Congressmember Fletcher's Town Halls & All Politician's Town Halls Should Be In-Person

​Congressmember Lizzie Fletcher is holding a virtual town hall meeting tonight, January 8th. Above you see notice of the virtual town hall.

Congressmember Fletcher has held a range of events over the years to meet with constituents according to her website. Some have been in-person and others virtual. In recent months, she has moved towards virtual events. I'm glad Congressmember Fletcher is holding town halls. The Congresswoman is not specifically the issue here. 

It's time for elected officials to go to mostly in-person town halls. Accessibility issues need to be addressed and all forums need to be open to all people. Virtual town halls have a place. But in my view, nothing replaces the effectiveness of one-on-one direct conversation. 

With the nation and Texas shifting towards authoritarianism, average citizens face risks for joining peaceful political protest and also for routine political advocacy. Elected officials can't be isolated from these realities. 

I take part in a weekly pro-democracy protest outside of Senator John Cornyn's Office. (Each Tuesday, 11:30-1, 5300 Memorial Dr.) We've been out for almost eight years now and are peaceful lawful folks. While the great majority of reactions are always positive, things that have been thrown at us include eggs, a softball, potatoes, lit cigars and batteries. A man opposing us once showed up with a holstered gun. If we can take these risks showing up for democracy, our elected officials can as well. 

Even the most routine political activity in Houston has risks. Political canvassing comes with encounters with stray dogs, aggressive dogs at the door, relentless heat and poor air quality. Every frequent canvasser has stories of bullying right-wingers encountered along the way. These stresses are taken up by dedicated volunteers (And paid canvassers as well) of all ages. 

We've seen in South Korea in recent weeks the value of showing up in person the value of showing up in person. Fighting the imposition of martial law, both members of the South Korean assembly & everyday people worked together and took risks for their freedom. 

Leadership is putting yourself in the same place as the people you serve. All elected officials should take constituent questions in an open and accessible place and on a frequent basis. If there are unscripted or disruptive moments--So be it. It's a chance we all have to take if we are going to win our fight against authoritarianism in the United States. 

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.​​

Here is a fundraising pitch for Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. ​​​​​​​​​

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