Yeah, I do know; Veterans Day 2023 has come and gone. And so has all of the over-the-top veteran love. Occurs yearly. Each industrial, each skilled and school sporting occasion, each information speaking head and each politician shares dwell or recorded or posted phrases of assist for U.S. veterans on Veterans Day. Then afterward… silence. That’s symbolic of the celebration of supposed patriotism – the GOP. They’ve branded themselves protectors of veterans, however their voting file exhibits the precise reverse. On the nationwide and state ranges, throughout the nation, Democrats, whom Republicans at all times label as “un-American,” continuously push for higher veteran healthcare, efforts to finish veteran homelessness, veteran job help applications, and many others. And each time, their efforts are shot down by Republicans. Don’t imagine me. Look it up for your self. As a nation, we have to determine: Are we gonna hold being all pomp and no circumstance concerning veterans, or are we gonna really deal with them through legal guidelines and insurance policies in a approach that displays all of the rhetoric?
17%
Based on Nov. 2023 Houston/Harris County election stats, solely 17% of eligible Black voters voted. Which means greater than eight out of 10 eligible Black voters didn’t forged a poll. At a season when white nationalists, who stand opposed to each subject Blackfolk care about and who’re within the minority by way of voting numbers, are utilizing devious measures to dam prison justice reform, gun reform, common healthcare, pupil mortgage forgiveness, and many others. on the federal and state ranges, our solely actual safety is controlling native politics. As a result of the nation’s largest cities are “blue,” together with Houston, they averted a lot (although not all) of the hyper-conservative, white nationalist insurance policies enacted by the GOP. Defending cities we management politically is like our final line of protection towards anti-democratic, apartheid-style rule in Harris County. With simply 20% of eligible Black voters exhibiting up, we are able to defend this home. If we dared get 30-50% Black voter turnout, we’d win each native and state election. We needs to be embarrassed about that 17% quantity. We are able to do higher. We should. And we’ve got a shot at redemption on Dec. 9.
MISSING MS. CHAG
Once I joined the Defender household, Ms. Chag was nonetheless doing “Chag’s Place” on a weekly foundation. As the brand new child, Ms. Chag welcomed me instantly with open arms. When she retired, I used to be one of many folks requested to take over overlaying occasions in Houston. And each occasion I lined, I used to be assured to have somebody come as much as me and ask, “Hey, the place’s Ms. Chag? I assumed this was her beat.” I’m speaking years and years after she retired, folks have been nonetheless anticipating and desirous to see the legendary Ms. Chag. Even after she left the Defender, we stored in touch through Fb. She cheered on my household’s successes and mourned our losses. She usually shared notes of assist for varied articles or editorials I wrote that she actually appreciated. The truth that this residing legend was taking the day out of her day to learn my phrases was victory sufficient. However to additionally obtain her phrases of reward was simply icing on the cake. I may actually really feel her infectious vitality by way of her posts. I’m gonna miss that. I’m gonna miss Ms. Chag.
