Merry Mayhem: The Republican Party's Christmas In Texas
From holiday cheer to political fear, the consequences of the GOP's culture war bring us division and political polarization.
For those who celebrate Christmas, I hope your day was merry. For those who do not, I hope you enjoyed the day off of work. I spent the weekend with my family. We had a lot of fun. All of the kids are growing like weeds. One of my cousins brought a girl home for the first time, and another cousin pulled me aside and confessed he was becoming more liberal in his old age.
Christmas is supposed to be a time of cheer and joy. Unfortunately, the Republican Party is so entrenched in their stupid culture war that thcan’tn’t act like ordinary people for a holiday. When I finally got around to logging onto social media, I was greeted by this:
This is the man who is running against Tony Gonzalez (R) in TX23, the same one that left an inactive explosive device in Uvalde last week. The ‘AK Guy,’ who has built his persona upon a fascination with AK47s and AR15s—the very instruments of such unimaginable sorrow in Uvalde—now seeks a congressional seat in the same grief-stricken community.
The discord between his gun-centric image and the sad reality faced by the families in Uvalde is apparent, a jarring contrast that lays bare the complexities of society’s relationship with firearms.
It raises profound questions about the appropriateness and sensitivity of public figures who align closely with controversial symbols, particularly in areas freshly wounded by related tragedies.
Of course, I said something, which led to the ‘AK Guy’ blocking me on Twitter.
Who knew the gun guy who wanted to be the Congressman over the place of gun deaths would be such a snowflake?
On a positive note, Luke Skywalker vomited in my Twitter mentions. On Christmas!
All joking aside, the weight of this situation rests heavily on the shoulders of those in Uvalde. It serves as a stark reminder that the actions and images we endorse and the leaders we choose to represent us can profoundly impact our communities.
If the ‘AK Guy’s’ Christmas message wasn’t sick enough, wait to see what a Tim Dunn flunky did.
Cary Cheshire, who is heavily involved with the Defend Texas Liberty PAC and the white supremacist group Texans for Strong Borders, has a new PAC: the Texas Anti-Communist League PAC.
According to Texas Tribune reporter Robert Downe: “The Texas Anti-Communist League PAC” was first registered last year by longtime Empower Texans/Defend Texas Liberty-aligned activist Cary Cheshire. So far, it hasn’t reported any donations or expenditures.
In the days before Christmas, voters in Speaker Dade Phelan’s district received cards suggesting Phelan canceled Christmas in favor of Ramadan.
This is blatant racism and Islamophobia. There’s no lie too big and no trick too dirty for Republicans. They sit around thinking of dirty tricks, including weaponizing other Religions to do it, showboat saying Merry Christmas, and then pretend Christianity is being persecuted.
By the way, Ramadan is in March.
Muslim Representative Doctor Suleman Lalani put out the following statement regarding Cary Cheshire’s racist stunt:
Meanwhile, Governor Greg Abbott goes after the Houston Chronicle regarding white baby Jesus’ immigration status.
The Houston Chron published an editorial about Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus called, “Two thousand years ago, a young family became refugees.” And Abbott responded.
Yeah, this is real life. Our Governor is arguing with the local paper about the immigration status of Jesus. It’s so absurd that you would think it was completely made up if there wasn’t evidence.
Hundreds of people responded to Abbott’s post, quoting scripture and pointing to how Abbott was wrong and cherry-picking the bible. But that’s what Christian Nationalism does.
In Texas politics, the threads of humanity and morality are being tested.
Our political landscape has become a battleground where Republican ideologies clash with the lives and well-being of Texas citizens. The Republican Party of Texas appears to have veered into a territory marked by a blatant disregard for those they aim to serve.
The insensitivity and outright prejudice, from the ‘AK Guy’ to the undercurrents of racism and Islamophobia evident in the actions of Cary Cheshire, are not just political maneuvers; they are reflections of a more profound moral crisis.
As Texans, as Americans, and as human beings, we stand at a crossroads where our choices will define the legacy we leave behind. To vote against such depravity is not a political statement but a reaffirmation of our commitment to empathy, respect, and a shared sense of community.
We must reject the forces that seek to divide us by the things that should unite us: our humanity. The 2024 elections are about so much more than policies. It’s about the soul of Texas and our shared humanity. To save both, we must support leaders who represent the best of us, serve with integrity, and honor the diverse landscape of Texas.
We have to choose a future built on the foundations of understanding, justice, and common decency—a future where Texas can lead the way in healing, not just for its own, but for the nation.
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I admired and took to heart your thoughts at the end of your post (or am trying to). The gun-toting Christmas photo, the puerile and racist dirty tricks to discredit Dade Phelan, the Governor's inability to resist rising to the xenophobic bait — all point to a Texas GOP which, to paraphrase a former president, is" not sending us their best people."
What is to be done? People of good will cannot defeat this toxic sludge by stooping to their level. They are just too good at it. The challenge will be to maintain hope and discipline as we go into the election year, treating our fellows who disagree with us with respect as we try to call forth their better angels.
Thanks for your work, Michelle! Happy New Year!
all praise be to Gregg the Gawdawlful
this since last March..
"In Texas alone, as reported by the Texas Tribune, approximately 600,000 Medicaid/CHIP recipients were cut off from coverage. This severance happened not because their income had increased so much to render them ineligible, not because their children had aged out of the program, but because of “procedural” errors, including “everything from sending in applications in the mail a day late to not including the correct documentation.”