MR. AMIGO ASSOCIATION SELECTS ANOTHER DUD AS MR. AMIGO, WHILE TSC TRUSTEES ARE NO-SHOWS FOR LUNCHEON

Empty TSC Table at Mr. Amigo Welcoming Luncheon

Brownsville does not seem to be responding to City Manager Noel Bernal's persistent refrain about creating a cooperative, efficient culture within the City of Brownsville. (see "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" by Aesop, Fable #210)

A luncheon designed to welcome this year's Mr. Amigo, held at the Brownsville Event Center, was notable for the number of empty chairs for the $40 per plate extravaganza.

A table set for Texas Southmost College, Brownsville's community college for the last 94 years, was inexplicably empty.  Since TSC's trustees make it to a wide variety of city events on a regular basis, one would have to assume that their collective absence on this occasion was intentional and with purpose.

As for the honoree, Mr. Amigo 2019(not 2020 as one might assume), boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, was not described as particularly personable, not open to mingling with the masses, but largely confining himself to the Mr. Amigo Association members.

With two selection duds in a row, perhaps the Mr. Amigo Association needs to rethink the type of person who could be comfortable with both cultures, a so-called people person, who knows how to make others feel welcome and substantial.

We're told that Mr. Chavez asked that no proclamations or awards be read in his behalf and when Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. attempted to present a gift to Mrs. Chavez, the honoree grabbed the microphone, telling his wife:  "Don't come up here.  I don't want you to embarrass me."

One observer also found it odd that the normal protocol of introducing any public officials in attendance was not observed.

Seemingly, this was just an odd event that did little to foster warmth and bi-cultural fellow feeling, or, as City Manager Bernal might say, add to our city's culture.