War & Peace on Mobile Bay: Springtime for Warships

#USSMontgomery (#LCS 8) underway for builder’s trials @MadeinAL #MobileAL pic.twitter.com/231cl3HvvO — Austal USA (@Austal_USA) March 3, 2016 Mobile, Alabama. Pronunciation: MOH-BEAL I found the above photo posted March 3rd on Twitter under #MobileAL, and thought it striking. Uniquely illustrative of the America few actually see. The image of tranquil Mobile Bay, relatively sleepy downtown Mobile, … Continue reading “War & Peace on Mobile Bay: Springtime for Warships”

Thoughts in October 2014: Flu Vaccines, Political Example-Stories, Confederate Ghosts in the Fog, and Mobile, Alabama memories

“Down in Mobile they’re all crazy, because the Gulf Coast is the kingdom of monkeys, the land of clowns, ghosts and musicians, and Mobile is sweet lunacy’s county seat.”—Eugene Walter So I was in Mobile, AL, a port city as complex as it is old, the Confederacy’s “undefeated” city, and my hometown, and I move … Continue reading “Thoughts in October 2014: Flu Vaccines, Political Example-Stories, Confederate Ghosts in the Fog, and Mobile, Alabama memories”

Bitesized History: the Code Noir and Mercantilism in Jewish Mobile, Alabama

Tidbits of Colonial Mobile’s Economic and Legal History Through a 19th century Jewish Lens The rare book “A History of the Jews of Mobile,” a brief monograph published by Springhill Avenue Temple rabbi Alfred Geiger Moses in 1876 on the Jewish history of my hometown Mobile, AL, and now available online, records some fascinating facts.  I’ll … Continue reading “Bitesized History: the Code Noir and Mercantilism in Jewish Mobile, Alabama”

That Time Mobile, AL Made The Front Page of the New York Times

And how The Times missed the story It’s not exactly surprising that the New York Times missed the story: their writers too often cling to conventional wisdom like a drunk grabbing a lamppost, not for illumination as much as desperately-needed support.  Don’t get me wrong, the Times sometimes has great coverage and is valuable as one of the … Continue reading “That Time Mobile, AL Made The Front Page of the New York Times”

Masculinity, Southern Gentlemen, and the Strange Story of Alabama’s First U.S. Senator, William Rufus DeVane King

OR John Kerry Should’ve Grown A Beard: The North-South Manliness Inversion A Post That Cites Its Sources…with Footnotes! As I mentioned in the preceding post, the Nick’s Crusade blog is a history blog too. I think delving into history can be very valuable, not just because the strange doglegs and twists in the American story—history … Continue reading “Masculinity, Southern Gentlemen, and the Strange Story of Alabama’s First U.S. Senator, William Rufus DeVane King”

A Note on Robert Bork and the End of Busing as a Desegregation tool

It’s been a while since I blogged about racism, but this blog has a broader mission to shine a light on the concerns of unheard, marginalized groups everywhere, which is why, in the past, I’ve written about things as far-flung and diverse as an effort to fund safehouses for LGBT youth being hunted down by … Continue reading “A Note on Robert Bork and the End of Busing as a Desegregation tool”

Chris Week: Ninth Anniversary—RIP Chris

I’ve been thinking about my friend Chris a lot this week, especially in the days preceding and following March 4th, when the tragedy that took him happened. When I was little, Chris was the bigger kid, both in age (four years older) and heft (kids with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy—DMD, which I don’t have—tend to be … Continue reading “Chris Week: Ninth Anniversary—RIP Chris”

Mitt Romney: Can You Help Us, Mr. Fix It? (Part 1)

  So, there’s been a dust up over Mitt Romney’s “I’m not concerned about the very poor” comments on CNN.  A lot of the blogosphere is mindlessly blasting this quote sans context, and the TV news even worse, so Team Romney isn’t wrong to protest how this has been “taken out of context.”  Cable news … Continue reading “Mitt Romney: Can You Help Us, Mr. Fix It? (Part 1)”

The Social vs. Medical Model of Disability, Communities Will Be Forced To Choose

You may or may not know about the medical model and the social model of disability. I wanted to talk about the social model of services and supports for people with disabilities, and barriers to implementing it. When you think about disability internationally, most disabled people in countries around the world are taken care of … Continue reading “The Social vs. Medical Model of Disability, Communities Will Be Forced To Choose”

Alabama’s Own Regina Benjamin, Advocate For Nick’s Crusade, Named Surgeon General Of US

Congratulations, Regina Benjamin!! I couldn’t think of a better candidate for Surgeon General than Dr. Benjamin, and I was surprised and pleased that someone from my old hometown that I am familiar with hit the big-time! Dr. Benjamin works in a clinic in Bayou La Batre just south of Mobile, Alabama (where I’m from). As … Continue reading “Alabama’s Own Regina Benjamin, Advocate For Nick’s Crusade, Named Surgeon General Of US”

Candidate Giuliani Visits My City

Guess who showed up in my city today ? Rudy Giuliani. I live in Mobile, AL, Alabama’s second largest city. The Port City. Today Candidate Giuliani showed up here. As far as I know he didn’t meet with any real people, any disability or elderly groups, nor did he visit the parts of the county … Continue reading “Candidate Giuliani Visits My City”

Undo The Alabamization Of America!

Undo The Alabamization Of America! Why I’m A Liberal The Democrats have now won both houses of Congress. Let me go back to the basics and explain. I’m far from a “proud Democrat,” but let’s be real here; it’s an unavoidable truth that what the GOP has done is incredibly damaging to our future. When … Continue reading “Undo The Alabamization Of America!”

Nick Gets Lifetime Advocacy Award

Nick Gets Lifetime Advocacy Award I Received Lifetime Advocacy Award At ADAP’s 30th Anniversary Event Friday, we made the 175-mile journey to Montgomery to attend the 30th anniversary of ADAP (Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program), the state P&A (protection and advocacy) agency (every state has one), and receive their first-ever “Lifetime Advocacy Award” at the Alabama … Continue reading “Nick Gets Lifetime Advocacy Award”

What Is Medicaid? What Are Waivers?

What Is Medicaid? What Are Waivers? A Medicaid Policy Wonk Explains Medicaid stuff is my specialty. While I’m a political junkie who tries to glean deep knowledge of American political ideas on all sides on nearly every issue and the philosophies that underpin them, and, while in a year of intense study, I’ve gained a great … Continue reading “What Is Medicaid? What Are Waivers?”

Money Following The Person Out Of Institutions "Not Feasible," Says Alabama Medicaid

Money Following The Person Out Of Institutions “Not Feasible,” Says Alabama Medicaid They Still Won’t Give An Inch To Free Citizens From Nursing Homes I just watched the Alabama Medicaid commissioner Carol Herrmann spinning and tap-dancing around the Money Follows the Person grant issue on the For The Record show. Alabama Medicaid continues to stick … Continue reading “Money Following The Person Out Of Institutions "Not Feasible," Says Alabama Medicaid”

Amid Protests, Alabama Medicaid Still Refuses Federal Grant

Amid Protests, Alabama Medicaid Still Refuses Federal Grant Officials Won’t Budge On Anything Affecting Nursing Home Industry As I reported in my recent editorial on the subject, our government is circling the wagons to protect their nursing home boondoggle while those who want to receive care at home are left out in the cold. This … Continue reading “Amid Protests, Alabama Medicaid Still Refuses Federal Grant”

Governor Riley Refuses New Fed. Funding For Disabled, Advocates To Rally

A Mobile Register Letter to the Editor I’m Nick Dupree. Some of you may remember me from my public battle to stop Alabama Medicaid from ending nursing care for people on life support when they turned 21, a battle I won and received a flurry of media attention for three years ago, in the Register … Continue reading “Governor Riley Refuses New Fed. Funding For Disabled, Advocates To Rally”