Frank Morris Bans Cell Phones, Electronic Devices from Cameron County Republican Party Meetings

De facto Cameron County Republican Party Chairman Frank Morris, if a tree, would have at least 80 rings.  Earth, the planet where Morris resides, has made 80 complete orbits of the Sun during Frank's life, each trip taking 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes, 1.2 seconds.

As an octogenarian, Morris once lived in a world where cell phones and electronic devices did not exist, nor did radar, ball point pens, silly putty or canned beer. Inventions and technology have literally exploded during the last eight decades, including both atomic and hydrogen bombs.  

We're told that two very distinct worlds, a pre-technology one of day's gone by and the current technological world, may have collided at the Best Western Motel of Harlingen, TX for this month's Republican Party Meeting.

An observer informed us that signs prohibiting the use of cell phones were posted around the meeting room local Republicans used for the recent meeting.  

When a young mother answered her cell phone during the meeting, she was quickly ushered out the door by Cameron County Constable, Precinct 1, Pete Delgadillo, used by Mr. Morris as sort of a security guard.  Once outside the room, the attendee tried to again connect to her family via cell phone, but was told by Constable Delgadillo that she could not use the device adjacent to the meeting room.

Constable Pete Delgadillo

Morris explained that, in banning the use of cell phones within the confines a room used as an official party meeting room, he was simply enforcing a state party rule for such meetings.(No such rule has been located.)

When some in the room explained to Morris that they used electronic devices to make personal notes of important aspects of the meeting, they were told to use "old-fashioned paper and ink."  As noted above, before 1935, that would have been using the old fountain pen, liquid ink from a bottle likely secured in an inkwell. 

Paper, of course, has been used for centuries, whether ancient vellum from cow's hide or papyrus, at first in scrolls, but later in the modern codex or book form.  

While Morris has not prohibited most forms of writing, ancient and modern, he has taken a stand against cell phones and electronic devices.

Ironically, near the close of this month's meeting, another cell phone went off.  It belonged to Frank Morris, who waved off the interruption with the words: "I hardly use the thing.  I don't think I even know how to make a call." 

No doubt other local Republicans will have a different recollection of this meeting as described above.  We invite those corrective comments.