Republican Values
Meet Texas Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales. He represents Uvalde, Texas.
Up until recently, Texas Southern Baptists would use the threat of “de-churching” people who didn’t follow the Southern Baptist interpretion of the scripture. That could fall anywhere between not tithing to raping the village. It has fallen into disuse and that is pretty much why any small town in Texas always has a First Baptist Church and a Second Baptist Church, most of the time within blocks of each other. Southern Baptist love Civil War.
Which brings us to the Republican Party of Texas and Tony Gonzales. The Texas Republican Party is meeting this weekend to decide if they will censure Gonzales. Nobody is real clear on what that means in real life. It could be a slap on the hand or the withdrawal of an endorsement and state money for his reelection.
And what evil act did Gonzales commit?
The complaint stems from a censure approved by the Medina County Republican Party earlier this month that says Gonzales failed to uphold the party’s values by voting in support of same-sex marriage, voting against the new GOP majority’s rules package and voting for a gun safety measure inspired by the the Uvalde school shooting. Gonzales broke with the rest of the state’s House Republicans on all three votes.
There are other disagreement about border security. And smirking at Congressman Troy Nehls and his constant big ole cigars.
Anyway, they want to de-church the guy. Think about it. They won’t speak a negative damn word about George Santos but they want to nail this man to the cross of party values.
That’s Republican values.
“Values” would generally connote positive or worth something (vs lack of values). To use the word “values” with the word Republican seems a bit contradictory or ironic. Representative Gonzales does appear to have values that would help his community, but of course that’s not allowed in the party he is registered in. Might be time for him to think about a switch.
1The Medina County Republican Party knows how to hand down judgement when they have maverick members by using their simple motto, ‘What would the Taliban do’?
2Well after all, Jesus was a Baptist. Didn’t he say “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, kick him out of the church and punish him.” As well as “even if you are full of sin, throw as many rocks as you like.”
3I would consider an honor and a privilege to be “de-churched” by a bunch of holier-than-thou, angry, small-minded, bigoted bunch of old white men.
4Strictly speaking, the proper term is “unchurched”, although the mega-hypocritical SBCers can call it whatever they damned well please. I’ve been one for many decades [except for getting dragged in by kin].
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unchurched
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A much more pleasant and interesting topic: there was some reference to Lake Huron hereabouts lately.
Here’s an amazing bit of Huron history, the recently found wreck of the barge schooner “Ironton” off Alpena, MI.
[their sonars are amazing, I have 3-4 sonar units, including a ‘side-scan’, but none like these guys; it’s fascinating to watch what’s below though]:
https://gcaptain.com/historic-schooner-barge-ironton-discovered-fully-intact-in-lake-huron/
https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/mar23/ironton-discovery.html
https://thunderbay.noaa.gov/shipwrecks/ironton.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder_Bay_National_Marine_Sanctuary
5BTW, Tony Gonzales might sometimes seem ‘reasonable’, but don’t ever think that he might lean into becoming a Democrat, he’s a pretty solid Rethug.
He took over the 23rd District from another slightly reasonable Rethug, Will Hurd. The 23rd is huuge, about ~1/6 of all Texas, large majority Hispanic [70%+], and R5+ for those of you delusional dreamers who think that Hispanics are blue.
[used to be in it, but another gerrymander got me out; and yet another gm into an 85% Hispanic district [the narrowest and longest of the fajitas] that flipped D to R with Monica De La Cruz, who y’all –will be hearing tons about as I think that she’s being groomed as the Rethugs 2024 VP–, you heard it here first…]
Hurd actually did choose not to seek reelection basically because of how he saw the Republican Party devolving into the shitshow it is today, give him credit for that.
6https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Hurd
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas%27s_23rd_congressional_district
I was attending a Southern Baptist Church until the old Pastor began to rant and rave about how others did not believe the way he did.
Then, one Sunday he told us we had to vote against Obama! By that time half the Congregation was gone. I went out the door, so did many others.
The former Pastor had put in the contract no one could fire the Preacher. A new Pastor cleaned up the Church. Most came back. I found one where they preached the teachings of Christ! Love and caring for your neighbor.
7Is it all right for this nonbeliever to say “Jesus wept”?
8Even though Tony Gonzales is a solid R, he appears to be one of the few not trying to over-through the government. It would only take about a dozen non-fascist Republicans to form a unity government in the House with the Democrats. I wouldn’t expect such a government to get much done, but at least they could raise the debt ceiling, pass a few budget bills, and keep MTG away from cameras and microphones.
9Mary Anne, as someone raised Southern Baptist who left any organized religion behind, I hope you find what you’re looking for.
10If you haven’t already discovered John Pavlovitz, I highly recommend his site.
Bill F.
Dude, Google mtg’s “press conference” from 2 days after she was sworn in.
Walking down the capital steps to the waiting press
I’ve lived in Medina County since 1975. Over the years the local Republican Party has devolved from relatively reasonable people to the current batshit crazy bunch of wackos and loons. They are a cult.
11Bravo to Gonzales for his vote on the weapons. Obviously he remembers the murdered childen and teachers in Uvalde whilst his detractors in the “Party”? try to stone him.Those detractors must be amnesiacs – or even worse. Would seriously like to hear more about this guy and his “colleagues”.
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