UNCLE JOE FROM MEDFORD ASKED WHY I'D QUIT WRITING

Uncle Joe

What an extraordinary phone visit I enjoyed yesterday with my Uncle Joe from Medford, Oregon.

Uncle Joe, 85, only 12 years my senior, and his wife Doris, were a totally supportive shelter from the storm of my contentious family life and rotten-to-the-core father.

The only kink in my uncle's armor, so-to-speak, is his fervent belief that the Almighty will soon annihilate all of humanity not worshipping as Uncle Joe does, 98.83% of his Earthly sons and daughters.

Everyone will die except for those in his religious group, one noted for its door-to-door proselytizing. 

I sincerely doubt Uncle Joe could personally give that kill order, but he worships a deity that will "soon" execute that heinous genocide, just as he believes that 4,188 years ago that same God killed all but "eight souls" in the Noachian Flood.

How is a God, with that murderous background and plans to do much worse, worthy of worship or even respect?

To my great surprise, Uncle Joe had been reading over the years what I've written in the Brownsville Observer, noting that, while critical of local leaders, my words were not "mean-spirited."

He also noted that recently I'd stopped writing.

I tried to explain to Uncle Joe that I was tired, fatigued from covering local government, an entity that seemingly cares and knows nothing about serving constituents, but only about lining their own pockets and catering to the rich and powerful.

The tipping point for me was when the City Commission of Brownsville gutlessly pandered to the rich owner of a clothing factory and completely ignored the will of the people in renaming Fronton Street "McNair Family Drive."  

The residents of Fronton Street, mostly of modest means, implored the City Commission to not rename their residential street and were totally snubbed, treated like mere trash.  

So much for representative democracy, something our city commissioners do not understand.

Ramiro Gonzalez,  Mayor Trey Mendez

Then, many of us, had high hopes for a mere lad, Trey Mendez, a "good boy," some said, to be our mayor, only to see him chair the BCIC, arrange for a cash dispersement to local business owners for building repairs, then be first in line for those monies, claiming $280,000 from a board he'd chaired and a program he'd helped originate.

The fact that Trey withdrew the request after it became public knowledge means nothing just like his recent insincere public mouthings, pretending to serve the community.

What in Trey's University of Texas education taught him that course of conduct would be morally correct?

Give us a high school dropout with ethics instead.

What a drag it is to jot down every word and idea these self-serving politicos utter.  I'm so tired of their shit.