Another Unworthy Selection for ‘Texan of the Year’

The Dallas Morning News, in their annual salute to state rulers, has once again confirmed themselves as loyal promoters of mythical, state benevolence. For 2010, the dubious winner of “Texan of the Year” is Texas Head Gangster Rick Perry (here’s another link if you’re hassled by registration).

Last year, the honor was bestowed to the government gang’s hired assassins at Ft. Hood who couldn’t even protect themselves from a single assailant carrying a hand gun. For this incompetence, the Morning Ooze deemed them “heroic,“ This year, they honor one of the states leading politi-gangsters who claims the illegitimate power to rule others under the threat of violence. The MSM loves terrorists! At least, the domestic variety.

The Ooze recognizes Perry for “his ‘Texas tough-guy’ image and firm grip on the state's highest office,” and for becoming “the quintessential Texas politician and face of the state. In 26 years in public office, he has never lost an election.”

To translate: Perry has generated a mythical image through relentless public relations and well placed media sound bites, despite saying and doing nothing substantive. I don’t see how becoming the “quintessential politician” (i.e., perfect gangster) is any kind of compliment nor is being declared a “face of (any) state” something to be emulated or recognized.

The Ooze declared, "While his record as governor remains open for discussion, Perry's political instincts have been nearly infallible.” Translated: He plays the gangster game well, knowing who best to ally with (as pertains to bribes and political power) and who best to destroy as his enemy.

It would seem to me, a “Texan of the Year” honor should recognize individual achievement, accomplished through peaceful voluntary actions with others, benefiting not only the recognized individual but others who may share his/her community. This standard should immediately disqualify anyone employed or closely intimate with the criminal syndicate known as “the state.”

Let’s look at some of the other nine candidates for this honor and how they stack up against the winner. I think you’ll notice a trend toward recognizing those who actively promote, defend and initiate state sponsored violence against individuals:

Ron Washington: As manager of the financially bankrupt Texas Rangers, he led the team to it’s first ever appearance in the World Series. The team's financial woes are a bit comical considering the millions stolen from tax serfs to help pay for the Ranger’s stadium. Mr. Washington certainly didn’t accomplish this successful season on his own, seeing baseball is a team game and he never swung a bat or threw a ball. I therefore deem this candidate unworthy.

Kelly Siegler: The woman is a former prosecutor employed in Harris county. This fact alone should disqualify her. However she did show some worthiness in helping uncover juridical misconduct by another prosecutor in an 18 year old murder case. However, you have to wonder how she could have been so surprised and disgusted that such a “travesty’ could have occurred. She obviously hasn’t been paying much attention to prosecutorial misdeeds and fraud occurring at an increasing rate around the country. Nor, obviously, has she been reading the works of Will Grigg and William Anderson. I therefore deem this candidate unworthy.

Ed Whitacre: This gentlemen answered the call to be B. Osama’s “auto czar” to lead the fascist takeover and criminal bailout of GM. The Morning Ooze deems Mr. Whitacres worthy because of his “trailblazing” actions, “shaking up the corporate culture,” and restoring “faith in the company” Hilarious! I confidently deem this candidate unworthy.

Border Heroes: These are the folks suffering the effects of the state’s War on (Some) Drugs along the Texas/Mexico border. The Morning Ooze, of course makes no mention of the state’s complicity in such violence due to its absurd laws of prohibition. These folks are the direct victims of drug prohibition and state influenced violence yet insist on living their lives as normally as possible. For this noble attitude I deem these candidates worthy.

Greg Hall: Using his expertise in drilling, Mr. Hall was largely responsible for the successful rescue of the 33 miners trapped in a Chilean coal mine. This is true individual achievement resulting in direct, life saving benefit to others. I hereby declare this candidate as worthy.

Dick Armey: His days as a US congressman are over but Armey has found a way to keep feeding at the Washington teat- by directing the political action of others. Armey hitched his wagon to the lame Tea Party movement and gave it “direction,” according to the Ooze. Armey instructed others how to use political violence and the democratic mob to obtain the power necessary to control others. For this, I deem this candidate unworthy.

Jennifer Smith: She is some kind of crusader against “distracted driving.” Not such a bad cause, but like too many who find a cause to work for, Ms. Smith does not just educate but seeks to legislate. The Ooze recognizes her for working “for stronger laws and, especially, strict enforcement.” For this, I deem this candidate unworthy.

Amy Chyao: This young lady, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, has become quite accomplished in the field of scientific research, despite being just a high school student. I admire her hard work and diligence and I therefore deem this candidate as worthy.

Joel Burns: Mr. Burns is a local politi-gangster on the Ft Worth City Council who is also its first openly gay member. Of course, for this fact only, the Ooze considers the man some kind of “hero.”
Apparently, Mr. Burns is helping lead a campaign against bullying of gay teens. But like Ms. Smith, this campaign has gone beyond education to unwarranted legislation. I hereby deem this candidate as unworthy.

All but four of the candidates have close ties to the state. The mainstream media continually publicizes actions by such actors and in a manner that claims their actions as legitimate and even necessary. In a state of over twenty million people, I’m certain there are people accomplishing things that are far more worthy of recognition than babbling, loud mouth, pushy political actors and pols.

Instead, when looking at past winners, we’re given two war criminals (GW Bush and Karl Rove), city and county politicians and bureaucrats falsely given credit for a city surviving a hurricane (Houston), a father who “sacrificed” two sons to the US state’s wars, a Dallas DA who admirably help overturn at least 19 wrongful convictions yet still pursues the death penalty in some of his cases despite it going “against everything I've been taught," and of course the incompetent Ft Hood hooligans. The only worthy winner was “The Illegal Immigrant” who couldn’t even be given a decent name. The Ooze seems to buy the absurd idea that a human being can be legitimately described as “illegal” simply because his feet rest on a patch of dirt claimed by a criminal gang. How about “Hopeful Migrant” instead?

Awards and recognitions such as this are fun to analyze and pick apart. They are also quite useful in illustrating the statist world view infecting all corporate media.