Reply #96: Hi! Tony here

[Cuban_Liberal]

My name is Tony, and I'm a 27 year-old gay male from the tiny downstate community of Arcola, the heart of Illinois' Amish country. My area is fairly 'maroon', meaning that while it tends to favor Republicans at the polls, it's not unheard of for Democrats to be elected.

As far as personal background goes, I have 3 older sisters and 3 younger brothers, and I fairly well fit the stereotype of what a middle child is. My dad is a first-generation Mexican-American and my mom is an escapee/immigrant from Cuba who is now a naturalized American citizen. I was born in Miami and lived most of my life in the South, although I gradated high school in Indiana. I'm an Army veteran and have worked as both a paramedic and a deputy sheriff. I graduated from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN and am currently attending law school at UIUC. With my life-partner, Padraig18, I co-own a small news agency and an independent bookstore.

I'm politically active on the local and congressional district levels, serving as a precinct committeeman and as a member of my county party's executive committee. I have no current political aspirations beyond these, although that could and likely will change in a few years.

Temperamentally, I'm pretty laid back, although I've been known to become pretty cranky with RW disruptors, bullies and people who don't understand the meaning of the word 'no. *grin*

:hi: