February 2023 Newsletter

Hill Country Chapter of

Texas Democratic Women

February 2023

February Meeting

Rails Catering and Event Hall

615 East Schreiner Street, Kerrville

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Program:

Waiting for Confirmation

Check in: 11:15 a.m.

Meal served: 11:30 a.m.

Cost: $17.00

Reservations for the luncheon should be made by emailing Julie Sentell at jmsentell@icloud.com by Thursday, January 2, 2023 before 5:00 p.m.

The cost to HCCTDW is based on the number of reservations. If you make a reservation, HCCTDW will be charged for your meal. Please pay for your meal or cancel before the deadline if you are unable to attend. Because Rails needs an accurate number to provide lunch and seating for everyone, reservations are required if at all possible. Thank you.

A Message From Lynette:

A More Convenient Season

Audra Arr, our legislative chair, shared a Martin Luther King Jr quote on Facebook and I have been uncomfortable ever since I read it (see below). I’ve been giving considerable thought to negative peace, a term I had not heard before. As I sit in my comfy recliner each morning and attempt to read down my pile of magazines, books, and emails, and am confronted with issues from Jim Wallace, Richard Rohr, Dan Rather, Allyson Waller, and Louis Amestoy, I now wonder if I am guilty of preferring that negative peace which is the absence of tension. As we retire and age, I think we tend to lean toward the comforts of the comfy chair and its view. Getting up and pursing justice is a challenge and requires a great deal of emotional energy.

Kerr County Democratic Party has appointed Jackie Morales as their new chair until 2024 when a new chair will be elected. As most of you know, Barbara Veldiuzen, a HCCTDW member, resigned as party chair. This I know, Jackie will not allow the party to be comfortable with a negative peace. See the article in the Kerr Dems section below to read her bio and acceptance words.

And I realized, I am tired of waiting for a “more convenient season” to tackle racism. It is alive and thriving in our Hill Country. Tony came home from the Elks with the most disturbing report of extreme racist remarks that he overheard concerning black and native Americans, yes native Americans. And I had a conversation with a gentleman in church who wanted to define “who is our neighbor” based on race.

I am planning this year to do a better job of preferring a positive peace and not waiting for the more convenient season. Thank you Audra for sharing MLK’s quote, even if it makes me uncomfortable.

”First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;" who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season. Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” MLK

Legislative Report

Click on hillcountrytxdemocraticwomen.org to find Audra's January report.

Legislative Action Alert!

Watch for the Legislative Action Alerts to be sent out by Audra. This one is from January 20.

We thought the Texas Congressional redistricting was behind us, but apparently it's not. According to Fair Maps Texas the Republicans in the Texas Senate have submitted a bill to ratify the map passed last fall because they've now decided maps can't be ratified in a special legislative session, only a regular one.

They've now passed SR2, which calls for public input hearings on the proposed map. Of course, since they already filed a bill to keep the map from last fall, this seems like a performative gesture on their part, however we shouldn't pass up the opportunity to have our voices heard.

Click on the button below to learn more about this issue and find out how you can submit your testimony. Fair Maps Texas is offering a training on how to give testimony TODAY, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20TH at NOON CST. They will be recording the training for those who cannot attend. The suggested deadline for submitting your testimony is January 28th.

Please consider lending your voice to the choir of Democrats who are asking for fair district maps for Texas.

Sincerely,

Audra Arr

Legislative Chair,

HCCTDW

PS. Thanks to Alicia Boyett for the heads up!

From the Kerr County Dems:

The Kerr County Democratic Party is organizing a Valentine’s Day themed donation drive to make baskets for the women, teens and children receiving services from the Hill Country Crisis Council. Suggested items for the different baskets are:

Women:

Spa items for feet & hands

Items for facials

Candies

Nail polish

Shampoo/body wash

Children:

Coloring books

Reading books

Candies

Toys

Teens:

Art supplies

Candies

$10 Gift cards (to Walmart for example)

Spa items

Donations can be dropped off at the Dem HQ at 843 Sidney Baker at the following times:

Sunday, January 29, 2-4

Saturday, February 4, 10-2

Sunday, February 5, 2-4

Contact kerrdemad@gmail.com with any questions.

Announcing New County Chair - Jackie Morales!

The Kerr County Democratic Party would like to introduce their new county chair, Jackie Morales. When past chair, Barbara Veldiuzen, tendered her resignation, a transition team was formed to determine the process for appointing a new county chair. Once that was determined, a call for letters of intent and resumes was issued. The transition team presented those documents to the county executive committee whose responsibility it is to appoint a new chair. Jackie Morales will serve until the spring of 2024 when a new chair will be elected.

Jackie was born and raised in Del Rio. She has Kickapoo Native American, Hispanic, and Mexican-American backgrounds in her heritage. She says her immigrant father, Jose Luis Ramirez, Sr. worked hard to stay in America so he and his family could live the American Dream. Her mother, Magdalena Acosta Porras, a fiercely independent woman, raised nine children on her own and has always encouraged her to be honest with people and always give your opinion. "If you don't speak up, you will never be heard." These words have been her fire with all the things she is passionate about.

She has built her career around various healthcare functions including handling billing, coding, procedure authorization, and being a scribe. The Covid pandemic has helped her feel honored to be in the healthcare field, not only because her participation helps others, but also because she has the opportunity to witness the unselfish devotion of dedicated medical professionals.

Jackie is committed to a number of causes including equal rights, Black Lives Matter, prison reform, increasing the minimum wage, healthcare for all, accountability, and many other principles and values that are important to Democrats.

Jackie served as precinct chair for the party, serves as board member of the Hill Country Chapter of Texas Democratic Women, and during the recent election cycle served as campaign field representative for TX-21 Democratic Nominee, Claudia Zapata. One of her duties was to organize assistance and fundraising in precinct 314 for the Zapata Response Team.

“I believe in order to move forward in Kerr County as the Kerr County Democratic Party, we have to accept the challenges and learn from our mistakes in order to grow. We need to build our local party’s membership with young democrats, we need to encourage young voters to vote, and we need to build community trust in the process of democracy.

Although many of us felt defeated after the 2022 general election, we must not stop fighting for the very basic human rights that others take for granted. No, we must continue to fight for those rights at local, state, and federal levels.

I accept this challenge and look forward to working to make the Kerr Democratic Party stronger.

Jackie Morales, Chair, KCDP”

Visit our website kerrcountydemocrats.org or call 830-329-2616 for more information about the party.

Join us for a meet & greet with Jackie from 4-6 on Sunday, January 29 at our office! We’ll have snacks cake, music and a photo booth.

From the Gillespie Dems:

'Are You There'??

Saw a wonderful interview Thursday with author Judy Blume, the author of Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret.

For those of you who don’t know, the book was written over 50 years ago and is aimed at middle-school aged youngsters. Margaret, is a sixth grader who grows up without a religious affiliation because of her parents’ interfaith marriage. It’s a relatable portrayal of a young girl confronting early adolescent anxieties – such as bras, menstruation, and boys. It has won numerous national honors and book awards.

It’s also one of those books that the extreme right wing wants to see banned. Author Blume was asked in the interview why she thought people sought to ban the book (which underwent this assault in the 80s as well as now). She said that she figured parents thought that if their daughters didn’t read about these things then they wouldn’t happen.

I thought she said that beautifully. And it reinforced the idea that these are the types of battlegrounds where Democrats can make a difference this year. Don’t think that the book banners aren’t going to be back in force – running for school trustee and seeking to get onto school committees where they can enforce their censorship ideas (all in the name of ‘protecting’ our young people).

Attacking the freedom to read and learn is surely one of the most offensive assaults on democracy that can be made. And it’s just one front on which there are battles ahead.

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We’ve seen a lot of strange things in our lifetime, but nothing was much stranger than last week’s debacle as House Republican’s struggled to elect a leader.

This is what happens when people who are elected to govern don’t want to govern. What these same people seem to want to do is to cause chaos. Commentators said it way before I did, but last week’s demonstration was just as serious an attack on our democracy as Jan. 6, 2021.

And what is on the House Republican’s agenda for the next two years? Attack Democrats and launch investigations for non-existent wrongdoing while ignoring issues that truly affect Americans.

Please don’t think that I am stretching the point when I say that we see the same thing on the local level. The kinds of irrational attacks levelled at our city council, county commissioners and school trustees in the last year fit the pattern. These people may say they don’t want federal tax money or certain books in the library but what they really want is disruption.

Elections for City Council and the FISD Board of Trustees are May 6. One of our top priorities this spring will be to try to encourage good candidates, ask a lot of questions of those who seek the positions and work for the election of candidates whose goals are to truly serve our city and school district.

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Things have been quiet at our office since November, but we will be adding activities and events moving forward.

We are in the process of reorganizing and recommitting to our paths for this year. If you have ideas, if you want to volunteer in any area, or if there’s an issue you’re passionate about, I’d love to hear from you. Now is when we start pointing toward local issues but also moving toward 2024.

We need you!

Cathy Collier

Gillespie County Democratic Party Chair

Membership 2023

Membership forms are available at meetings or on line at this link: Membership Form Download and print the form and then follow the directions. The new year starts in January. A new directory will be sent out based on the new memberships.