and McCain 39%.

The new Time poll shows Obama with a 46% to 41% lead. As to likeability, "Obama beats McCain 65% to 20%; as for which is the real candidate for change, he leads 61% to 17%. Obama also beats McCain 48% to 35% on who understands voters' concerns best, another key indicator of appeal."

And in a poll with local interest, Representative Artur Davis released this yesterday (from Left in Alabama :

…a majority of Alabama voters now say that Alabama is ready to elect an African American governor in 2010. Fifty three percent of Alabamians agree that the state is ready, while 37% disagree.

Of course, that does not necessarily mean we are ready to elect Artur Davis, but he’s got a year or so to work on it. He certainly does not hold favor among the gay community, because of
this (ignoring history) and this (Artur in Bessemer).

However, the gay community is more faithful to the values put forth by the party than the candidates often are, and will support the Democratic nominee in 2010 regardless of who it is. Maybe.

Hope for Arlington School, Little Hope for Republicans

Judging from the number of emails and contacts I have received after my post about Artur Davis I am sure people will be visiting Bessemer Opinions (as well as Birmingham Blues to read Kathy's post) to read it today. Just scroll down or use the above link.

The Republicans are no closer to deciding who they want after yesterday's Michigan primary, which Romney won, than they were six months ago but we know we don't want this person to be our next president.





Mike Huckabee doesn't just want to "amend" the constitution, he wants to "amen" it.


And I thought we were close to a theocracy now. But at least we can rest assured that the democratic controlled congress would never attempt to amend the consitution in this way...would they?


And speaking of "amends" did you see Chris Matthews trying to make some with the Hillary camp after last nights Mod Squad (one black, one white, one blonde) debate. Matthews, who insulted Hillary, Bill, Barack and the entire list of democratic voters in new Hampshire last week declared Hillary the winner of the debate and praised her "power play" that restored her to the front runner position in the race. The momentum grows.

In Bessemer, what might be the most important story of the (15 day) year was buried in the Birmingham News today, on page 3B under "Government Roundup".

Bessemer

Arlington school declared surplus

The school board Tuesday voted unaminously to declare the former Arlinton school building surplus property.

Why: The land must be declared surplus before the board can sell it.

History: The building, constructed in 1908, housed Bessemer's first high school. It was later an elementary school and closed in the 1980's. Since then various groups have proposed uses for the building, including converting it into apartments for senior citizens.

Now we just have to hope that whoever they sell it to realizes the historical significance of the building and restores it to be used in way that benefits our historic southside community as well as the entire city. Alabama Heritage magazine described the property in this way, "A fine example of classical revival school building from the turn of the last century, the Arlington School, built in 1908, was Bessemer's first high school. Its most distinguishing features are the decorative brick and stone facade, interior sky-lighted basketball courts, and an auditorium in the form of a jewel box theatre with a raked floor, proscenium stage, and horseshoe balcony. Once a part of a thriving middle class neighborhood, the Arlington School was abandoned in the early 1980s. Now dilapidated and out of use, the school's state of disrepair is indicative of the decline in the surrounding neighborhood..."

Stay tuned.

Just added:

Hillary Clinton called Bush "pathetic" and so does Kathy. He's pitiful.

Artur Davis Ignores History, Insults Gays

This post and the one below address the Over the Mountain Democrat forum about healthcare last night, where the question came up about insuring domestic partners of same sex employees. Terry Kellogg from Blue Cross Blue Shield (see post below) replied that only 20 or so of his employer customers have inquired about that, and the thousands of other customers do not want such benefits provided because they don’t want to pay for it. OK, money is more important than doing what is right, but you expect to hear that from a corporate view.

Artur Davis chimed in, completely ignoring history, and told us that LGBT people should not be looking to Montgomery or Washington for answers, because (paraphrased quote) “It is not the role of government to tell people how to think.”

I almost fell out of my chair as I heard an African American who is the Alabama campaign manager for Barack Obama, who at the same moment is involved in a controversy about the role of MLK and Lyndon Johnson in the civil rights movement, say those words.

Has he forgotten that telling people how to think and act is precisely what the government did when Johnson signed the civil rights act? Does he not realize that had the government not told people how to think he might not be sitting on that stage tonight, and Barack Obama surely would not be where he is right now?

I am not ignoring Martin Luther King’s role (and neither was Hillary Clinton, by the way) in changing the attitudes of many Americans, but without the role of government telling Americans how to think there would be no voting rights and we could still be living in a segregated society.

But it sure seems that Davis is ignoring that.

Besides, Americans are already on the side of equality for gays and lesbians. Let’s consider four popular issues.

Hate Crimes. From The Christian Post, a Gallup poll from May 2007 reveals that 68% of Americans favor expanding the hate crimes legislation to include sexual orientation.

Civil Unions. An ABC Poll from November 2007 shows us that 55% of Americans favor civil unions, with 42 % opposing.

Employment non-discrimination. A May 2007 Gallup Poll showed that 89% favored employment protection for gays and lesbians, and for the particular legislation that Davis voted against, 58% of whites, 61% of blacks, 56% of latinos, 70% of democrats, 55% of independents and even 52% of republican women favored it.

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. A 2007 Harris Poll shows that 55% of Americans believe gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the armed forces.

So, Mr. Davis, it appears that Americans already know how to think. But we need laws and regulations passed by the government to assure that those who thrive on bigotry and prejudice do not undermine the fairness and equality that most Americans realize is part of our constitutional rights. And we need congressmen who will recognize that equality goes beyond the color of one’s skin.

Artur Davis Plays to a Packed House

But first...for this week at least, Bessemer Opinions was recognized as the 11th most influential blog in the state. See the list here. It changes each Sunday. Keep coming back and Bessemer Opinions will move up in the rankings. Bessemer Opinion's ranking will appear over to the left (Blogging Communities) on weeks that we are ranked.

Also, Bessemer Opinions now has a link on the Alabama Democratic Party's page. See the list of links on their page here.

Yes Artur Davis showed up last night, accompanied by his good friend, earliest supporter, and the "first person to give me a $1000 check," (a paraphrased quote), the Mayor of Bessemer, Ed May. The congressman's assistant said there were 122 people present, an SRO crowd.

I was somewhat surprised that not one question was raised during the hour and a half question and answer period about the War in Iraq or about the patriot act. People are more concerned about the economy, gas prices, education, health care and infrastructure. The was one "big issue" question and that was about immigration.

Davis supports tight border security, and a guest worker program. He would allow undocumented aliens that have been in the country working for 7 years to have guest worker status and a path to citizenship that puts them at the end of the line and requires them to pay a fine. For those who have been here 2 - 7 years, he supports guest worker status, but no path to citizenship. For those here less than two years...sorry Charlie, you are out of here. He also favors continuing to allow children of illegals to receive food stamps (the ony benefit they qualify for...and who wants to see kids starve) and attend schools (better to educate them than keep them on the streets from 8 to 3 every day).

A local pastor asked a question about hate crimes, and showed that he has been influenced by the misrepresentations of the legislation spread by the religious right. He said he had heard that preachers would be restricted from preaching about homosexuality and if they did they would be charged with a hate crime. Not so, said Davis, who helped draft the bill that passed the house. Nothing in the bill restricts our first amendment right to free speech. The bill only provides for harsher penalties for physically attacking a person because of their real or perceived sexual orientation.

I raised my hand at every opportunity and was finally recognized for the last question, and I asked about recent vote against ENDA, the Employment Non Discrimination Act, adding that a no vote gives the appearance that everyone should not be given the same rights and protections. He said he agreed that the government should not be making employment decisions based on sexual orientation, but that he doesn't think the government has the right to tell individuals who they can hire and who they can't. He mentioned that churches were exempt, but countered that religious individuals were not, and he thinks they should be.

Of course he didn't mention that it is the churches and the religious individuals who are at fault here for not recognizing that gay people came about just like everyone else and that the church should accept gay people for who they are. Actually, he did sort of allude to that, saying the churches should be more open and not restrict themselves to people who are just like they are...if they do they are missing the point.




I visited with Davis after the event and reminded him that I serve on a committee for which he is the chair (the Health Committee of the Black Belt Action Commission)Commission). He remembered.



I give him credit for the work he has done in helping the Black Belt, but he pointed out that while improvements are being made there (such as unemployment rates in all the Black Belt Counties being in single digits...a change from just a few years back) we are slipping in urban areas when it comes to poverty. The poverty rate in Jefferson County is over 19%. He tied this in with the unemployment rate in Jefferson County, at 2.7% and drew the conclusion that there are a lot of poor people out there who are working.

He might have read my blog yesterday because he mentioned the Army Corp of Engineers as being the most dysfunctional and least efficient government agency known. He was speaking about flood plains and water but levees tie right in there with that.

ENDA passed the house without Davis's vote. He admits that attitudes are still evolving on gay issues and that in a few years as young people grow up and vote that more and more rights and protections will be afforded. It's a shame that he is not on the forefront of that effort, but maybe, as he said, his own attitude toward the LGBT community will evolve and he will see that most gays, like most blacks or most poor or most women, are hard working spiritual people who just want to move forward with their own lives and see our country do the same.

Artur Davis, Don't Ask Don't Tell, and New Orleans Levees

The Birmingham News mistakenly reported that Congressman Artur Davis would hold his town hall meeting at Bessemer's City Council Chambers tonight. The meeting will actually be at the Bessemer Civic Center...from 6 to 8 PM. I spoke to someone in the congressman's office this morning and confirmed that the meeting would indeed be at the civic center. This is a good chance to hear our congressman speak and ask questions and maybe get answers regarding some of his questionable votes. (or maybe you support all of his votes...still a good chance to go and see him).

From The Human Rights Campaign:

Translators fluent in 5 languages. Doctors trained in trauma medicine. Pilots prepared to save lives.

We all know "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is wrong. But do you know just how wrong? In the 14 years since it was introduced, the U.S. military has discharged no fewer than 12,000 American troops under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

This includes hundreds of specialists whose skills are badly needed in our current military conflicts. Their commitment and expertise have gone to waste.

Starting Friday, we're honoring these men and women by placing 12,000 flags on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

See HRC's ad about this event here: One Minute ad

***********************************

In New Orleans we would hope that recovery is continuing, and with the opening of the St. Charles street car line and tourism rebounding you would think so. But will they be protected from the next storm? The Army Corp of Engineers would lead us to believe they would, but are they the ones we should be listening to?

Dr. Ray Seed, one of the chairs of the Univeristy of California Berkeley committee that is investigating the failure of the levees in New Orleans following hurricane Katrina, has filed an ethics complaint which documents how the Corp of Engineers systematicaly and intentionally hid their mistakes and intimidated anyone who attempted to intervene.

His complaint alleges that this was done with the help and complicity of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). This is the same group the Army Corp chose to review the Corp-sponsored levee investigation. Interesting.

If the Corp was at fault for the condition and/or the design of the levees which failed, why should we believe what they tell us about the levees now?

Concerned goups are calling for an "8/29 Investigation," a truly independent and truly complete analysis of the flood protection failures in metro New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Visit
Levees.org to find out how you can support this effort.

See you tonight at the Bessemer Civic Center!

News from Bessemer, the U. S., the World, the Universe

Boom Boom, a little before noon yesterday. I looked out at the intersection to see who had run the red light and gotten hit. But before I got to the window, I realized it was the space shuttle Discovery cruising overhead toward a landing.

Space is fascinating. Yesterday on The News Hour with Jim Lehrer was a report about a new planet discovered in a distant (but near, by cosmic standards) system (I don't like to call it a solar system because I thought "solar" referred to "sol," our star, and the planets that revolve around it). Anyway, Geoff Marcy (smart guy from U. C. Berkley) explained how they learned about the planet and why they suspect it might harbor life. One thing...they have been looking at about 50 stars, and out of them several stars have a few planets...so out of the 200 billion stars in our galaxy, there must be billions of planets, and some of those (like the one in question) are in habitable zones that could support life. He said NASA has three missions planned to try to find planets and life...including one called the Terrestrial Planet Finder that will try to take pictures of planets, hopefully a blue one like earth. Listen to the report...fascinating.

Then back here on earth...Aqua Dots just sounds like something to be eaten. I am glad my kids are old enough that the things they get that are made in China (like electronics) are not likely to be eaten. I mean, eat a toy and end up in a coma from a date rape drug? Could you make this stuff up?

So what is going to affect Christmas shopping more...refusal to buy toys and products from China or rising gas prices that affect the amount of money consumers are willing to spend on Chirstmas?

And in Bessemer, the smoking ban takes effect immediately. According to the Birmingham News Sandy Bright, the owner of the Stadium Grill, where "nearly all of her customers smoke," is worried. I think she will see business increase, though, because their burgers really are the best in the area. Really they are...and now, more people will try them.

Bessemer also passed the noise ordinance this week, but I am not sure if it goes in to effect immediately or not. But every time you hear a car stereo that makes your windows rattle call the police. But don't use 911...call 425-4211. Even though they probably will not get there to address the problem, at least they can know that the public is aware of the law and expect it to be enforced. Program 425-4211 in to your cell phone as "Bessemer Police" so you can call whenever you hear "boom boom" and it is not a space shuttle.

Now to the water bond issue. Word is it did not pass because attorney Harris (the city council attorney...not the city attorney) has a fee associated with it that went from $20,000 to $72,000. There is the whole issue of why the hell does the Bessemer City Council need their own attorney anyway, and why he thinks he can have anything to do with running the city's business when it is the "city attorney" who has to be involved in these things, and whether he is billing us for the 4 hour trip up and the 4 hour trip back to Mobile each time he makes an appearance, and why even if they did need their own attorney they had to go to Mobile to find one...but I digress.

I think the council is right to refuse to pass that bond deal, and with Bill Blount's shady dealings being revealed and Gardnyr Micheal's problems mentioned in this blog a few weeks ago, the city shouldn't do business with either one of the firms. There are plenty of bond dealers out there, some of whom might even be reputable.

The mayor should just borrow the $5 million to complete the Alabaster project, then come back later and try to restructure the 5 million and the other 20 million using a different firm. Don't give any more business to either of those firms. And check out new firms before giving them our business.

And last, I must state my dissapointment in Artur Davis. I didn't lose faith when he wrote me a letter explaining his support for the federal marriage amendment, and I tried to hold on during that habeas corpus deal that he couldn't explain his way out of, but now that he voted against (along with every other Alabama congressman) the Employment Non Discrimination Act (ENDA) which extends protection against employment discrimination to lesbians and gays, he is off my list (and on another one). He claimed to be friend of the gay community but he sure doesn't show it. He is acting more like a republican every day. And it is precisely because of people like him that laws like ENDA need to be passed, and why LGBT people need to be involved in politics.

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.

Happy Easter, Councilman Montgomery

Happy Easter everyone. Of course, Easter isn't about chocolate bunnies any more than Christmas is about reindeer, but marketing in the U. S. would have us believe otherwise. It's about Jesus' death on a cross for your sins. But it's also about rebirth, and renewal, and forgiveness.








Joel Montgomery should be thinking about forgiveness this Easter morning. This homophobe, one of the Birmingham Council Members who does not believe in inclusion, was arrested Saturday for public intoxication. His bloodied face was featured on page 13A of the Birmingham News, and on the local tv news. Take a look, this is the face of intolerance in the Magic City. I hope the people of District 1 have someone in mind to replace him. He claims innocence. The gay community (and the fair minded straights) might forgive him if he reverses his stand on the Resolution of Inclusion. (Unlike Jesus, we are human and we can put conditions on forgiveness). Hey, maybe Joel won't be attending the council meeting this week. Might be a good time to re-introduce the resolution.







Our representative Artur Davis spoke to the Downtown Democratic Club on Friday, and he said Dick Cheney was way off base when he spoke at the luncheon that raised a half million dollars for Jeff Sessions 2008 re-election campaign. Cheney was critical of the Democrats for threatening funding and calling for withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Artur pointed out that during the Clinton presidency in 1998 several resolutions sought to require the president to either limit funding for the U.S. military peacekeeping efforts in Bosnia or bring the troops home. Also, congress called for troop withdrawal in 1993 from Somalia when 18 soldiers were killed there while on a peacekeeping mission. Davis also noted that in 1983 after 241 marines were killed in Beirut, Congress called for withdrawal. Davis said "When all of that happened, not one person said Newt Gingrich and the Republicans weren't supporting our troops. Nobody said if your don't agree with us on the war, you're being un-American like the Bush asminstration is saying now."
He also said he is bothered by this "mindset that the president is always right and everyone else is wrong when it comes to the war in Iraq." You tell 'em, Artur.

Readers will notice that I have added a list of links to other blogs over to the left. Sack Sessions has lots to say about the Cheney visit. Just click on those links to read others progressive opinions.