BROWNSVILLE LOSES ONCE AGAIN!

"The dream is over

What can I say?

The dream is over

Yesterday"

God by John Lennon

c.1970

The dream is waning for Brownsville, its quest for a future less inhibited by corruption and compadrismo, as that dream took a direct hit with the cadere a gratia or "fall from grace" by promising 31 year old public servant, Cesar de Leon.

Notice how political activist and city board member Teresa Saldivar expressed her hope and longing for this community:

"The political arena including our community need to embrace our young people with aspirations of public service as they are the real future. Since moving here over ten years ago I have been told by many young people in our town how they cannot wait to leave this town as it offers no real opportunity for personal or financial stability due to all the corruption and the mentality of a cloistered kingdom."

But Cesar came back, ten years after graduating from St. Joseph's Academy, armed with a law degree, schooling in Spain and at the London School of Economics, clerking experience for Judge Berry, followed by two years working for a representative of the Texas house.

Commissioner Cesar de Leon

Brownsville had its "golden boy," Brownsville's equivalent to San Antonio's Julian Castro, a young, educated Hispanic, eager for public service, committed to undoing the corruption, stagnation and lethargy of this city.

The release of the 4-1/2 hour audio tape, the one where Cesar uses racial slurs, uncovered Cesar to be another in a long line of "what's in it for me?" public servants, on a fast track toward greed, reminiscent of Ernie Hernandez and Gilberto Hinojosa, Brownsville's two poster boys for "me first" politics.

Many still do not understand in this naive town, telling the unresigned Cesar "Go get 'em, Tiger!" in fighting corruption.

Friends, Cesar can't fight corruption.  He's part of it.

That dream is over.