Sunday, August 11, 2013

A shocking bit of local history

A chat thread on a Galveston Daily News article has revealed an eye-opening bit of local history.  Amusingly, the piece is titled "You'd be shocked what you can find out about League City" (sic... why do the editors let atrocious grammar slip through to publication?!), but in fact, the shocker was not in the article content - it was in the comments, where one of the readers related participatory memories of this 1992 event: 
Protestors outside the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center

Photo citation:
Kiecke, Albert. [Demonstrators Outside a Republican Rally], Photograph, February 28, 1992; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth279487/ : accessed August 11, 2013), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting League City Helen Hall Library, League City, Texas.
League City hosted a support rally for Republican presidential candidate David Duke, the same David Duke who reportedly founded the Louisiana branch of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and became its Grand Wizard
Um... would anyone care to upload a copy of this pic to Facebook and tag these rally participants?  It sure would be fascinating to know who they are, and whether or not any of them have ever served League City in an official capacity. 

Photo citation:
Kiecke, Albert. [Photographer at a Repulican Rally], Photograph, February 28, 1992; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth279472/: accessed August 11, 2013), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting League City Helen Hall Library, League City, Texas.
Here's why I find this discovery interesting:  Having only lived in League City for 3.5 years now, when I come across civic bad behaviors such as Constitutional rights violations and right-wing religious extremism and [other issues about which I have thus far declined to blog], it is difficult for me to frame those events in a larger context because I simply haven't lived here long enough to have developed a comprehensive "feel" for the prevailing collective character of this place.  Do this piece of garbage and that piece of garbage represent isolated, unrelated events, or are they reflective of a larger, historically-predicated dark municipal identity? 

I still don't know the answer to that, but this latest revelation adds another piece to that puzzle of comprehension.  Duke's affiliations, platform, and identity were neither concealed nor unknown during his 1992 campaign, and the fact that League City welcomed him with open arms - and as a perceived-legitimate Republican to boot (the mainstream Republican Party reportedly disavowed him) - all this is profoundly disturbing.

I sure wish that someone with solid institutional knowledge could come forward and provide a concise factual account of League City's history - a factual version that isn't politically motivated, white-washed, or spin-doctored.  So far, all we suburban newbies have are these disquieting bits and pieces, and it's very difficult to evaluate what we (as voters) are truly up against here if we don't have access to an accurate historical framework.  Maybe someday we'll see that fuller story emerge (hint, hint... is there anybody out there?!). 
Another one with tag potential.

Photo Citation:
Kiecke, Albert. [Crowd at a Republican Rally], Photograph, February 28, 1992; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth279469/: accessed August 11, 2013), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting League City Helen Hall Library, League City, Texas.

3 comments:

  1. LOL, my goodness David Duke. I remember that ! I could tell you a few stories about Mr. Duke’s on again off again visit. “A factual version” ? well the only way you can be sure of that is to have been there yourself. I find it sad to hear you say “all we suburban newbies have are these disquieting bits and pieces, and it's very difficult to evaluate what we (as voters) are truly up against here if we don't have access to an accurate historical framework.” Some citizens have tried (with degrees of success) to do the right thing, however those who want to continue to make money and keep the power instill in the “suburban newbies” who they can and cannot trust as well as who to vote for. That should tell you something right there. Some of us want nothing more than what is best for our city that we, our adult children and grandchildren live in. I have lived in League City 53 years and have been involved in the politics of this city for decades. Before that my mother was greatly involved. That is the key to understanding the political battleground of our city. Get involved. Get on a city board or commission and find out how it works and you will be exposed to how the politics of our town works. People can tell you the story but you will not understand until you have experienced it.

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  2. Hmmmm, if only it were as easy as "get involved". With whom was I discussing this very issue some months back... it was probably one of the blogosphere regulars - maybe Edelman, DiFalco, or Morgan (I can't locate the thread right now)... the perplexing barriers to "getting involved" around here. That person with whom I was corresponding was on a citizens' committee. LC made a decision on the issue at hand, and not only was "the committee" for that issue not permitted to contribute to that decision, LC didn't even have the courtesy to inform them that a decision was made - the committee members found out about it by reading GCDN just like everyone else. So much for "getting involved".

    I'd previously heard the same type of lock-out accusation from a homeowner in Old Town who was well-informed regarding the issues facing that sector of LC, and who tried valiantly to contribute in some relevant fashion, but they were categorically denied any role. Phone calls not even returned, that sort of thing.

    So there's that. I'm also seeing a persistent disturbing trend by which decent intelligent people who do manage to "get involved" with LC are being chewed up and spit out like stale dip. So even the most savvy ones haven't managed to grasp what it means to "get involved" and actually survive the experience professionally.

    For starters, I would like to "get involved" to the level of knowing which extremists NOT to vote for. As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, having an actual LC-centric newspaper would probably help in this regard, but we don't have one at this point. Until better methods become apparent, much of my getting involved will probably be limited to asking questions and running down whatever info I am able to find.

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