Speaking of corruption: Kevin Cole
Pearland’s Long History with Racism
Pearland is the second most diverse city in Texas. The City’s founding was dependent on both Brazoria County and Houston, as a Railway hub. Early advertisements trying to draw in new residents advertised Pearland as the “Capital of Caucasia”. While that language is no longer used, it has been replaced with “Don’t Houston our Pearland” a blatant dog whistle that seeks to keep Pearland “status quo”. For People of Color this is means blatantly “White”. Despite halfhearted protests to the contrary.
The Court “Rules of Court Decorum” list “No inappropriate attire. No shorts or cut-offs; No low-cut blouses or tops; No skirts or dresses that are short (less than halfway from knee to top of thigh); no muscle shirts or shirts without sleeves, clothing with offensive, vulgar, racist, sexist, obscene, lewd, or suggestive words, slogans, depictions, or pictures; No clothing too tight, too short, too baggy, or pants worn below the waistline.”
So while you can’t wear Racist language on your clothing, you are free to express those views and hold office in Pearland. Former City Council member Kevin Cole, and Current City Council Member Woody Owens are proud of the language they use online. Kevin Cole is currently running for Mayor in Pearland.
https://t.co/V7fgCADFG3?amp=1
Here is a video that highlights some of the bigoted rhetoric that Mr. Owens has shared.
It’s important to note that Pearland ISD has a long history of racism as well. The racism is core to the identity of many in Pearland. The question comes to, why are such blatantly racist people allowed to hold office in Pearland? Simply put, all positions are “at large” positions. Municipal elections are usually held in May, a historically low turnout date that has allowed racists to consolidate their power. Tactics such as closing of roads near polling locations, or trying to illegal prevent people from voting because “they look like someone that already has”.
While there are many in the community that gloss over these issues and excuse them, it’s become blatantly clear that while those in power will gladly take the tax dollars of POC, they clearly don’t want to let them have a true voice in leadership.
Pearland leadership decided to invite CBP snipers onto the rooftop of Dawson HS in preparation for George Floyd’s funeral. Racist leadership see any gathering of support for Blacks and other POC as “dangerous”.
In the last few years Pearland has seen dozens of articles regarding racism. At each incident leadership glosses over the problems, promises reform, and then they openly support racist rhetoric and openly invite dangerous hate groups with their rhetoric and racist dog whistles. Below are some examples of the articles that have been written about Pearland and Pearland ISD.
What is truly infuriating isn’t just the racism. People of Color are used to dealing with institutionalized racism and open bigotry. It’s not “new” to us. It’s the sad attempts at trying to explain away the racism by mediocre leadership that assume that anyone darker than a sheet of printer paper is somehow easily fooled into believing their lies. Truthfully that’s not new to POC either, it’s just constantly insulting.
News Sources:
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2020/08/12/pearland-isd-teacher-under-fire-for-white-slaves-post/
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Second-Pearland-ISD-student-accuses-administrator-15001523.php
https://www.chron.com/houston/article/Pearland-ISD-faces-accusations-of-racial-13872602.php
https://www.thecrisismagazine.com/single-post/2019/12/16/Racism-in-Texas-Schools
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/pearland-parents-complain-of-pattern-of-discrimination-in-the-district
https://www.click2houston.com/news/2019/06/15/neighbors-concerns-grow-after-racist-graffiti-spray-painted-on-fence/
http://forwardtimes.com/what-if-it-were-your-child-pearland-isd-employees-named-in-federal-lawsuit-after-humiliating-13-year-old-black-student-by-blackening-his-scalp-with-permanent-marker/
https://www.rawstory.com/2012/04/racism-and-vigilante-justice-in-pearland-texas/
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/2017/11/17/251599/pearland-isd-continues-to-support-superintendent-after-latest-controversy/
http://www.city-data.com/forum/houston/1744688-what-african-american-experience-like-living-3.html
Well
Looking deep into the well,
Down into the depth of time.
Layers and layers repeating,
History full of turmoil and despair.
Will we ever clear the waters?
Can the cycle ever end?
Deep drinks of oppression,
Can only be washed away,
With deep draughts of knowledge.
Pain
The need for closeness overwhelms,
My soul is split in two.
I fight to find what I have lost,
To reunite what has been torn.
Pain is all that exists,
Deep, dark, and overwhelming.
My heart has given up on itself,
exiled to its own prison.
Someday I will heal,
Today there is only pain.
Soul
Day by day, we all waste our life away.
How easy would it be to ignore that empty feeling,
To be caught up in the redundant, the mundane, the fruitless.
My heart was empty, but I had all I should,
Friends, family, and career.
Ever nagging was that hole, ever in my heart.
Oh a whim, I followed my heart to the forest,
I, instead, had found my soul.
Brave? Nah….
Rachel Maddow is my platonic crush. I would gladly sit in a room and listen to her spew awesome all day. Recently she called out Senator Rand Paul for being a liar.
The Republicans are in the middle of their “minority outreach” program. The thought that it takes a concerted effort for them to reach out to minorities should be enough of a sign that they will probably fail at it. Why do they have to strategize on how to appeal to minorities? Maybe they should re-evaluate their “moral compass”. I think it’s stuck on “asshole”.
In any event, Maddow calls out Senator Paul in typical awesome fashion.
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/vp/51500273
Don’t be a dick.
I have a fairly diverse background, so I know many different types of people, from many different cultures, religions, and educational backgrounds. Not one group of people is perfect, or should ever claim to be “always right”. To do is is pure arrogance and ignorant. I have talked to conservatives that care deeply for other people. I know liberals that would criticize an entire religious group without regard. I’ve heard some Christians with a wonderful grasp of science, they are at the top of their fields and simply see science as another way to be closer to their God. I know atheists that treat their view of science with such a radical obsession they make the Taliban look moderate.
I am guilty of making as many judgmental remarks as anyone else, but at the end of the day I do not think that any group of people is absolutely right. I know that my views are not universally shared, and I’m always willing to have a good, vigorous conversation about them. Compromise is essential in many aspects of life, and it saddens me to see that many people are no longer capable of it.
Happy New Years!
Time for a mushy New Years post. I do want to say that I am thankful for all of my friends and family. I’m thankful for people who call me out on my bullshit, and who keep me honest. This has been a great year of new opportunities and new friendships. I hope the following year is full of the same.
Time to move forward!
Be nice to a stranger day
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/14/shooting-reported-at-connecticut-elementary-school/?hpt=hp_t1
The news of the school shooting in Connecticut is heart breaking. Regardless of your political affiliation, do something nice for another person. Let’s heal this country by caring for each other again. Let’s get the mentally unstable access to decent, free healthcare. Let’s increase the waiting period for a gun. Let’s DO SOMETHING to help keep our children, and each other, safe.
Elections
So Elections happened this past Tuesday. I had a paper due, so I didn’t spend time updating this blog. All I can say is thank (God, FSM, Yoda, whatever) Obama won. Now don’t get me wrong, in many ways Obama is not liberal enough. I’m just glad for my family, my friends and for everyone really that we didn’t take a giant step backwards. Who would have figured that issues concerning women’s rights and fairness for everyone to love whomever they want would actually make the difference. Well okay rational people who understand that going towards a theocracy would understand.
Party Time
When IT workers party they can get a bit “goofy”.
Finally Rid of my past…
