The Issue Is John Whitmire's Uncertain Commitment To Multiracial Democracy

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​Channel 13 had a Mayoral debate recently. John Whitmire was asked about his proposal to bring 200 Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to Houston.

You get a clear sense of his reply from the picture above. It's a really lousy reply. Senator Whitmire says it is people who want to defund the police who oppose the troopers  

There are plenty of reasons to not want Greg Abbott's DPS troops in Houston. Opposing such troops is not any type of defund the police response. 

Here are some reasons to not want the troops in Houston:

*When these troops were in Austin, they arrested a disproportionate share of Latino and Black people.

*When Mayor Kirk Watson of Austin, a longtime Texas State Senator, asked Greg Abbott to withdraw the troops, the answer was no. This is consistent with John Whitmire being powerless to stop the cruel excesses of the Texas Legislature despite being the so-called "Dean" of the Senate.   

*With legislation moving through the Texas Legislature that would allow police officers any place in Texas to deport undocumented migrants, DPS troops would be a deportation squad in Houston communities.    

*Greg Abbott and the Republicans who control Texas don't believe in multiracial democracy and are a threat to public safety. There is no public safety without democracy. Houstonians deserve protection from the far right. Why would people concerned about democracy in Texas want Greg Abbott's police squads in Houston?

​Congresswoman Jackson Lee has not said defund the police. Why is that label being affixed to her? John Whitmire regularly consorts with people who would take basic rights from millions of Texans. He seems plenty comfortable with all that. Maybe the issue going forward should be Senator Whitmire's commitment to multiracial democracy.        

 Here are the Project's 2023 Houston election recommendations. 
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The Houston Democracy Project works daily to make democracy an issue in 2023 Houston politics and to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024. 

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected].​  ​​​            

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