I do live in Alabama. Born here, raised here. I have a southern accent, especially after consuming fermented beverages. I've lived in all sections of the state except the Gulf Coast counties, so my interests often represent this state. and how law, policy, and attitudes affect Alabama, and even Georgia and Mississippi.

Medgar Evers, the assasinated Mississippi civil rights worker, is one of my role models. Evers once said, "If we don't like what the Republicans do, we need to get in there and change it." Same holds true for the Democrats.

Evers also said, "I don't know if I'm going to Heaven or if I'm going to Hell. I DO know that I'll be going FROM Mississippi."  Good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise, I feel the same way about my state.

A second role model is a fellow from around Troy, Alabama, John Lewis, who, while with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), led the Bloody Sunday march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. The event and subsequent coverage and marches changed my life. Lewis, or Congressman Lewis, now represents the 5th District in Georgia. If you ever have the chance to hear him speak on the floor on C-Span, take a listen.

In my pantheon also are Morris Dees and Bill Baxly, both attorneys here in Alabama. Dees started the Southern Poverty Law Center, and financially broke the Klan, among other wonderful accomplishments.

Baxley was the Alabama attorney General who was made an "honorary n*gger" by the KKK for re-opening the 16th Street Baptist Chuch bombing that occurred in Birmingham in 1963.

Baxley's reply, on official state letterhead: "My response to your letter of February 19, 1976, is--kiss my ass."

Disclaimer: I worked for his gubernatorial campaign, and proudly have on my wall an honorary Colonelship from his time as Lt. Governor.

But don't let that fool you or impress you. I'm lucky to have gotten to where I am, higher education in the liberal arts, Sociology to be specific.

Sociology's a great background from which to discuss issues here. Geez, this is a law site, so it's chock full o'lawyers, government folks, people in the know in DC, and of course Armando and Jeralyn.

I live in the margins. Seriously, I think I'm on the outside looking in... Rural Alabama, LA as some folks call it, Lower Alabama, 30 miles from southwestern Georgia, and about 120 miles from from southeastern Mississippi.

Let's see, I like beutiful sunsets, long walks on the beach, world peace, and people just being excellent to one another-- oh, that's my match dot com description, sorry (blushing furiously).

I come from poor folks. My parents, no, they were middle class, and made it there based on such programs as the GI Bill. But THEIR parents were poor. My parents grew up during the First Great Depression, malnourished, often sent to live with relatives or family friends who could afford to feed them, with no real medical or dental care. If it was bad enough, my mother's family would call a faith healer, because he'd work for a meal of chicken and dumplings, or even free, since it was his calling. Me, I grew up with a lot of middle to upper middle class life chances.

Thus, life chances, poverty, hunger, the effects of the 21st Century on small-town folks and life, racism, classism, I'd say these, with the addition of health issues, these provide the background and perspective I come from.

I'll have to add the US Army to that, also. Issues of the military, Defense, soldiers and sailors and airmen especially-- enlisted folks-- I advocate for them, since they don't have much of a voice. And I fear and loathe the Military-Industrial Complex and its power, while not blaming at all the regular working folks within it.

As of today, this writing, I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, with biosies to come in a couple of weeks. Prostate cancer is bad enough, but I was RIFed in May-- Reduction in Force, from the community college that used to employ me. So  my insurance runs out Aug 30, and I don't even know what the COBRA rates will be.

I'll be discussing cancer treatment, dealing with the government on health care, food stamps, unemployment eligibility and lapses there, possible bankruptcy, fear, anxiety, insecurity, and other issues from the personal as well as structural level.

I'll try to do my homework on these issues. Since I used to teach, and may one day find a university again, I want my facts straight, my assumptions known, and my argument and conclusions concise.

I don't insult quite as well as Armando used to, but if he'll be my mentor, I'll gladly be his protoge there, even if he does support the Florida Gators.

So... here I am. First person descriptions seem so egocentric. all that "I" and "Me" stuff. let's use this diary as a chance to introduce ourselves with as much information as we want to give. Lurkers, I know you're there! Come on out of the background for a moment! you can always go back.

TalkLeft is a community. Community members know each other. Jeralyn and BTD don't have time to do something like this. I don't want to call it a roll call, because it isn't. Some folks won't post anything because of personal, job, or legal reasons.

Let's see if Jeralyn's trust in me was misplaced!

Jeffinalabama@gmail.com