Category: Sema Hernandez

Is Al Gore Officially a Prophet Yet?

2/8/2019

Remember what Al Gore said about Greenland in "An Inconvenient Truth"? It's happening. https://t.co/2p5Dpr2QAE
— David Bruce Collins □☮ (@dbcgreentx) August 2, 2019

Back in 2016, former Vice President Al Gore came to Houston to deliver the two-day Climate Reality Project speaker training, and Kayleen signed up for it. She got to spend some time with one of her heroes: She had shown excerpts from An Inconvenient Truth to her World Geography students back in her teaching days.

Gore, a Democrat to his very marrow, became less of a hero in her eyes when he came out in favor of his old friend Hillary Clinton in her quest for the presidency. The whole movement lost its luster as Kayleen discovered that the overwhelming majority of those present for the training placed their faith in the Democratic Party and its candidates to solve the impending climate crisis. Cuz we know that President Barack Obama dedicated his entire eight years in the White House to reversing climate change, starting at the Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2009--NOT!

So Kayleen, dejected, never did any Climate Reality speaking gigs. As consolation she did meet a new friend who came to the training from Zimbabwe, and who is now studying climate science in Paris. So we may have someone to visit if we ever make it to France.

None of the text below, which mentions several Democrats by name, is meant to imply that I'm turning into a Democrat. Generally, I vote for Democrats in local races in which there is no Green running. I will promote candidates and elected office-holders whose views I find genuinely progressive—regardless of how the Democratic Party establishment may treat them, regardless of occasional votes that seem at odds with the progressive agenda. I will defend them from baseless smears propagated by any party or media outlet. (Your findings of progressivity may vary, and that's OK: even Greens don't agree on everything.)

Sema to Appear at OR Harris County Saturday

4/10/2018

Our Revolution Harris County informs us that the guest speaker at this Saturday's monthly meeting will be none other than Sema Hernandez, proudly socialist Democratic candidate for US Senate in 2018. She is starting the process toward challenging John Cornyn for his seat in 2020, and she embodies the maxim that democracy does stop at voting.

Sema is a daughter of immigrants, oldest of 7 siblings and first American born child in her family. She grew up in a migrant working family and she understands the struggles of people who are burdened by crushing debt, job insecurity, and lack of healthcare coverage, among the other struggles of the working poor. Sema is a passionate Human Rights advocate, activist and organizer who made a historic run for U.S. Senate in the 2018 primary election.

Although Sema did not win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, she continues to remain active, organizing as the Co-Chair of the Texas Poor People’s Campaign, empowering voters to challenge their elected officials and candidates based on the issues to end systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation and the distorted moral narrative. Sema will be discuss[ing] the Poor People's Campaign and efforts to organize for progressive change.

WHERE: Havens Center, 1827 W. Alabama St., 77006 (just east of The Chocolate Bar)
WHEN: 2 pm, Saturday 6 October.
RSVP: click here.

O'Rourke's Words and Deeds Go Separate Ways

18/2/2018

It's very strange.... https://t.co/WGln31LIyE
Beto said he'd be happy to debate his primary opponents. I guess he's only comfortable doing it on his turf & on his own terms.
Step out of your comfort zone & #DebateSema #DebateKimbrough
Don't marginalize your opponents. #Democracy https://t.co/zhXoA2i3M0
— Sema Hernandez for Texas U.S. Senate □ (@ElectSema4TX) February 18, 2018

Sema Hernandez posted a tweet that includes video of Rep. Beto O'Rourke fielding questions about, among other matters, a Democratic primary debate. I like most of what he says in the video: In particular, good on him for co-sponsoring a bill to sunset the Authorized Use of Military Force blank check for the Executive Branch, and for being genuine about not necessarily being every progressive's dream candidate.

That said, saying you'd be happy to debate, while your campaign does nothing toward arranging a debate, might be perceived as a craven dodge. O'Rourke is either quite sincere or quite adept at projecting sincerity. If the latter, he is indeed a consummate politician.

We've already mentioned how O'Rourke's possibly self-appointed street team has punked Hernandez's website (I haven't seen Hernandez or her campaign make anything of that) and that text message I received asking for my vote in November as if the March primary ain't no thang. I doubt that O'Rourke himself will take any ownership of these faux pas; if called on it he will probably deny any knowledge, and he may in fact not know.

If O'Rourke is the savior some of my friends think he is, and if he truly believes in voters making informed choices, he should show some courage and debate his primary opponents. A rookie politician by the name of Ted Cruz won the Republican nomination in 2012 by out-debating establishment candidates, including a certain Greg Abbott. Cruz had little to lose, but he won big by showing off his madd forensic skillz. By not sharing a dais with political novices Hernandez and Kimbrough, O'Rourke is silently saying that his own ideas may not stand up to scrutiny.

OR-TX Gulf Coast Reports from OR-TX State Convention

8/2/2018

Our Revolution Texas had its statewide convention in San Antonio two weekends ago. Just this morning I received the Gulf Coast delegations report via e-mail. As disorganized and as unreliable a correspondent as I tend to be, it would be wrong to give them shit for the long delay.

I'm pleased to report that the OR Gulf Coast delegation chose my former fellow First UUer Luigi Bai to be its state Steering Committee representative. The message notes that Luigi also played a major role in drafting the state body's bylaws, which are still subject to revision and approval by regional groups.

In addition, seeing that populist firebrands Jim Hightower and David Van Os were not only in attendance but actively participating in this confab fills my heart with light and warmth.

Sema Not Endorsed
The paragraph below was not the only one in the message containing flagrant use of the passive voice. As for the development in relates, I'm not sure how I feel:

The Harris County OR Delegation made their unanimous motion for OR Texas to endorse Sema Hernandez for state senator. There was lengthy debate as to the appropriateness of the motion. It was decided the motion was appropriate and arguments were had for and against the endorsement, and for and against the appropriateness of this particular process for endorsement. After much debate and procedural maneuvering, the motion failed. We hope the new Statewide Steering Committee will work promptly to develop a process for endorsing candidates for state-wide office.

Who Hacked Sema's Site? with Update

1/2/2018

Another quick entry: I clicked the Twitter icon on Sema Hernandez's campaign site, and it took me to this mess. What the actual phuck?

The correct Twitter page for the Hernandez campaign is here.

In the absence of evidence, we're not going to blame the O'Rourke campaign for creating the phony page. But it says a lot about his followers and the acolytes of the Democratic Party establishment that certain persons unknown felt compelled to create it. Somebody's getting merit badges in left-punching and underdog-trolling.

UPDATE: The link appears to have been fixed.

Campaigns on the Brains

1/2/2018

This will be a short entry, I promise. After all, I avoided watching the SOTU Tuesday night and went to a special event at Brash Brewery (try their milk stout, Milk the Venom—it's vicious and delicious), so I'm not still seething with "OMG WTF is he even saying???"

It's time to resort to an Ordered List, which will help me keep this entry tidy and concise, because I need all the help I can get with that.

Next Tuesday night at 7:30, I'll be delivering the first of several Ballot Access Orientations. This one will take place at the SHAPE Community Center's Harambee Building, 3903 Almeda in Third Ward. It will last about an hour, and it's walking distance from Axelrad Beer Garden.
Savage Joy of Real Progressives has this lengthy interview with Texas Progressive and Democratic candidate for US Senate Sema Hernandez on its Facebook page. Beto O'Rourke's nomination is likely but not a foregone conclusion.
Speaking of reaching across the proverbial aisle to Democrats, tomorrow I have a lunch appointment with Lina Hidalgo, the only Democrat in the primary race for Harris County Judge. She was one of the candidates who left a favorable impression in her too-brief talk at Our Revolution a couple of weeks ago.
Occasionally these days, I find myself wishing that I had filed to run for US Senate myself. It would be fun, in a perverse kind of way, plus it would help me raise the profile of the Green Party at a time when that profile could use a boost. But then I remind myself that I have multiple good reasons not to. Jan Richards floated the idea of my running as a write-in, which for statewide office in Texas has petitioning requirements even more stringent than for political parties. Thanks, but no.

Kept it short—mission accomplished.

Is Al Gore Officially a Prophet Yet?

Sema to Appear at OR Harris County Saturday

O'Rourke's Words and Deeds Go Separate Ways

OR-TX Gulf Coast Reports from OR-TX State Convention

Who Hacked Sema's Site? with Update

Campaigns on the Brains

DBC Sez...

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