During session, on a weekly basis I am reminded by my colleagues that the bills they are introducing are a part of their “handshake with Alabama.”

An individual’s handshake reveals whether or not they are authoritative, controlling, humble, or insecure. A humble handshake is when the palm of the hand is turned up exposing the veins on the wrist. When a person shakes your hand in such a manner he or she is saying, “My life is vulnerable to you.  I am here for you.”

As elected leaders, we are to always exemplify humility instead of arrogance. We should always say to our constituents that we are here for them.  Last week the superiority of “the handshake” of my colleagues was exposed.

This occurred when a federal judge issued an injunction against a law, passed during December’s special session, banning school employees from having their Alabama Education Association membership dues voluntarily deducted from their paycheck.

One of my colleagues had the audacity to say that school teachers have become too greedy. I was appalled to hear one of our state leaders utter such sentiments. Although teachers play such a vital role in the shaping of future leaders, they are quite underpaid. I am not sure whose hand he shook, but I am confident that it could not have been the hand of an educator.

Once again, my colleagues mentioned “the handshake” when the Voter Identification legislation was introduced and passed. This legislation supposedly curbs voter fraud although there were very few cases of voter fraud reported in the 2010 general election. Furthermore, this legislation would be an additional cost to the counties by requiring the Probate Judge’s office to provide state-issued identification.

Lastly, it may even deter elderly, poor, or rural voters who may have limited access to transportation.  Despite the fact that the Voting Rights Act was passed in order to simplify the voting process, there are those who are attempting to make it more difficult.

It is clear that my colleagues have shaken hands, but not with the middle and working class. They have shaken hands with big businesses and out-of-state corporations. I remember some good sound advice: be careful whose hand you shake because you don’t know where those hands were last.