I had the privilege of attending a September 9 vigil in a nearby Pennsylvania village to express opposition to the planned U.S. attack on Syrian military sites. About 30 grey hairs and millennials joined together with candles at dusk near a Friends meeting house. After opening the remarks, the organizers had us break into small groups and discuss why we were there.
Several spokespersons from each group shared with the gathering their motivation to give up an evening to join in a candlelight protest. Groups like this were held in thousands of locations all over the U.S.A., as reported by Move-On and several other cooperating organizations. I don't know if others had the same experience I witnessed but the outpouring of frustration was remarkable in our group. In doing political organizing for the past several years I attended many group discussions and focus groups about the state of affairs of America, hearing activists and fellow organizers lament the state of our union. But I was stunned to hear the outpouring of frustration from a random collection of non-activists. Some identified themselves as professionals, partners at big three accounting firms and others workers at places like Wal-Mart. It was a cross section of the l% and 99 %ers. Though the demographics were diverse, the statements made and the reactions of listeners was strikingly uniform. The best descriptor I can come up with is disillusioned with their political leadership and condition of the country's institutions.
Very quickly after the first speakers expression of concern that the peace movement was being gamed by all our political leaders for the benefit of their own reelection or political legacy, this group of mostly idealistic liberals quickly bought into that assertion and the discussion expanded way beyond Syria and impending attack. It addressed the economy and education and political failure. Clearly, from their comments, few came from backgrounds of political organizers or campaign workers. They simply did not have a clue as to how to fix broken politics, international relations, public education or the economy which was not meeting the needs of their families. The leaders they had elected or were stuck with through electoral loss they believed had the responsibility to know how to fix America were failing miserably.
The words flowed spontaneously and the frustration spewed out with amazing force. One poor desperate soul said prayer was her only answer to deal with America's failure. My spouse urged me to restrain which she knew my atheist reaction to that would be. I did. She was enough pain not to be amplified by some jerk like me.
My professional life has taken me to literally scores of focus groups. I've run some myself. I know how difficult it is to encourage a group of strangers to open up about their feelings and views. This was a spontaneous explosion I've never seen before from a group of strangers who clearly were all on the same page. And the book they were reading from wasn't just about yet another war to punish some nation unilaterally. It was about the further deterioration of trust of our governmental leadership and a general feeling of helplessness in securing solutions.
So, how is this erosion of trust in the promise of America to be resolved, as expressed by these good people moved by events to gather in vigil and protest to yet another potential insult on our democracy?
The barriers to resolution are enormous. And the solutions not implemented quickly. But we know what the repair list is:
1. Short term, drive the Republican House leadership out of control now, retain and increase
the Democratic majority in the Senate and shift to liberal control of the Supreme Court.
Reelect a Democrat to the Presidency in 2016, organize state Democratic Parties to take
back most of the blue and purple state houses and governorships and reshape the leadership
of the DNC to address the longer term tasks below.
2. Get money, especially corporate money, out of politics.
3. Mobilize and create grassroots activists from youth and the older upper and middle classes
in blue and purple states to in turn mobilize. As voters lower income people we know are
too time deprived to do much more than get to the voting polls.
4. Reform our redistricting process and configurations of state and federal legislative districts
to eliminate locked in, guaranteed career Republican and Democratic seats.
5. Reform the officeholder/lobbyist system to eliminate the revolving door and fund citizen
lobbyists on basic issues of healthcare, education, consumer protection and the environment.
6. Support and drive to actuality the Move to Amend reformist agenda.
7. Overturn Republican voter suppression measures in key blue and purple states and fund
massive voter registration, education and turnout to activate the huge share of
non-participating citizens.
8. Restore civics courses in middle and high school curriculum so that all citizens have a basic
understanding of local and national government, its function and value and the imperative
for citizen engagement.
Yes, I know, the above is virtually impossible. But what is the alternative? Incremental change hasn't worked. So, I guess the next option is a non-violent, peaceful revolution to transform our society into one that actually functions for the 99 Percent or at least something close to that.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
How Do Pipeline Politics Drive Our Syria Policy?
I've stated my case for staying out of the Syria mess. It is a bottomless pit of nothing but bad stuff for the American people. We've mostly avoided overthrowing despots around the world for very good reason; there are too many of them and when one goes away, others divide and multiply. Our recent notable exception, Iraq did not end well, did it ? Frankly, we have more history of overthrowing democratically elected or at least populist leaders than the former. Evidence, Iran in the 50's, Chili and Nicaragua come to mind.
On every level, our intervention on purely moral or military grounds seems utterly stupid. A limited attack will likely produce counterattacks. Sucking us in to this morass more deeply. It will more than likely engage Iran and Hezbollah. Thus jeopardizing Israel and our own military forces. As Rep. Alan Grayson asks, why is any of this our business? No other country among the world's 200 or so, excepting us and France, so far, appoints themselves world cops. Who are we to self appoint in such a role. We helped create the UN to take on such issues.
And why is diplomacy and exerting moral leadership as a peace/justice broker and peacemaker not even mentioned by either our pundit class or Administration officials as an alternative to killing for peace?
Lots of unanswered questions about Syria. Who really launched the most recent chemical attacks? The earlier ones investigated seem to implicate rebel factions. The Russian investigation suggests that the latest was the responsibility of rebels too. The Russians asked a really good question which seems beyond the capacity of our mainstream press. Why would Assad launch poison gas against civilians in a newly regained territory controlled by his forces?
I don't know the answer but it is a helluva good question no one here is asking. What would be the unintended but very likely consequences should we launch our killing/destruction machine?
But onto my main theme. Two things are obvious but not publicly discussed by the chattering class nor the Administration. First, natural gas is all the rage in energy capitalism all over the U.S. So it is also in the middle east, especially with countries fortunate enough to have abundant reserves in the ground to exploit or unfortunately, in need to depend on others for supplies. The same phenomenon exists in Europe. Second, economic relationships between countries are always a sub-text to political and military conflict. They drive alliances and disagreements. What is the economic sub-text in the case of Syria? Why is this discussed nowhere in our media or the halls of Congress, at least publicly regarding the Syria situation ?
Economics are being discussed by investigative reporter for the Asian Times, Pepe Escobar.
He has discovered a recent Memorandum of Understanding between Syria, Iran and Iraq. It deals with the creation of a gas pipeline to transport gas from fields in those countries to not only serve their needs, but also countries comprising the EU. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey are not part of this plan; in fact, their own plans for natural gas are competitive with Syria, Iraq and Iran. Guess who aligns with the U.S. in the Syria crisis? And are funding rebel factions in a big way? You guessed it right. Oh, and did I mention Russia's interests in supporting the current Syrian regime? You guessed that right too. They are all over the rush to exploit natural gas resources at home and abroad.
This is complex and convoluted. Way beyond my pay grade but one thing I've learned, there is always an economic agenda behind our military ventures. I suggest you Google Pepe Escobar and make up your own mind how Pipeline Politics impact our response to the Syrian crisis.
On every level, our intervention on purely moral or military grounds seems utterly stupid. A limited attack will likely produce counterattacks. Sucking us in to this morass more deeply. It will more than likely engage Iran and Hezbollah. Thus jeopardizing Israel and our own military forces. As Rep. Alan Grayson asks, why is any of this our business? No other country among the world's 200 or so, excepting us and France, so far, appoints themselves world cops. Who are we to self appoint in such a role. We helped create the UN to take on such issues.
And why is diplomacy and exerting moral leadership as a peace/justice broker and peacemaker not even mentioned by either our pundit class or Administration officials as an alternative to killing for peace?
Lots of unanswered questions about Syria. Who really launched the most recent chemical attacks? The earlier ones investigated seem to implicate rebel factions. The Russian investigation suggests that the latest was the responsibility of rebels too. The Russians asked a really good question which seems beyond the capacity of our mainstream press. Why would Assad launch poison gas against civilians in a newly regained territory controlled by his forces?
I don't know the answer but it is a helluva good question no one here is asking. What would be the unintended but very likely consequences should we launch our killing/destruction machine?
But onto my main theme. Two things are obvious but not publicly discussed by the chattering class nor the Administration. First, natural gas is all the rage in energy capitalism all over the U.S. So it is also in the middle east, especially with countries fortunate enough to have abundant reserves in the ground to exploit or unfortunately, in need to depend on others for supplies. The same phenomenon exists in Europe. Second, economic relationships between countries are always a sub-text to political and military conflict. They drive alliances and disagreements. What is the economic sub-text in the case of Syria? Why is this discussed nowhere in our media or the halls of Congress, at least publicly regarding the Syria situation ?
Economics are being discussed by investigative reporter for the Asian Times, Pepe Escobar.
He has discovered a recent Memorandum of Understanding between Syria, Iran and Iraq. It deals with the creation of a gas pipeline to transport gas from fields in those countries to not only serve their needs, but also countries comprising the EU. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey are not part of this plan; in fact, their own plans for natural gas are competitive with Syria, Iraq and Iran. Guess who aligns with the U.S. in the Syria crisis? And are funding rebel factions in a big way? You guessed it right. Oh, and did I mention Russia's interests in supporting the current Syrian regime? You guessed that right too. They are all over the rush to exploit natural gas resources at home and abroad.
This is complex and convoluted. Way beyond my pay grade but one thing I've learned, there is always an economic agenda behind our military ventures. I suggest you Google Pepe Escobar and make up your own mind how Pipeline Politics impact our response to the Syrian crisis.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Reflections On My Civil Rights Awakening
The events in Washington D.C. this week inspire me to share my story about racial justice awareness in my life of just past three quarters of a century. My intent is to create reflection on what MLK called "the beloved community" and how each of us can work to make it a reality. With the current political environment it is apparent that it is still largely a vision, not a reality.
My earliest encounter with race issues goes back to YMCA camp when I was in elementary school. There were no African American kids in my northern California school in the late 40's/early 50's, though the community was decidedly liberal by reputation. Black kids lived a few miles away in a mixed public housing project on the route to San Francisco. My only encounter with them was when a few of them would launch raids at our baseball field, hiding in a nearby gully and emerging for a good fight after our practices and games. it was kind of scary. We'd high tail it home to avoid their attacks, armed with fists and rhetoric.
YMCA camp was mostly populated by city kids, many Being black or Asian and a few of us Anglos from nearby suburban enclaves. I was paired with a Black kid on a camping expedition to share a double sleeping bag. I didn't know it was a big deal until a few white campers expressed amazement that I was chosen for this event by a counselor. I don't remember whether I volunteered or just picked. But, I clearly remember that he was a really great kid and I had lots of fun and felt no discomfort. It was a really positive experience that gave me a life lesson.
Fast forward to high school in the 50's on the east coast and college in northern California. Both environments were nearly all Anglo; overwhelmingly Anglo. But as soon as I entered the military, things changed dramatically. As a young officer training at a post in Baltimore I had a number of black classmates. Soon after arrival there I became friendly with two white guys from Notre Dame's ROTC program; one from New Jersey and another from Chicago. I guess we were drawn together by our Catholic university backgrounds. We observed the large African American population in Baltimore. We were joined by an affable African American guy in our training class for drinking sessions at the Officer's Club on Friday nights and the often drunken encounters with marines who wanted to duke it out with us. So, the New Jersey guy came up with a brilliant idea. We'd keep on our uniforms on Friday nights and the four of us would go to nearby segregated clubs and bars and try to integrate them. The uniforms were our calling cards, pretty hard for the bouncers to argue with us as we cajoled our way in with our black buddy. This became a regular Friday routine and it worked. We never failed and while the receptions were often cool at these establishments, we formed a phalanx around our buddy and were served.
Fast forward to post military life in Washington DC. My now deceased wife and I lived in the northern Virginia suburbs, both working in DC. There we had our first two children. We were both liberals and were very aware of the racial stirrings around us and throughout the country, especially the south. We were married in 1960 and as we socialized with Anglo friends in the suburban apartment complexes, we shared concerns about the racial slurs neither of us had grown us with. Racism was a part of everyday life there, even among educated Anglos. Though my wife's childhood neighborhood in Baltimore began to become integrated while we dated, her parents never expressed being threatened or anxiety about this change. Today, on returning to that area, it has transformed from a mostly German heritage area with German restaurants and bakeries to almost completely African American. It remains a tidy and well kept suburban village.
So, in 1963, soon to be transferred to a southern Virginia town, as Washington D.C.area residents, we quite naturally attended the March on Washington and were in awe of the massive gathering. Only years later did we fully appreciate the historic significance of MLK's speech and the impact this stirring event would have on our country. But as a face in the crowd I can attest that just being in the company of such a massive gathering of American souls felt good and created for me a sense of solidarity with a movement for economic and racial justice which stayed with me for life; a pretty long life at that. I experienced the same feeling of solidarity 40 something years later at both Obama inaugurations.
The next major life event which fueled my passion for racial justice was following our move to Roanoke, Virginia. Still a practicing Catholic, I became involved with the Knights of Columbus in that city. I was recruited by a casual friend there to join him in a move to vote in the first African American member of that local body. Our major fringe benefit of membership was a private bar in their meeting hall in a dry southern county. My friend must have read me as a liberal and so he and I plotted our nomination of a distinguished black physician and pitch to the group consisting of mostly locals comprising the membership. ironically, few of our fellow Anglo Knights had the education our Black physician friend had attained. My friend was a very effective communicator, evidenced by his ownership of a local radio station. The net net result was a vote by the membership of professed Catholic defenders of the faith, using, a secret ballot technique involving, believe it or not, black and white marbles to cast our votes. So, those supporting the physicians acceptance into membership would be secretly unidentified. We thought under those circumstances that the doctor would be a shoe in among this group of Christians. It was not to be. He lost by a substantial majority of cast black ball votes.
I left the Knights of Columbus, Roanoke, shortly thereafter, though I toted my Knights sword around the country with our many future relocations, gathering dust in many closets.
The next major life experience which changed my life and solidified my search for racial justice was when my wife and I were recruited by our parish priest in our new home, Austin, Minnesota to take under our wings an African American couple who had also moved into this area from Ohio. They would become the first black people to belong to this parish. Once again, I guess the good padre read us correctly as liberals. We entertained the young couple, who had a child about the age of our kids. Austin was about 98% white. We then networked them with other friends, mostly "townies" and introduced them around at the coffee's held after mass. It worked well and they soon were warmly embraced by this faith community.
Not long after this very positive experience, MLK was assassinated and major cities began to erupt. My clients with my work at Hormel were major vending and catering companies in major cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., L.A. and Chicago. Their warehouses and headquarters were mostly in industrial districts adjacent to largely African American neighborhoods. These areas were in flames for weeks after our loss of MLK. Being young and both very self assured and curious, I began to hang out in these community's bars in the evenings after working with my clients on road trips. What I learned and encountered with a few beers with locals was an eye opener. I was greeted with great curiosity as often the only white guy in the establishment but often fellow patrons opened up to me. What I learned from these encounters was that while those I met were enraged at the loss of a great and inspiring leader, they were still hopeful for change and felt there were enough white people of good will out there to accept them as fellow human beings and provide a chance for their realization of the American Dream. They were not in despair as I expected them to be nor as unhopeful as I felt then. They inspired me and infused me with the desire to engage my kids with their kids to further the movement toward justice and MLK's beloved community.
Soon thereafter came a move to Houston, Texas. This gave me opportunities I never imagined would be opened up for me. There my wife and I became involved with a group which sponsored weekend "salt and pepper" parties; gatherings of adults, often with our kids. We were Black, Hispanic and Anglo young professionals outraged with a local school board resisting integration of our public schools and acceptance of the law of the land. We had deliberately chosen a neighborhood which was a part of a large urban, multi-ethnic city, not the more popular suburban all white school districts embracing white flight.
These salt and pepper parties soon led to the creation of a political movement of mostly middle class white liberal, Hispanic and Black parents. About 1,000 strong. We organized over about a year, raised money and recruited a multi-ethinic slate of candidates to run against the intransigent, conservative school board resisting court ordered integration. My own wife during this period ran for the State Board of Education against a very popular incumbent Republican after whom a nearby Stadium was named. She wound up earning 44 % of the vote, running, believe it or not, on a pro-busing platform. But, our Houston school district slate won, taking a majority on the board and beginning the process of integrating the school district which my four children were privileged to attend. In a few short years our candidates created some of the first magnet schools in the nation as well as gifted and talented programs later emulated by school districts all over the nation. Our initiatives to assist Hispanic immigrant children were models also matched elsewhere. We ultimately lost board control to backlash conservatives but it was too late for them to stop the momentum our brave board members initiated. But, best intentions were not rewarded. Over the subsequent years the Houston schools became overwhelmingly minority populated as Anglos departed for distant suburban districts in white flight.
I also was given further awakening by association with a brilliant organizer of the liberal Democrats in Texas, Billie Carr who formed the Harris County Democrats, a shadow party to the conservative dominated Democratic Party of Harris County. Their purpose was the ouster of the segregationist conservatives who had set the Party agenda for a hundred years. That agenda: exclusion of Blacks and Hispanics. I studied under Billie for several years and learned grassroots organizing at its best. This included not only being mentored by Billie, but also Jamerson Berry, a long time Democratic Precinct Judge in the black Sunnyside community in south Houston. Jamerson taught me techniques of block walking and black voter registration as well as counter poll watching of harassing Republicans in black voting precincts which served me for decades thereafter. The result of this organizing mentoring? We were able to purge the Texas Democratic Party of the Wallace faction in the early 70's and gain control of the party apparatus, paving the way for Black and Hispanic Democratic leaders and rank and file to take their political fortunes into their own hands. Leaders like Barbara Jordan, Mickey Leeland and Craig Washington became Party visionaries and inspired me to support Jesse Jackson's presidential campaigns and become a Jackson delegate.
As the years progressed, the mentoring of black Texas Democratic leaders led me to create and lead action committees within my county Party organization to counter the voter suppression activities of the Tea Party and the Republican party. With the work of thousands of volunteers in Harris County we succeeded in securing the nomination and subsequent election of our first black President in Harris county in both 2008 and 2012, where, excepting Jimmy Carter's successful campaign, Republican's dominated our county for years. I was privileged also to direct the communications of the successful campaign of the first African American county-wide judge in our large urban county which up to that time Republicans had dominated.
My message for my readers? note that all along the way on this journey, I was inspired and mentored by persons who empowered and prepared me for the work ahead in seeking still unachieved racial justice. A camp counselor, fellow liberal Army officers, MLK's Dream speech, a Parish priest, a liberal Knight of Columbus, Black bar fellow patrons, fellow young education activists, Democratic Party activists, to name a few. If one is open to such a task, Samaritans are out there to give you the tools to do the work toward the unending task of working toward the beloved community.
My earliest encounter with race issues goes back to YMCA camp when I was in elementary school. There were no African American kids in my northern California school in the late 40's/early 50's, though the community was decidedly liberal by reputation. Black kids lived a few miles away in a mixed public housing project on the route to San Francisco. My only encounter with them was when a few of them would launch raids at our baseball field, hiding in a nearby gully and emerging for a good fight after our practices and games. it was kind of scary. We'd high tail it home to avoid their attacks, armed with fists and rhetoric.
YMCA camp was mostly populated by city kids, many Being black or Asian and a few of us Anglos from nearby suburban enclaves. I was paired with a Black kid on a camping expedition to share a double sleeping bag. I didn't know it was a big deal until a few white campers expressed amazement that I was chosen for this event by a counselor. I don't remember whether I volunteered or just picked. But, I clearly remember that he was a really great kid and I had lots of fun and felt no discomfort. It was a really positive experience that gave me a life lesson.
Fast forward to high school in the 50's on the east coast and college in northern California. Both environments were nearly all Anglo; overwhelmingly Anglo. But as soon as I entered the military, things changed dramatically. As a young officer training at a post in Baltimore I had a number of black classmates. Soon after arrival there I became friendly with two white guys from Notre Dame's ROTC program; one from New Jersey and another from Chicago. I guess we were drawn together by our Catholic university backgrounds. We observed the large African American population in Baltimore. We were joined by an affable African American guy in our training class for drinking sessions at the Officer's Club on Friday nights and the often drunken encounters with marines who wanted to duke it out with us. So, the New Jersey guy came up with a brilliant idea. We'd keep on our uniforms on Friday nights and the four of us would go to nearby segregated clubs and bars and try to integrate them. The uniforms were our calling cards, pretty hard for the bouncers to argue with us as we cajoled our way in with our black buddy. This became a regular Friday routine and it worked. We never failed and while the receptions were often cool at these establishments, we formed a phalanx around our buddy and were served.
Fast forward to post military life in Washington DC. My now deceased wife and I lived in the northern Virginia suburbs, both working in DC. There we had our first two children. We were both liberals and were very aware of the racial stirrings around us and throughout the country, especially the south. We were married in 1960 and as we socialized with Anglo friends in the suburban apartment complexes, we shared concerns about the racial slurs neither of us had grown us with. Racism was a part of everyday life there, even among educated Anglos. Though my wife's childhood neighborhood in Baltimore began to become integrated while we dated, her parents never expressed being threatened or anxiety about this change. Today, on returning to that area, it has transformed from a mostly German heritage area with German restaurants and bakeries to almost completely African American. It remains a tidy and well kept suburban village.
So, in 1963, soon to be transferred to a southern Virginia town, as Washington D.C.area residents, we quite naturally attended the March on Washington and were in awe of the massive gathering. Only years later did we fully appreciate the historic significance of MLK's speech and the impact this stirring event would have on our country. But as a face in the crowd I can attest that just being in the company of such a massive gathering of American souls felt good and created for me a sense of solidarity with a movement for economic and racial justice which stayed with me for life; a pretty long life at that. I experienced the same feeling of solidarity 40 something years later at both Obama inaugurations.
The next major life event which fueled my passion for racial justice was following our move to Roanoke, Virginia. Still a practicing Catholic, I became involved with the Knights of Columbus in that city. I was recruited by a casual friend there to join him in a move to vote in the first African American member of that local body. Our major fringe benefit of membership was a private bar in their meeting hall in a dry southern county. My friend must have read me as a liberal and so he and I plotted our nomination of a distinguished black physician and pitch to the group consisting of mostly locals comprising the membership. ironically, few of our fellow Anglo Knights had the education our Black physician friend had attained. My friend was a very effective communicator, evidenced by his ownership of a local radio station. The net net result was a vote by the membership of professed Catholic defenders of the faith, using, a secret ballot technique involving, believe it or not, black and white marbles to cast our votes. So, those supporting the physicians acceptance into membership would be secretly unidentified. We thought under those circumstances that the doctor would be a shoe in among this group of Christians. It was not to be. He lost by a substantial majority of cast black ball votes.
I left the Knights of Columbus, Roanoke, shortly thereafter, though I toted my Knights sword around the country with our many future relocations, gathering dust in many closets.
The next major life experience which changed my life and solidified my search for racial justice was when my wife and I were recruited by our parish priest in our new home, Austin, Minnesota to take under our wings an African American couple who had also moved into this area from Ohio. They would become the first black people to belong to this parish. Once again, I guess the good padre read us correctly as liberals. We entertained the young couple, who had a child about the age of our kids. Austin was about 98% white. We then networked them with other friends, mostly "townies" and introduced them around at the coffee's held after mass. It worked well and they soon were warmly embraced by this faith community.
Not long after this very positive experience, MLK was assassinated and major cities began to erupt. My clients with my work at Hormel were major vending and catering companies in major cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., L.A. and Chicago. Their warehouses and headquarters were mostly in industrial districts adjacent to largely African American neighborhoods. These areas were in flames for weeks after our loss of MLK. Being young and both very self assured and curious, I began to hang out in these community's bars in the evenings after working with my clients on road trips. What I learned and encountered with a few beers with locals was an eye opener. I was greeted with great curiosity as often the only white guy in the establishment but often fellow patrons opened up to me. What I learned from these encounters was that while those I met were enraged at the loss of a great and inspiring leader, they were still hopeful for change and felt there were enough white people of good will out there to accept them as fellow human beings and provide a chance for their realization of the American Dream. They were not in despair as I expected them to be nor as unhopeful as I felt then. They inspired me and infused me with the desire to engage my kids with their kids to further the movement toward justice and MLK's beloved community.
Soon thereafter came a move to Houston, Texas. This gave me opportunities I never imagined would be opened up for me. There my wife and I became involved with a group which sponsored weekend "salt and pepper" parties; gatherings of adults, often with our kids. We were Black, Hispanic and Anglo young professionals outraged with a local school board resisting integration of our public schools and acceptance of the law of the land. We had deliberately chosen a neighborhood which was a part of a large urban, multi-ethnic city, not the more popular suburban all white school districts embracing white flight.
These salt and pepper parties soon led to the creation of a political movement of mostly middle class white liberal, Hispanic and Black parents. About 1,000 strong. We organized over about a year, raised money and recruited a multi-ethinic slate of candidates to run against the intransigent, conservative school board resisting court ordered integration. My own wife during this period ran for the State Board of Education against a very popular incumbent Republican after whom a nearby Stadium was named. She wound up earning 44 % of the vote, running, believe it or not, on a pro-busing platform. But, our Houston school district slate won, taking a majority on the board and beginning the process of integrating the school district which my four children were privileged to attend. In a few short years our candidates created some of the first magnet schools in the nation as well as gifted and talented programs later emulated by school districts all over the nation. Our initiatives to assist Hispanic immigrant children were models also matched elsewhere. We ultimately lost board control to backlash conservatives but it was too late for them to stop the momentum our brave board members initiated. But, best intentions were not rewarded. Over the subsequent years the Houston schools became overwhelmingly minority populated as Anglos departed for distant suburban districts in white flight.
I also was given further awakening by association with a brilliant organizer of the liberal Democrats in Texas, Billie Carr who formed the Harris County Democrats, a shadow party to the conservative dominated Democratic Party of Harris County. Their purpose was the ouster of the segregationist conservatives who had set the Party agenda for a hundred years. That agenda: exclusion of Blacks and Hispanics. I studied under Billie for several years and learned grassroots organizing at its best. This included not only being mentored by Billie, but also Jamerson Berry, a long time Democratic Precinct Judge in the black Sunnyside community in south Houston. Jamerson taught me techniques of block walking and black voter registration as well as counter poll watching of harassing Republicans in black voting precincts which served me for decades thereafter. The result of this organizing mentoring? We were able to purge the Texas Democratic Party of the Wallace faction in the early 70's and gain control of the party apparatus, paving the way for Black and Hispanic Democratic leaders and rank and file to take their political fortunes into their own hands. Leaders like Barbara Jordan, Mickey Leeland and Craig Washington became Party visionaries and inspired me to support Jesse Jackson's presidential campaigns and become a Jackson delegate.
As the years progressed, the mentoring of black Texas Democratic leaders led me to create and lead action committees within my county Party organization to counter the voter suppression activities of the Tea Party and the Republican party. With the work of thousands of volunteers in Harris County we succeeded in securing the nomination and subsequent election of our first black President in Harris county in both 2008 and 2012, where, excepting Jimmy Carter's successful campaign, Republican's dominated our county for years. I was privileged also to direct the communications of the successful campaign of the first African American county-wide judge in our large urban county which up to that time Republicans had dominated.
My message for my readers? note that all along the way on this journey, I was inspired and mentored by persons who empowered and prepared me for the work ahead in seeking still unachieved racial justice. A camp counselor, fellow liberal Army officers, MLK's Dream speech, a Parish priest, a liberal Knight of Columbus, Black bar fellow patrons, fellow young education activists, Democratic Party activists, to name a few. If one is open to such a task, Samaritans are out there to give you the tools to do the work toward the unending task of working toward the beloved community.
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