𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝟳𝟳 𝗙𝗟𝗘𝗔 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗘𝗧, 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘, 𝗧𝗘𝗫𝗔𝗦

 

𝗠𝗘𝗫𝗜𝗖𝗢'𝗦 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗣𝗨𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗦 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣'𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗔 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗟

President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum(Reuters Photo)

Someone on the North American continent has to be the adult.  With Donald Trump claiming the U.S. was taking back the Panama Canal, the President of Mexico pushed back.

Speaking at her regular morning press conference, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said simply:  "The Panama Canal belongs to the Panamanians."

Although Brownsville Republicans have frequently told me that Trump is "just kidding," he repeated his threat to steal back the Panama Canal on Truth Social, his much-maligned social media site.

Trump has also reiterated his interest to annex Greenland, although he didn't mention his mindless original request to exchange Puerto Rico for that country.

It's going to be a long four years with an intellectually-challenged president "running" the country.

𝗜𝗦 𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗗 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣 𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗬 𝗔 𝗣𝗔𝗪𝗡 𝗜𝗡 𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗡 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗞'𝗦 𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘?

Yes, I referred to Elon Musk as a dumbass, but I need to qualify that statement.   With that term I was describing Musk's recent venture into politics as a rightwing proponent with his public statement on X that “No bills should be passed [by] Congress until Jan 20, when [Trump] takes office . . . . . None. Zero.” 

In making that and other statements, Musk reminded me of a third grader, who'd just learned that our country had three branches of government, now pontificating on how that government should operate.

Musk's brilliance is in recognizing the talent of genuine creators and turning that talent into extremely profitable businesses.  Musk is not a rocket scientist or car developer, but he recognized good ideas, asked a lot of questions and had the skillset to turn those brilliant ideas into profitable companies.

It was a similar vein or mindset to that of Sam Walton, another billionaire I observed at arms length during my three decades in Arkansas.  Walton, as he indicates in the quote above, did listen and learn from experts in growing his business from a single small store to the world's largest retailer, but the real trademark of his company was that of a cutthroat in dealing with his vendors, his competition and employees.

Unlike Musk, Walton did not venture much into politics, likely recognizing it was clearly not his field of expertise.

Musk, though, somewhat emboldened by his spontaneous influence on Republicans in the House of Representatives, is now branching out into world politics, recently referring to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as a "fool." 

Musk's world goal seems clear; spreading rightwing politics, fascism to as many nooks and crannies of Planet Earth as possible. 

Through posts on X, Musk has endorsed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which he labeled as "Germany’s savior."

“Scholz should resign immediately. Incompetent fool,” Musk posted following the attack. Earlier, he had tweeted, “Only the AfD can save Germany,” while reposting a video by German rightwing influencer Naomi Seibt criticizing other political leaders.

Now, in England, lawmakers are quickly forming laws to prevent foreign interference in elections, likely mindful of Musk's $250M contribution to the America P.A.C. to get Trump elected.  Legislators in England/United Kingdom are afraid Musk will offer similar financial backing to right wing leader Nigel Farage, after the two met at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, as the world's richest man continues to flex his newfound political muscle.

Oh, Musk has declared plans to back rightwing politicos in Italy as well.  Not since before WWII with dictators Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin totally oppressing the populace of their respective countries has the world seen such a surge of rightwing propaganda and leadership with the world's richest man, Elon Musk, offering his financial backing to every bit of it.

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 𝗪𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗔𝗦 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗜𝗦 𝗔 𝗧𝗢𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗬?

It's embarrassing.   Our President-Elect is an absolute idiot and thinking, rational people have known that for quite some time.

Has our country been so thoroughly dumbed down that anyone thinks it possible to invade Panama, violate that country's sovereignty to take control of the Panama Canal as Trump so stupidly has suggested in recent days?

Of course, this is the very same dumbass who doubled, tripled and quadrupled down on the racist lie that Haitian immigrants were eating the cat and dog pets of the residents of Springfield, Ohio, a falsehood initially promoted by Trump's equally racist running mate, J.D. Vance. 

Trump's racism was on full display when he proposed exchanging Puerto Rico, populated by mostly brown people for lily-white Greenland, and with the racial epithets he spouted in 2015 about Mexican Nationals as he declared for the Presidency, saying they were "rapists" and "murderers," although some were possibly "good people."

What kind of national leader with half a brain would go to Canada and suggest that country, larger than our own in land area, should become our 51st state and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a mere governor?

This clown, that our country has selected as our leader for the next four years, is an absolute embarrassment, so obviously lacking the intellect, knowledge and judgement to run our country.

You know what else is embarrassing?  Large numbers of Black and Hispanic members of the electorate voted against their own interests because they thought Trump would bring down the cost of a dozen eggs, something even Trump now admits he will have no control over. 

Even in overwhelmingly Hispanic Cameron County, we saw 52.5% of the electorate vote for this incredibly unqualified man for this nation's highest office.

What were we thinking?  Do we have no pride in ourselves or our country?

𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗢𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗗𝗟𝗬 𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗟𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗬 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧 𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥

According to a writeup in the Texas Tribune (https://www.texasobserver.org/brownsville-lng-pr-elected-officials/), several of our local politicos, including Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, City Manager Helen Ramirez, Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino have been given "talking points" and "media strategy" in an attempt to overturn the recent court order stopping Rio Grande LNG's massive project in  984 acres of wetlands northeast of Brownsville in the fragile Laguna Madre area, a crucial habitat for migratory birds and ocelots separated from the Gulf by South Padre Island.

The parent company, Houston's NextDecade, has, in some cases, actually written out the words for these politicians to use in responding to the media or making testimonials on behalf of the LNG firm.

According to the Tribune, "NextDecade lost its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorization to develop Rio Grande LNG in August, as a result of a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, after nearly a year of construction."

A Couple Fishing Along Hwy 48 with LNG Plant in the Distance

The court said that FERC had not properly measured Rio Grande LNG’s environmental impacts or considered air quality data from a nearby monitor. “We appreciate the significant disruption [this decision] may cause the projects,” the judges wrote. “But that does not outweigh the seriousness of the Commission’s procedural defects.”

NextDecade has also "coordinated with the City of Brownsville and Cameron County in their filing of amicus briefs in support of the LNG project," according to the Texas Tribune.

County Judge Trevino even produced a video in support of the LNG company as did  Cameron County Commissioner Joey Lopez.

Another Cameron County Commissioner, Sofia Benavides, whose district includes the Rio Grande LNG project, sent a short statement for the site, saying, “Anyone who says LNG is bad or dangerous hasn’t done their proper research.”

Democratic Congress members Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar have both signed onto an amicus brief asking the court to restore Rio Grande LNG’s FERC authorization. U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn filed a bill in September that would prevent courts from reversing authorization for LNG projects. (NextDecade’s PAC has donated to all of these officials at one time or another since 2020,  according to the website OpenSecrets.)

"𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗫 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗘𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧" 𝗔𝗡𝗗 "𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗢 𝗝𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗭 𝗦𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗡," 𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗔 𝗪𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗡 𝗪𝗪𝗜𝗜

From the editor:  In the article below, Rene Torres refers to a 2024 movie by Tyler Perry, "The Six Triple Eight," starring Kerry Washington, pointing out the role of Black women in World War II. 

Benito Juarez Hall, Brownsville, TX

Mr. Torres also refers to the recruitment of Latin women from the RGV in 1945 to form the "Benito Juarez Air WAC Squadron," a recruitment effort that included a Brownsville parade that ran from Fort Brown on Elizabeth Street to the "Benito Juarez Hall" on Jefferson.
 

by Rene Torres

A movie with a message of patriotism…

"The Six Triple Eight," is based on the true story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory All Black Battalion. Formed by the U.S. Army in late 1944, the unit consisted of 850 Black women across five companies.

But did you know that Brownsville and regional Latinas were recruited by Uncle Sam in 1945. The following is their story as published in the “Yank,” the army’s weekly magazine?

 

𝙇𝘼 𝙋𝙊𝙎𝘼𝘿𝘼 𝘿𝙀 𝙉𝘼𝙑𝙄𝘿𝘼𝘿 @ 𝙎𝙊𝙐𝙏𝙃𝙈𝙊𝙎𝙏 𝙇𝙄𝘽𝙍𝘼𝙍𝙔

 photos courtesy of Jerry Danache