John Lewis would be Proud
Yesterday, during a political stunt being held by Greg Abbott, Beto O’Rourke showed up, interrupted the scripted event and said what the rest of us are thinking, that these recently murdered children’s blood is on his hands. Before he was politely escorted out, Beto got in a few shots including, “The time to stop the next shooting is right now and you are doing nothing.”
John Lewis would have been proud. In a lifetime of activism Lewis always spoke of getting into “good trouble” protesting injustice and inequality. He was arrested and beaten several times during his protests for civil rights in the ’60s, and always coached those coming behind to continue getting into “good trouble” using non-violent presence and words. Beto did that yesterday, and I have to say it was remarkably effective. The stage was packed with rightwing blowhards including radio talk show host Dan Patrick, felony indicted for 7 years Ken Paxton, Cancun Ted Cruz and others and they were caught completely flatfooted as O’Rourke gave Abbott a piece of his mind. The mayor of Uvalde, who was participating in this political stunt, called Beto a “sick son of a bitch” for “politicizing” this political event. Observers of Abbott have noted that when caught lying, bullshitting, and politicizing, Abbott starts talking really fast and stuttering. Let’s just say he did both after being called out for his lying, bullshitting, and politicizing.
I’ve never been a big fan of O’Rourke, especially when he blundered by running for president at the precisely wrong time in 2016. He squandered his political strength with that mistep; however, you can watch him maturing live on television, and he is becoming a forminable figure in Texas politics. If nothing else you can say one thing about him…he’s a hell of a lot better and stronger than the clown sitting in the governor’s mansion today.
I was having a discussion with my wife and the question came up: will this hurt Beto’s chances or help his chances? The answer is that I don’t really know if it matters. Anyone that is undecided at this point and plans to vote kind of scares me. How can you be undecided? I understand far too many people will support Abbott. I understand why they do. What I don’t understand are people that aren’t sure? You lived through the last three to four years and you don’t know? You lived through the pandemic, through the great freeze, through the performative politics and you still aren’t sure?
1Isn’t it past-time for ALL Democrats to passionately and forcefully face off and confront the political “stage…packed with rightwing blowhards”?
2Well, it didn’t hurt Beto’s chances with me. I can’t vote for him from AK, but I went straight to ActBlue and sent a donation to his campaign.
3“The mayor of Uvalde, who was participating in this political stunt, called Beto a “sick son of a bitch” for “politicizing” this political event.”
And this guy should hang his head in shame for being there at all.
4“The reaction to Beto in that moment shows how rarely those men are pushed at all to answer for their choices and their advocacy, how thin-skinned they are, how much they don’t want to have to answer for anything. W/in 15 seconds there’s a cop in his face and men cursing at him.” (One curse-hurler was Uvalde R Mayor Don McLaughlin.)
https://twitter.com/jessicawluther/status/1529549427303661572
One of the most insightful comments:
“Beto O’Rourke getting yelled at like he just interrupted the Klan lighting a cross on fire.” — Ron Filipkowski
5I liked the take in Quasi-Quoted: Things they might have said
“Sit down, Mr. O’Rourke. You are an embarrassment. This is our political moment, not yours.”
— Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
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