Tomorrow, Tomorrow

11/04/02 I hope I love you, Tomorrow -- It's only a day away!

Little Orphan Annie was always so optimistic that no matter how horrid her current situation, tomorrow would be all better. I have a bit of her hopefulness, but it is tempered with the belief we are dealing with a man who has made a pact with the devil.

I got some interesting e-mails today. Everyone is nervous and a little frightened. There was a particular e-mail from "Steve B" to which I responded. I shared both with Dr. Wm. Gordon for his comment, and thought you might find it interesting, too:

Steve B: I honestly think your hatred of Ron Kirk has become so obsessive you are 'losing it'. I am tired of your rants about him and if you really are just a "closet Republican" than why don't you out yourself and be done with it. I can't, personally stand many of our choices in this election, but when the DMN was saying Laura was gonna lose you didn't believe that--why, now, when it says the two Republican goons are gonna win, do you believe it? You have lost all objectivity, as far as I'm concerned, and I won't be supporting your council race, after all. Being a professional "muckraker" such as yourself can have some very entertaining and meaningful moments from time to time--but lady, you are stuck in a very bitter groove. It does not become you or your cause. I am looking for open-minded inclusive thinkers to work with in this city--we've had enough agendas and factions, don't you think?
Steve -- I decided to respond to your e-mail, since you took the time to critique me and my motives in the Senate Race. I am using the body of your e-mail to address the points you raised. If you haven't been reading DallasArena.com from its inception, you may not know it began primarily as a response and expose on Kirk. My feelings toward him go way beyond hatred. I have expanded DallasArena.com, but most of my partisan bashing has been toward Kay Bailey Hutchinson (GOP). Other than Cornyn over Kirk, the only partisan endorsements I have made were in the primaries. But -- I have never been in the closet about being a Republican even if I support Democrats from time to time. In Laura Miller's mayoral campaign, I was in charge of volunteer phone-banking, with over 400 people on the phones calling for her, calling real voters -- who actually show up at the polls. Because their numbers were so strong for Laura (as were mine in the precincts I was calling personally), I had a basis to dispute the DMN poll. I don't know how to question the statewide polls. The StarTelegram endorses Kirk and have Cornyn ahead 3%, the DMN endorses Cornyn and has Cornyn ahead 9%, and the Houston Chronicle endorses Kirk and has Cornyn ahead 6%. So, you tell me? I have never claimed to be objective. I have been writing a personal opinion web from the onset, and thought that was clear. I write what I believe to be true, based on what I know is happening behind the scenes and in the public. To be a "professional", one must get financial remuneration for one's efforts. I receive no compensation for DallasArena.com, I accept no advertisements or contributions, I pay all expenses of the website, which comes to about $700 annually. I most certainly am stuck in a very bitter groove -- talking about the bad stuff that goes on at City Hall and identifying the bad people doing the bad stuff. DallasArena.com once had a banner "Warning! No Happy Talk Here!". Steve, it's not about me! It's about exposing what happens at City Hall, and how entire communities have been sold out to further the pocket books and stature of certain politicians at City Hall and the high and mighty ODB who subsidize them. I think we have had not enough people at City Hall whose agendas were for the little guy, middle class residents and neighborhoods, small businesses who pay the freight, or historic preservation and preserving our natural areas. Whenever, I hear the word "inclusive", it usually means to "include" people who do what they are told and accept what is done to them. That's not what DallasArena.com is about, and it's not who my readers are. Most of the truly bad stuff that has happened at City Hall has occurred since we were split into 14 gerrymandered districts. We could have had 14 districts that made sense geographically or historically and kept neighborhoods in tact. Instead, we got another map with districts so distorted they discourage community involvement and diminish community strength at City Hall. Tom Lazo chaired the Redistricting Commission. Kirk appointed him. Lazo bullied and insulted citizens speaking to the Commission. My district runs from LBJ down to Arcadia Park. My old district 14 and district 2 are crescent shapes and slice through neighborhoods from tip to toe. The only people who were heard at those meetings were "preachers" and Diane Ragsdale and her co-horts. There were many minorities who begged the Commission for more compact districts. One former Black School Board member told the Commission "you have just re-segregated my city". Don't forget Kirk's role in the arena ripoff. To say I'm bitter is to underestimate my feelings toward that evil man. I got to deal with him up close and personal during the arena campaign. Yes, I hate the self-serving jerk. If he were GOP, I would hate the self-serving jerk. Kirk is non-Partisan -- no convictions or party loyalty -- he goes where the $$ and opportunities are. As a quick synopsis -- I have been a "Rockerfella" Republican since I was 12 (supported Bush over Reagan), but Lyndon Johnson remains one of my favorite politicians -- warts and all. I am pro-choice, but just cannot imagine how casually some people view abortion. I am Christian and a Methodist, but I think my denomination and most other organized religion spend too much time on "physical needs" and less time spreading the gospel. I am a feminist, but I hate "victim" laws. I support most animal cruelty laws and believe animals have basic rights, but I wear leather and have a short mink coat (my parents gave it to me before my Dad died - 16 years ago). I don't eat red meat because I can't digest it, but I wolf down chicken, turkey and fish. My positions on life issues are self-determined. I don't need others' affirmation or confirmation. I have trusted people who have proved untrustworthy. They are always shocked when I shut them out of my life. Most people let ad guys slide and forgive them because that's the nice way. That's how bad guys can get away with what they do. I want everyone to love me -- but I learned a long time ago that was not going to happen. DallasArena.com is not for the masses -- it is for the choir. I make no excuses for preaching to my choir. I want them to know what I know. I want them to stay angry and active. The only way to turn this city around is to expose bad guys like John Ware and Ron Kirk and Tom Hicks and Ross Perot and Mary Poss and not let up. If some bad guy is Black or Hispanic, I will not shy away from going after them -- just like I give Mary Poss no slack. If a bad guy happens to be Dem, I will not give them a pass for fear of being considered partisan. The criticisms you throw at me -- have been made against Laura Miller. I am more of an ideologue than her. I want limited government that does first what it is supposed to do -- protect us from the bad guys and keep our streets drivable. Then Parks and Libraries, then everything else when there's money to do it. For too long, we have put the frills up front -- like the Meyerson, the arena, and ignored the basics.	Bill Gordon: Sometimes comments like "Steve's" evoke thoughts about defining one's positions. Too few people seem to perform this sort of "self-check" these days, and that is really unfortunate. There is so much BS being floated around in the media and in partisan political circles that most folks seem to have little idea about what they really believe (assuming they actually have any core beliefs). Love you or hate you, I suspect all who know you respect you and admire your courage. Lives devoid of passion are lives wasted. You are blessed in the passion department. On the other hand, your admiration of LBJ causes me great concern... I think Zyprexa or RIsperdal might help with this; these newer antipsychotics are very effective and the side effects are usually quite tolerable.
	Sharon, Thank you so much for today's column. I first started reading dallasarena.com during Laura's campaign and I've been checking in pretty regularly since then. Generally, I disagree with you about as often as I agree, and I often find that your style undermines your message. However, I have found that your information and analysis are almost always dead-on. Finding a reliable source for history and fact-checking is invaluable and I keep coming back for that if for no other reason. Today, you gave the most calm, coherent and complete explanation of your site that I have ever seen. I loved it - it really let people know what you're doing, what your stand is, what to expect and what not to expect. Everyone should read this before they say a word to you or about you. With this kind of communication, your council campaign will be a pleasure to watch. I'm not in your district, but I would support you anyway because of what you would do for the city as a whole. Thanks again and best wishes, Phil Leven

Probably the most personal thing I've read in the last few days is what Avi Adelman writes in BarkingDogs.org. http://www.barkingdogs.org/html/11_1_kirk.shtml.

It's personal how we feel about Ron Kirk.

It's personal the fear we have of Con Jerk ever in public office again.

It's personal when we hear Kirk's claims of his successes in Dallas.

Don't be afraid -- send Kirk a personal message tomorrow.

Then Tuesday will become my favorite day of the week.