Bexar County Republican Chair Cynthia
Brehm has been called on by our governor Greg Abbott to step down
from her position. As best I can tell, the reasons for this call to
resign most recently entailed a FB post she made inviting folks to
weigh in on the conspiracy theory the George Floyd death was staged
to--wait for it—make Trump look bad in the eyes of Black voters.
Apparently she also posted earlier a conspiracy theory the COVID-19
outbreak was a ploy of the Democratic party to---wait for it-- make
President Trump look bad. So spreading those
ideas has earned her the attention of the Governor Abbott. His office
stated "These
comments are disgusting and have no place in the Republican Party or
in public discourse," John Wittman, a spokesman for Abbott, said
in a statement.
There
was a time when I had great respect for our Republican governor and
other Republican leaders across the state and nation. I admired John
McCain because I admire men of courage and loyalty even when they get
captured and are held as POWs.
When
I first noticed Governor Greg Abbott, I saw him in a wheel chair and
researched why. I wondered if it was from a childhood disease, or
childhood accident, or what exactly happened. I discovered he was out
running and a tree branch fell on him and left him paralyzed. He did
not give up or give in and pushed through to be successful enough to
become our governor. I was impressed. We are surrounded every day by
people who have not allowed disabilities, injuries, or struggle to
define their lives.
Then
I began to watch our Governor and listen to him and listen when he
said nothing. So this call for Bexar County Republican Chair to
resign because of passing along conspiracy theories sounded noble
until I began to listen for his silence.
He
said nothing when this “size 5 man in size 12 shoes” perpetuated
a conspiracy theory related to the birth our our most recent
president. He said nothing when he spun more conspiracies and aimed
them at the FBI, the Department of Justice, the CIA, our whole
intelligence community. Governor Abbott's silence was deafening. He
said nothing after the petty tweets that demeaned the most powerful
office in the land. He was silent after the Charlottesville Unite the
Right march and riot. He was silent when black man after black man
was killed at the hands of law enforcement. He has been silent as
Trump downplayed the COVID-19 pandemic and spun lies after lies not
unlike a massive swirling hurricane battering us with layer after
layer of misinformation, conjecture, and lies. Governor Abbott said
not a word. Abbott said nothing as Trump took the side of Putin and
XI over the intelligence of the United States putting our nation more
at risk. Abbott said nothing when Trump pardoned criminals for high
crimes and misdemeanors because... well just because. He said not a
word when he said the whole impeachment process was a conspiracy to
overthrow his legitimate election because he had nothing nothing
wrong. His ungracious twitter firing of people surrounding him
merited not a word from Abbott.
In
fact, Governor Abbott has been AWOL until, Austin began a struggle to
figure out how to humanly deal with the huge homeless population in
Austin and Travis County. Governor Abbott marshaled TexDot and other
state employees to clear the right aways of homeless tents and
settlements on state property. Sadly, he has continued the
undemocratic war of trying to limit voting from certain parts of our
populations. Republicans don't want their participation and do what
they can to obstruct voting rights. Abbott has been in the forefront
of that effort.
So,
I have a couple of conclusions. First, I have taken a step back and
watched not just what political leaders say, but what they don't say.
The silence of a politician is as powerful an indicator of moral
values or lack of them as a well crafted speech before a fawning
audience. That Greg Abbott would call for the resignation of a
Republican minion who takes her cues from the White House and never
call out the leader of the party is moral cowardice of the worst
kind. It is a bankrupt morality, and a malignant silence which leaves
the impression such silence is support. Cynthia Brehm is far less an
influence than the immoral, corrupt, undisciplined, calloused,
ruthless, mentally and emotionally chaotic resident of the White
House. Her influence and damage will largely be contained within
Bexar County. That is not true of Trump.
The
other thing I note follows the thinking of Teddy Roosevelt who said,
“It
is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the
strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them
better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives
valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there
is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually
strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great
devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best
knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the
worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his
place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know
victory nor defeat.”
Sadly, our political leadership are failing their state and nation
because they refuse to “dare greatly.” Every day a person of
color leaves home to face a sometimes hostile community full of
disrespect and condescension. The show up a low paying jobs and do
their very best. Illegal immigrants live daily lives in the shadows
but work and try to support their families because living in the
shadows of America are safer than in the houses from which they have
fled. Each day men and women suit up in uniforms and attempt to keep
a community safe even if they find themselves under attack and the
objects of disrespect. Everyday, ordinary people venture into the
arena with a steadfast hope that America can be better, and they
spend their day, their influence, their dollars to make it so.
If
only, in these days we had politicians worthy of such people. Sadly,
we do not.
Wash
your hands, mind the gap, and be kind.
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