I’m currently a 62 year old white male living in the “Heart of Dixie” (Alabama) and I’m a true Liberal. George Wallace would have called me “pointy-headed”. I’ve always tilted toward the left, but as I get older I feel a need to speak out about things I believe are important that don’t get talked about enough. Things like tolerance, racial equality, LGBT rights, religious freedom in terms of a strict separation of Church and State, economic plans that favor the middle class, and a host of other issues that I truly believe will make America a stronger and prouder nation.
I’m a retired teacher/principal from a large public school system in Alabama. I’m happily married to my soul mate of 22 years and we have two children together who still live at home. I also have four other beautiful kids from previous marriages and a grand total of seven amazing grandchildren.
I love life. I love my family. I love my country.
Mike Walker
southernliberalman 
It is so encouraging to find others who are not afraid to use the label of “LIBERAL”! Thank you for speaking out, and for your years of service to our country in the field of education.
Thanks Nancy. There aren’t nearly enough of us around. My screen name on Huffington Post for the past four years has been “proudliberal4truth” so I’m liberal through and through 🙂
Dear Southern Liberal Man, I applaud you! As I was reading your Santorum I, I wanted to add to the part about pre-natal testing that is very important. Pre-natal testing also allows for defects to be identified and repaired, in the womb, so that the baby has a better chance at life! I know of a person who was carrying a child that had a heart defect and a delicate in utero surgery was done to repair it so that the child was born healthy. I have a friend who also had her baby undergo in utero surgery to correct a spinal defect. Her child is now11 and can run and jump and play and twist and spin and she would not have been able to without the surgery. It also allows those carrying a child that would have special needs to get an early start on educating themselves about how best to care for and get help for their child from the get go. So, there is another, very important side to pre-natal testing that Rick Santorum completely ignores.
Santorum has tunnel vision. He sees the world in black and white with no shades of grey. He’s truly a small-minded man with no intellectual curiousity. But you’re spot on Susan. If he gets the nomination, we’ll need people like us to band together to educate the electorate. Thanks for commenting and for readin my blog.
I came across your article on Rick Santorum through TheBlueSquirril.org, and I’m so glad i did. Yours was the best article I’ve read on the subject. You hit the heart of the situation. Being southern by birth and living in AZ (not a far step from the Southern mentality regarding liberals) I find your blog refreshing. It gives me hope. I will bookmark your blog and become a faithful follower. Thank you for sending your words out into the universe.
Tanks so much for your kind words Pat and I’m very glad you enjoyed reading my blog. I’m not sure I’d trade living in Alabama today for AZ, but at least you’ve got the nice weather…and Jan Brewer 🙂
Ah, the winked witch of the West. We do have more than our share of Republicans out here, but southern AZ is a bit more liberal. Many of us would like to split the state. I’m from Gabby Gifford’s district.
I am trying to find you on Facebook, but there are a lot of Mike Walkers. I don’t think there are a lot of Elizabeth Potter Grahams there, so maybe you can find me. I live in Vestavia Hills and am on Huffington Post as well (I was MsLiz, but had posting problems, so now am MsLizabeth).
I do a lot of politics; sorry about the stupid FB games, but you can block them.
sent you a friend request 🙂
Excellent!! Loved your blog … and thank you! I’m involved with the Unite Against the War on Women – April 28th 2012 and am so excited and encouraged by the response!! Thanks for supporting us!
I too tried to find you on Facebook with no luck … can you help me out? Thank you, kind Sir!
Jan Buckley Lella
Oh, I found you listed under Southernliberalman and liked your page. Thanks!
I believe that the word liberal means generous. Ergo, conservative would mean stingy. Now, I realize this is an extremely inflammatory stance. I was always comfortable with what I knew about being a Democrat all the years of my life before 1964, when I moved away from Tuscaloosa to east Tennessee. It was hard to find any Democrats in the staunch Republican stronghold of the eastern hills, and I was busy with babies, establishing our home, settling in and living the good life. But I remained Democrat-leaning. As the years went by I eventually went back to college and became much more politically aware. I was stunned to realize how deeply my home state had become hardrock Republican. No longer could I be comfortable discussing political issues, or most “religious” issues, with most Alabamians I knew. I have been shocked at how religiosity/conservatism has become so politically polarizing. I do not like to label people, or myself, because I don’t necessairily buy into all that those labels imply. But on the continuium I am certainly way toward the LIBERAL end. Our society has changed so much in the last forty years, and things don’t mean the same now. I am glad to find your blog. I believe it will help me identify and understand my puzzlements! Maybe I won’t always agree, but I will surely THINK.
Elouise, I moved to Alabama in 1974 when I was 24 years old (from Kentucky). Like you I was overwhelmed with the conservative culture in alabama and the strong christian influence. There are more liberals in our state than you’d imagine though and I’ve found quite a few like-minded folks since I started my blog. Thans for reading and your comments. I already consider you a new friend 🙂
Mike Walker
I am so glad to have found your blog. I was born and raised in California, which is almost a cliche for liberalism. The folks in Orange county and other places in the state would disagree though, as both Ronald Reagan and Arnold S. were governors there.
I feel though that right now a lot of liberals are overwhelmed by the amount of nastiness being expelled from the mouths of extreme conservatives. It seems that no amount of reasoned thinking and speaking can shut them up. But maybe that’s the whole issue, for years they’ve been sitting there stewing like an over heating presure cooker and now the valve’s are all blown and the contents are being spewed all over the place. Someone has to start cleaning up the mess, and turning down the heat before the lids blow off. I’m glad you are one of those helping to clean.
Thanks for your comment Nighhtcloud. I really believe this country collectively, has GOT to be getting fed up with Limbaugh and the rest of the radical rights’ hate speech, fear mongering, and divisiveness. Maybe we’ve hit bottom and now we can start to act like America again. Thanks again,
Mike
Hey Mike… Where have you been? Missing your blogging!