Campaign Update

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Thank you all so much for continuing to support me in so many different ways during this campaign. I could do none of this without you.

After the June 6 primary things got much slower than I ever care for them to be. Finances were very low and I worried a great deal about how I was going to keep this important campaign operating. However, the last two weeks have shown a renewed interest in my campaign for Governor of Alabama from the media, debate organizers, organizations needing public speakers and the general public. Here is what is currently on tap for me in the coming weeks and months as well as an update on things that have happened just recently.

Along with my campaign related duties I also work on the medical marijuana issue in Alabama. A few weeks ago I traveled to Choctaw County, Alabama to meet a cancer patient with stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (along with diabetes and neuropathy) and to accompany him to his first court appearance on marijuana related charges. Please read the story of Don and his fight to spend the remaining months of his life out of prison.

Another area of activism I am involved in is women’s rights. I am a new but active member of the Montgomery, AL chapter of NOW and I recently acted as an escort at an Alabama Women’s Clinic. It was quite an experience and I am happy to note that the article I penned on it was carried by some of the most popular blogs in the country.

On Monday of last week I was interviewed by The Anniston Star for a candidate profile. That profile was originally slated to run in the Thursday or Friday edition but I got word from the reporter on Friday that it would run in Sunday’s edition, which was good news indeed.

It is interesting to note how this article came about. About a month ago I began running some very unorthodox campaign radio ads in the Montgomery market. Tim Lennox who is anchor of Alabama Public Television’s ‘For the Record’ aired one of the ads in full on his Week in Review program. During the commentary the journalist from the Anniston Star mentioned that if people were elected on personality alone to remember that Minnesota had elected a professional wrestler. I was not sure at the time whether or not I should be at offended by that comment or not. I like Jesse Ventura a great deal and I do speak my mind in much the same fashion that he did….but I detest ‘rasslin’. I know that’s hard for y’all to believe…what with me being a proud Southerner and all…but I swear it’s true. Not being one to hold my tongue about such matters I fired off an email to Bob Martin at the Montgomery Independent. Y’all will remember that Mr. Martin had a hand in the whole boobie flap a few months back. He and I have since become friends and in the email I thanked him for being up to date on Alabama write-in campaign history. I also joked with him about being compared to a professional wrestler and stated that perhaps I should invite my gubernatorial opponents (Riley & Baxley) to engage in a Jell-O ‘rasslin’ match because it would be so much more entertaining than what we are currently witnessing. Mr. Martin apparently got a kick out of the email and shared it with Mr. Lyman, who made the comment, and he in turn called me for an interview.

This past Friday on For the Record Mr. Lyman was again a guest and he plugged the upcoming profile during the Wild Card segment. Tim Lennox noted that I am a big fan of the show and the show and that I watch every night. That's true. For the Record is the best news show in Alabama hands down and, in all honesty, one of the best that I have seen anywhere. Everything on the networks is made to entertain with an emphasis on NOT exercising the gray matter between ones ears, whereas FTR is educational, thought provoking and is generally very entertaining regardless of the topic. It's hard to find such a spectacular combination of journalistic talents all rolled into one. Tim Lennox could anchor any national news show but I hope he never leaves us here in Alabama. That would be tragic. The article titled Nall looks to Ride Colorful Campaign ran in yesterday’s edition.

I am not entirely sure how I feel about this article. When I first read it it seemed ok, but the more I look at it the less I like it. It seems more focused on the sensational aspects of my candidacy and even the activism that I do that is separate from the campaign. My message did not come through as well as I would have liked. It isn’t bad really, but I think the point was missed overall. Regardless, the article gained me more supporters in the Anniston Star coverage area, with a large number of them being those who identified themselves as Republicans, and one hate mail so riddled with misspelled words that it was almost impossible to translate into anything that even remotely made sense. After much effort I determined it had something to do with being a godless, dope smoking, baby killer and an invitation to do odd things with a strap-on. I tell you what, if believing in god, abstaining from marijuana consumption and being anti-choice makes people act like that then I think yours truly’ll pass if it’s all the same to you. I have noticed on the rare occasions when I do get hate mail that such things are common. It appears that people who are filled with bitterness and hate never bothered to learn how to communicate it in written form. Their ignorance is blinding and I am always reminded of the lyrics to Rush’s ‘Witch Hunt’

“Quick to anger, Quick to judge, Slow to understand, Ignorance and Prejudice go hand in hand.”

On Thursday of last week I traveled to Roanoke, AL to speak to a group of progressive thinkers known as “The Thursday Night Happy Hour Club” even though they live and meet in a dry county. I couldn’t wait to see what Happy Hour in a dry county would be like. Roanoke is a small town in East Alabama about 45 miles from where I live. They heard about me via BlueGal who sent them my article on Don, the cancer patient. I must say that being invited to Roanoke was very exciting to me because it is a small town. I have spoken in all of the major cities in Alabama and many major cities in the US but this was my first invite to rural Alabama. You know progress is being made when you begin to get invites like that.
A number of those in attendance were attorneys and there was one candidate for Judge there as well. A Republican, no less. We met in what used to be a cotton storage warehouse that had been turned into a progressive thinkers oasis at the hands of the owner. Beautiful artwork from local artists was on display throughout the building. There was also a library, bar/social area and a sunroom. If I ever decide to get my house remodeled I know who I am calling.

I gave a very relaxed presentation to those in attendance and there was much discussion to be had. They were most interested in my drug policy reform work. As I stated, two of them are attorneys and have first hand knowledge of just how bad things are. In the end I raised some money and made some wonderful new friends and supporters. I have an open invite to drop in anytime and I plan to use it whenever possible. It isn’t often that I run across progressive thinkers of that caliber in Alabama and I am most happy to know that they are so close by. Be sure to check out their blog.

On the upcoming events horizon I have the following.

Friday, July 28, 2006 I will be the guest speaker at Speakers Corner in Birmingham. This event will take place at;

Safari Cup Coffee House
300 Richard Arrington JR. Blvd
Birmingham, AL 35203

My speech begins at 6:30. It will last for about 20 minutes and will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience. If you are in or around the Birmingham area or have friends or relatives there please come out and hear me speak.

On Friday I received a call from The University of Alabama at Birmingham inviting me to participate in the gubernatorial debate being held on campus October 24, 2006. Needless to say I was more than a little surprised to be invited. In the 2002 election the Libertarians were not invited to the debates despite having ballot access. The excuse given them at that time was that they were not polling 5%. It mattered not that they were also being excluded from said polls. This go round we do not have ballot access and we certainly aren’t being included in any polling yet, I got an invite to participate. I have gladly accepted the invitation and am waiting for the official paperwork with the terms and conditions to arrive. This is a HUGE development for the campaign and a huge victory for the people of Alabama who desire alternatives to the current two-party system. It will no doubt play a critical role in the number of votes I am able to garner and it couldn’t be at a more crucial time a mere two weeks before the general election.

Between now and then I will be spending a great deal of time preparing and practicing for this monumental event. I love to argue but have never been in an actual debate with stringent rules and time limits. There is a great deal to learn between now and then. I vow to make all of you proud to have me as your candidate and to reaffirm to you that you have made a wise investment in our political future with your financial support of my campaign. Please see to it that I have travel funds for the upcoming weeks by making a contribution in any amount. This week alone I have to make two trips to Montgomery and three to Birmingham and with gas at over $3 a gallon that quickly adds up to over $100. Even $1 helps toward that end.

Those wishing to mail their contributions may mail them to:

Loretta Nall for Governor Campaign
C/O Alabama Libertarian Party
2330 Highland Ave. South
Birmingham, AL 35205

Please make payable to:
Loretta Nall for Governor Campaign

Thank you for helping move forward the most noble causes of liberty and freedom from an oppressive government. Please continue to help me fight for sanity in the South.

Loretta Nall
Libertarian Party Candidate for Governor of Alabama