IT'S TIME!
I have decided to close Brownsville Blues.I love my job at the BISD. I teach four classes of British Lit to seniors and two classes of ESL to recently arrived immigrants. When I go to work, it's a day-long morning swim. I bring home a substantial paycheck and I don't pay health insurance. Brownsville Blues jeopardizes that lifestyle. I have always appreciated that the district has tolerated my art a la Vagina Dialogues. I can only write in a certain way and the district is feeling the pressure. There is only one rational option.
I am allegedly facing contempt of court charges. Pursuing my First Amendment Rights, free speech may cost me my freedom. As a result of an injunction, I exist in a nebulous world with no clear demarcation between the acceptable and the unacceptable. I have never willfully violated the judge's order, but I still find myself in a precarious position. In order to comply in unequivocal terms, I have no other alternative but to close the blog in order to prove to the judge that I am operating in good faith.
Last, but not least, my writings have wreaked havoc in my personal life. I have paid a steep price for succumbing to my muse's charms. And there is no way I can change.When I have an idea in my head, I can't resist the temptation to create something out of nothing. Unfortunately, many individuals can't distinguish fiction from reality. And since there are persons whom I love deeply but suffer from that blindness, I must pen my poems, short stories and novels via a different venue. I will continue to write.
In 1977 I became sports editor of the Brownsville Herald. I covered six schools. I wrote a column called the Peerless Observer. At the end of the football season four football coaches received their walking papers. Almost 40 years later I am still writing about Brownsville, but karma is a bitch and I don't want to find myself on the receiving end of walking papers.
But these recent blogging wars have shown me that I don't have the heart for the daily battles. I feel like those young soldiers who ask themselves amid the carnage, "What the hell are we doing in this war anyway? Am I giving up my life for nothing?"
As I was talking to a person whom I respect regarding the blog, it occurred to me the reason for my decision: I am not enjoying myself. I don't want my day determined by Bobby Wightman or Eddie Martinez or Jessica Tetreau or Melissa Zamora. These people are absolutely meaningless to me, yet I'm allowing them into my space. I don't want another political race occupying my time. They come and they go and nothing changes. After 40 years of reporting, I find Brownsville is worse than ever.
Don't get me wrong. It's been fun. In fact, it's been a ball, but I'm tired of Brownsville. I love the people and I love the town, but I'm tired of Brownsville. I am in a transitional period in my life. Walking on thin ice as I dangle by a thread, I have to focus on the goals I want to realize before I come to an abrupt end.
Brownsville Blues no longer puts me on that path. It has become a liability. I'm folding. It's time to move to another table. Un abrazo.
Good luck to you, and keep on writing.
ReplyDeleteI'll fill that blog-spot with something old but fresh
ReplyDeleteI've read your blog and like the historical aspect. You dont use all the trashy language that McHale used hiding behind the 1st amendment. I find your blog very objective; you dont take sides and that by itself is what sets you appart.
Delete"hiding behind the 1st amendment"? Only in a shit hole like Brownsville could such a degree of ignorance be posted. You got it, the first amendment is something to hide behind. It is the pillar that the entire constituion is based on, as well as the foundation of a democratic system of government and its freedoms. If you small minded assholes cannot live with it, I suggest you be the one's to move. But, not to California, no that would be open a society for you, no, make it on down to Honduras, one of few places worse than Brownsville.
DeleteI never read anything in Jerry's various publications that even vaguely resembled reporting in the sense of discovering corroboratable facts through personal observation of events and people, research, interview-- the legwork that fill an actual reporter's hours. He did show considerable mastery of invective and innuendo, of course.
ReplyDeleteExtremely well put. Bravo.
DeleteWho the fuck ever suggested Brownsville Blues was the New York Times? Look up the words satire, humor, irony and hyperbole. If you want real reporting pick up the Brownsville Herald (that is an example of humor).
DeleteSatire usually has a discernable point. Occasionally, at least, humor causes laughter beyond the " can you believe this idiot" variety. No. Jerry's " reportage" always had more to do with public masterbation than any factual situation he might have chosen as a subject.
DeleteJerry is a piece of shit. He should have apologized to the children and women he has degraded for years. Attacking a pregnant woman and children viciously was the last straw in my tolerance for the village idiot. Good riddance!
ReplyDelete"Jerry is a piece of shit." Another gem of a post from an ignorant "piece of shit" wanting for any manner of intelligence. You cannot "attack" with words. That is the entire point of the first admendment. These people, pregnant or not, by the way, what the hell does that have to do with writing, are public figures. It is part of game. Politics is a blood sport in this country and if you cannot deal with it, I suggest you move with your friend to Honduras. Public figures have gotten away with all manner of crimes in Brownsville because no one had the balls to call them out. Why do you think it is the lowest of the low in quality of life? Because of ignorance and lack of voter participation. Jerry, in his own way, at least brought humor to the gallows.
DeleteChildren are not public figures, FOOL!
DeleteJessica you are still going to lose, pregnant or not babe.
DeleteThe children of public figures sure as hell are public figures and fair game. I guess you have never read a newspaper, asshole.
DeleteThanks for your efforts to make chicken salad out of chicken shit. Obviously, it was too much for the local palate in the end. Buena suerte, cabrรณn.
ReplyDeleteAgreed
DeleteJessica you are still going to lose, pregnant or not babe.
ReplyDeleteThat is NOT for you to decide. VOTERS will make that decision. If the woman does not win, those that voted made that decision, if she wins then voters made the decision NOT YOU, your opinion or any negativisim that comes out every time election time comes up. I dont know Ms. Tetreau, I dont care to know her, but I did have a difference of opinion with Mr. Zarate and that IS NOT the type of person I want representing District 2. He comes across like our current mayor, a wolf wrapped in sheep's wool.
About McHale's closing of his blog: A person that hides behind the first amendment to insult, to write trash, to place his personal frustrations in the public eye is NOT a writer or a jouralist based on a dictionary's definition. Like the rights of a smoker; the smoker has the right to his individuality to smoke if he wants to, but his right ends where the rights of those around him begin. He wanted respect for his writings, he was not willing to give that same respect towards people and for what he wrote on his farewell, he is not willing to change so LIVE WITH IT.
A man in his late 60's should just retire and stop acting like he is still in his 30's, he is NOT>
Whoa honey! It's a blog comment, relax. Temper temper. Remember there's VOTERS reading this. See I can use CAPS LOCK too mrs Commissioner. Seems Jerry was 100% correct in his depiction of you!! Tts funny how people try to discredit him but end up proving him right. Just don't throw a shot glass at us too k? How many stitches did your husband get on his forehead that time you got arrested and it came out in the news btw. Just wondering. Tell us more about how you plan to "lead" District 2 LOL
DeleteRoll, Roll, Roll the Dates,
ReplyDeleteGently with a Click.
Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily,
The Putz is Just a DICK!
Oh, Sergio! Just give it up, tough guy. Nobody cares! You've offered no plan, no direction, simply vote for me because in some unfathomable way you are somehow better? Naw....NEXT!
ReplyDeleteJim, blogs, are blogs, no one takes them serious. Jerry's blog was odd. Threw quiet a bit of garbage, but that's Jerry. I say this, people are going to vote for the candidate of their choice, and no blog is going to change their mind. I own property around Billy Mitchell area, I asked the people if they knew who their commissioner was? Not the one on the East or West of my property knew. That settles it, so much for blogs and some of the blog owners, who think they make a difference, keep dreaming.
ReplyDeleteThe word "porn" is in google's top 5 all-time most searched for, and Texas is the state that searches the most for porn.
ReplyDeletePeople hating on Jerry's 'porn blog', no doubt, are the same horny hypocrites who turn around and type 'porn' into google, downloading videos and pictures on their sticky laptops. Like the priests who cannot tolerate fornication or females among their own ranks, but carry on with their secret altar boy lovers. At least Jerry was honest. Brownsville is filled with shameless, hypocritical creeps. Truly... I have never met so many bisexual men bragging about the married men they've slept with as I have in this town. I do feel Brownsville must be among the gay capitals of Texas.
I like your all post. You have done really good work. Thank you for the information you provide, it helped me a lot. I hope to have many more entries or so from you.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting blog.
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