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I was out today at the intersection of Washington & Shepherd with the sign you see above.

It's important that people see others like themselves wiling to out themselves out in the open for democracy. 

I met the woman in the picture who was certain she does not want Trump to return.

It's encouraging that Vice President Harris is giving Trump a tough race. I'm energized like so many are.

I'm also wary of counting on the same systems that have taken us so close to authoritarian outcomes, to rescue us.   

It's important we work to get out the vote. It's also essential that we put ourselves out in the open and make connection. We are going to need each other. 

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

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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​Today I went to a rally for Democratic Texas U.S. Senate nominee Colin Allred.  Above you see a picture I took with Congressman Allred front and center. 

Here are some observations from the event:

1. The rally took two hours because many elected officials spoke. Rep. Allred spoke for something like just 8 minutes. I wish our elected officials could be counted on to be present to canvass voters and take part in phone banks, just as much as we see them taking the opportunity to talk.

2. Three protestors who at various times disrupted the program expressing concerns about Gaza were removed. I get that if you start yelling you can expect to be tossed. I'm certain the protestors knew that as well. At the same time, the removals were aggressive. I saw one woman very forcefully pushed out after the program had ended. It was not necessary. It was not something consistent with the spirit of a Democratic Party event. It's mistake to think that level of aggression will not be applied to people protesting Republican refusal to accept election results this November. It is somebody else today. It'll be you tomorrow.

3. The speakers at the program told us to volunteer, donate and vote. That's fine. But please remember we are asking the same systems that have taken us so close to an open authoritarian such as Donald Trump coming back as President, to now rescue us. That's not a solid wager. Elected officials could easily hold "Democracy Town Halls" where they discuss the stakes of this election, a readiness to protest if needed, &  self-protection from the right as it suits individual homes. They could detail their specific plans for taking part in Campaign 2024 rather than just saying easy things and applause lines.    

Two of the speakers at the Allred event were County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and State Senator Carol Alvarado. Commissioner Ellis has $6.2 million in campaign cash on hand and Senator Alvarado has $1.2 on hand. Both are on the ballot in 2024 in races they should easily win. They could both offer up campaign funds to help protect democracy in Texas and the nation. When Commissioner Ellis and Senator Alvarado start putting up some cash, then you will know they are serious.      

Congressman Allred has not been an active campaigner. His campaign has not set up field offices in Texas cities. There has been little or no contact between the campaign and Democratic Club leaders in Harris County. If he seems in a strong position to defeat Ted Cruz come October, then we should be active for his campaign. If the effort seems lackluster, there are plenty of other races that require our attention.    

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

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]       

I was at a political event recently and I overheard a man say that Democrats have to win elections by so many votes that Republicans won't be able to steal the result.
 
I've heard others say this as well.

This simply can't be the case. If a Democrat wins an election over a Republican by just one vote, that is enough.

I'm against any fatalistic mindset. If an election is stolen, then we protest and make clear we understand what is going on. Our view may or may not prevail. But by going into an election with view the table is tilted against us, we are conceding that we have lost our vote and our freedom to Republicans and the right.

And if that is the situation, then in addition to essential act of voting, we need to be on the streets right now and demand of our Democratic elected officials that they escalate the fight against the right.

I'm not up for conceding anything in advance to people who would take our rights.      

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

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]

Like many who want to see Trump defeated, I'm glad Vice President Harris is the apparent Democratic Party Presidential nominee. I'm appreciative of the new energy and new hope.

At the same time, we should recall that the systems bringing us V.P. Harris, are the same systems bringing us to so close to authoritarian outcomes. And nothing has changed about Republicans saying they will not commit to accepting election results.

It is good the Harris campaign has been able to raise so much money. However, we must realize there is no magic solution to the Republican threat of violence and anti-democratic rule. We can't keep being one election away from disaster for years on end.

We must advocate for ourselves, relentlessly hold elected officials accountable, be mindful of self-protection in whatever way is best for ourselves and the people in our lives, and realize that we are in this fight for the long haul.
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Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

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]​

​Please join the Texas Grassroots Alliance fundraiser at 11 AM, Friday, July 26. 

The Houston Democracy Project is member of the TGA.

Here is the link to register for the event.  

TGA members are activists across Texas. You see some of them in the picture above. TGA members are working to fund their work independent of elected officials, and of non-profits dependent on relationships with elected officials.         

There are a lot of good people in traditional activist networks. There is also a need for activism that will ask more of the Democrats we support on Election Day & who will show up no matter what as we confront an authoritarian threat in Texas and the nation.  

That is the work I've been doing with the Houston Democracy Project. Please register to take part in tomorrow's fundraiser and help the work continue.      

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

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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Above is a letter signed by many Harris County Democratic State Representatives endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for President.

All right. Very good.

The real test though will be the effort and resources these officials put into the 2024 for the full Harris County & Texas Democratic ticket.
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Elected officials can commit campaign funds to help in races outside their own, dedicate personal time to canvass and call voters, hold "Democracy Town Halls" to warn voters about the terrible impact of Republican victory in 2024, talk to elected officials who are not pulling their weight on the 2024 campaign trail, and be willing to show up on the streets or in some other non-conventional way if Republicans refuse to accept or overturn election results.

It's fine to sign a letter. It is also easy. Our electeds must fight for us and we must demand they do so.      

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

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]​

The 5 pictures here are big panels listing American dead from the Korean War. There are also a small number of dead listed here from Korean units attached to American units. I took the pictures last week at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The dead on the panels are posted by rank. It looked to me that at least 95% of the dead were enlisted men rather than officers. The approximate death toll of U.S. Troops was 34,000. (The total dead of the Korean War is estimated as high as 3 million people. The great majority were civilians.)

My father was a Corporal and combat zone medic in Korea. He was 19 or 20 when sent to Korea. I was just struck looking at the panels how many of the dead were enlisted men.

If our systems can send young people to war and to to take great risk, then our elected officials can also be asked to do whatever required to confront the authoritarian threat we face today from the political right.

These steps and risks can involve using campaign funds to help in races across Harris County, knocking doors and making phone calls to increase voter turnout, holding “Democracy Town Halls” to inform constituents about the risks (Including mass deportations) of Republican rule, pressing fellow elected Democrats to be involved in Campaign 2024, being willing to directly address and criticize local elected Republicans as weak on democracy and as such a threat to public safety, & being open to taking part in street protests and other non-conventional political actions if Republicans refuse to accept election results or overturn election results.
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The Korean War was a long time ago. (Though it is not officially over even today.) But the issues of sacrifice and freedom present in that conflict are still urgent. Elected officials have been able to successfully navigate political systems delivering authoritarian and near authoritarian outcomes. They have used community resources of donations and volunteer labor to win election. So they can show up as needed to protect the people of Houston and Harris County from the potential worst outcomes of these systems.

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

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]​

The Houston Democracy Project Blog has been sporadic this month as I was in Cincinnati to visit my mom and my old time punk rock friends, & then had power out from Hurricane Beryl.  

I've got one more summer travel expedition to take. Then I'll be back full speed ahead for the fights ahead. 

Please be well & please be certain to find some good times for yourself and the people in your life over the summer.