During a spell of overt goofiness, the City Commission had changed the name of a downtown street from it's historic 1850 "East Fronton Street" to "McNair Family Drive."
Carlos Lastra from Engineering, who was given the task of discerning the mood of the residents of East Fronton about the proposed name change, failed miserably and the City Commission faced an angry group of East Frontoners who had no idea the name of their street was being changed.
Have no fear. 4th graders from sea to shining sea will be reminded in the morning that the United States of America is a democracy ruled "by the people."
The residents of East Fronton Street got that same lecture in two languages and have shown up at the last two City Commission meetings to see the American dream in action.
"You can correct this with a petition," they were told, among other things:
1. Play by the rules, conform to every requirement of a newly enacted city policy about changing the name of a street.
2. Go en masse to the commission meeting to voice your position to your duly elected representatives.
3. Sit back and observe democracy in action.
The resident taxpayers of East Fronton did everything asked of them before showing up at tonight's meeting to see if the concept of democracy actually worked.
They were sorely disappointed, seeing the uglier side of city politics, how a rich Anglo businessman could indeed manipulate four commissioners to get the agenda item shot down.
All four, much like Trump supporters in the U.S. Congress, questioned the methodology instead of responding to their constituents.
Commissioner Rose Gowen questioned the wording of the policy awarding a vote to each owner listed on the Cameron County property listings, while Jessica Tetreau mentioned conversations with other Texas cities whose policy differed from Brownsville's.
The vote almost got tabled again until Commissioner Ben Neece reminded the commission that "we've passed the policy and the City Attorney has ruled on it. Let's vote and do the right thing."
Commissioners Joel Mungia and John Cowen, neither of whom normally ever make so much as a peep in City Commission meetings, both attacked the policy at tonight's meeting.
None of these four had any criticism of the policy when it was enacted weeks ago. Had the McNair family gained their support somehow?
Four voted against residents having a say in their community, all using convoluted reasoning to support their position: Rose Gowen, Jessica Tetreau, John Cowen and Joel Munguia.
Nurith Galonsky, Ben Neece and Mayor Trey Mendez supported the citizenry.
"Let it be noted that the vote was 4-3," stated Mendez, making certain we knew where he stood, even though his vote is normally needed only in a tie.
Commissioner Nurith Galonsky apologied to the East Fronton citizens as they exited chambers.
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You supported Jessica Tetreau. She’s your district commissioner. Why didn’t she listen to you, Barton?
ReplyDeleteFair play would be to re-name Elizabeth Street (main street) to Chelo Silva Drive.
ReplyDeleteOver my fucking dead body, you fucking greaser!
DeleteTrump mocks everybody and becomes livid when they mock him. He was seething when Obama ridiculed him at the correspondent's dinner and has never recovered. Obama also implied that Trump would never become President -- which, coming from an African American who was President at the time, was just about as bad as it could get. Trump is still in a permanent temper tantrum over it. Worse, Obama who faced a Republican House that was Benghazi crazy was never impeached. That will drive Trump over the top as he retaliates against the world. Run for cover.
ReplyDeleteThe only freedom that exists here in Brownsville is the freedom to destroy oneself, and the only certainty is being trapped inside the walls of the prison, where incarcerated people live with their inner ghosts and watch, often from a distance, as their families slowly disintegrate.
ReplyDeleteMany incarcerated fathers are left to take care of their children when their wives leave them, because in a poor county like Cameron it is difficult for a woman to rebuild a life alone with dependent children. Fathers look after their children without the freedom of the “free world,” the freedom to buy them gifts, accompany them to school, or take them on vacation.
Mahatma Gandhi was right when he said: “There is no such thing as slow freedom. Freedom is like a birth. Until we are fully free, we are slaves. All birth takes place in a moment.”
This looks really bad, white Commissioners supporting the white name change of a historic street where almost entirely Hispanic residents live :O
ReplyDeleteDespite the Hispanic residents' overwhelming protests
Because a white owns warehouse properties there he doesn't pay taxes on :O
Really, someone do some investigative journalism, how many other whites have cozy tax-free property arrangements with the city?
When did that start?
Who signed those deals????
why do the whites pay no taxes to the school or the city when the rest of us do???
White Power!!!!
DeleteYour premise is wrong. Seems to me Democracy worked for one side and not the other. Isn't that democracy at work? The 4 votes beat the 3. That, too, is democracy. Pretty sure McNair would educate you on that. Majority of residents? It was never going to be up to them. Were they heard? Yes. That complied with the city commissioners' duty.
ReplyDeleteIn endorsing Trump’s blatant effort to delay and obstruct the impeachment process, the House Republicans are demonstrating that there are now virtually no ends to which they won’t go in order to protect Trump, and no arguments they won’t make. Of course, that no longer surprises us. But we shouldn’t lose sight of how shocking and outrageous it is.
ReplyDeleteDid you hear about the civil case filed against the city for prohibiting the use of our Fronton shirts. This was a violation of their FIRST AMENDMENT!
ReplyDelete