PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Susan Dollar
Did you ever hear the kid's rhyme, "sticks and stones may break my bones but words shall never hurt me"? I remember growing up with that rhyme and thinking how strange it was, because words can hurt.
Words matter.
Words can motivate, inspire, and unite people, or they can incite fear, hatred, and division. The impact of words depends on the message they carry, the context in which they are used, and the individuals who speak them. When you hear politicians, particularly Republicans, using words like invasion and hostages and vermin, those cause an immediate emotional reaction and instill fear in those that hear them. The xenophobic, dehumanizing language and antagonistic rhetoric serve only to rachet up hostility and suspicion among people on all sides of the political spectrum.
The 17th century English legal scholar John Seldon said, "Syllables govern the world. And if we use militaristic syllables to describe the operations of our government, our leaders will be warriors."
Greg Abbott is one of the worst at using inflammatory words (and we won't even go there with Trump's rhetoric). Abbott's words about Texas "defending itself", "not backing down", "taking our border back", "under assault", "engaged in war", and "boots on the ground" only serve to inflame and escalate situations. The mounting aggression that his words cause will put us on an inevitable collision course.
We shape our lives with words. When discourse about our civic participation is framed in argumentative terms, culture wars are inevitable - and violence is possible. How we see the world and how we think about it are both profoundly influenced by the language we use. Language impacts our mental functions including the way we take in new knowledge and classify things. Our thoughts, emotions, and actions are heavily influenced by language. Language also shapes our social interactions; the language we use can affect how we perceive and interact with other people.
Over the course of the next two BAD meetings, we will be exploring - and learning - about language and conversations. This month, we will learn the art of persuasive conversation. The focus is on understanding where people are coming from, listening to them, finding common ground, and sharing information. We will learn ways to do those things - and what not to do, too. I think you will find this very helpful as we move closer to the fall election.
It's inevitable that we will all find ourselves in a situation where we will need to use persuasive conversation techniques. There will be many future dialogs with family, friends, neighbors, Independents, and maybe even Republicans. It behooves us all to become competent in the delivery and content of our language, so I hope to see you at our meetings!
Suggested resources:
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I Never Thought of it That Way, by Monica Guzman
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Smart Politics, https://www.joinsmart.org/
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Google Hidden Brain and look for US 2.0; topics include What We Have in Common, Win Hearts Then Minds, Living with our Differences, Not at the Dinner Table, and Lincoln's Dilemma.
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MARCH BAD MEETING
Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.
NOTE: this is an evening meeting.
Longhorn Cafe, 369 S. Esser, Boerne (upstairs)
This is a double feature meeting!
Our guest speaker will be KEVIN GEARY, who is running against Mark Dorazio (R) for Texas House District 122.
Bonus: We will also learn all about "Persuasive Conversation" and will have an opportunity to practice some new techniques for communication.
Also, we have a small group of dedicated volunteers who have been working on developing "talking points" about the main political hot button issues. Afte several weeks and untold hours of work, the group is ready to unveil the results. At our meeting on Thursday, BAD members and guests will see the fruits of our labors and will get to take home copies of the most pressing "Talking Points".
This meeting is really important so please make every effort to attend!
Remember that if you want to eat during the meeting, be sure to arrive early to place your order.
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The Center for Refugee Services is once again in dire need of supplies for refugee families. They currently have over 40 newly arrived people sleeping on the floors of their empty apartments.
They need blankets and bedding, pots and pans, and all kinds of kitchen supplies and equipment.
If you would like to donate items, please bring them to our BAD meeting on March 21. Jessica Veilleux and representatives from CRS will be there to pick up and transport donations. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
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LAURA BRAY
Kendall County Democratic Party Chair
NOTES FROM THE CHAIR
March 2024
The 2024 Primary Election is finally behind us! First of all, MANY THANKS to those of you who served as election clerks and judges! The entire day ran smoothly (only a few minor hiccups), and that’s largely due to your hard work and dedication. Thanks also to the Kendall County Elections Office. Staci Decker and her staff make our job running the primary much easier.
Congratulations to Dwain Handley, our nominee for Texas House District 19, and Raquel Saenz Ortiz, our nominee for State Board of Education District 10. (Dr. Merrie Fox, Texas Senate District 25, and Dr. Kristin Hook, US District 21, ran unopposed.) In November, Dwain will run against incumbent Republican Ellen Troxclair. Raquel’s opponent will be determined in the May runoff. Both Dwain and Raquel (and Merrie) will join us at our County Convention.
There will be *no* runoff in the Democratic Primary in Kendall County. The only race that was a “question-mark” was US Senate, and Colin Allred handily won Kendall County with 68% of the vote (his statewide total was 58.8%). The Republicans, however, likely *will* have a runoff. As of this writing, no one in the State Board of Education District 10 race received over 50% of the vote. So it’s likely that Tom Maynard (incumbent) and Mary Bone will be on the runoff ballot. (They are both crazy-conservative.) Depending on outstanding mail-in and military ballots, the Republican races for Railroad Commissioner and Supreme Court Justice Place 4 might need a runoff. All their crazy-nuts Propositions handily passed.
1,053 Democrats voted in the Kendall Democratic Primary (with some mail-in and military ballots still to arrive). While I’m happy we “cracked” the 1,000-vote threshold, that means 80% of our local Democrats did not vote in our Primary. (Some probably voted in the Republican Primary; our voter database doesn’t have those numbers yet.) We will need to work hard to make sure more of our local Democrats vote in November.
Some good news: I visited all eleven voting centers on Election Day, and I noticed several young voters carrying Democratic convention slips. Warmed my heart.
Take a deep breath and a bit of a break. We will hit the ground running this spring with our “Get Out the Vote” effort for the fall General Election, and we will need everyone’s help! (See “Volunteers Needed” below.)
Thanks for all you do to work for equality and justice in Texas!
IMPORTANT Note on Office Parking
Per the terms of our office lease, we are permitted to use two parking spots at 216 E. Blanco during regular business hours. If you organize or attend a meeting that has more than two people, you must park in an alternative lot. The lot at old City Hall (402 E. Blanco) is currently available and only a short walk away. You may also park along Saunders St, near the Kendall County Appraisal Company office. (If you park here, please be careful crossing the street.) Note that meetings in the evenings or on the weekends do not have a parking restriction.
We work very hard to be good tenants, and I do not want our operations to run afoul of either our landlords or other tenants. So please abide by the parking rules.
You may have noticed the new salon now open in the building next door to our office. These clients have been taking up some parking at 216 E. Blanco, and our landlords have been in touch with the salon owner and asked them to have their clients park elsewhere. If you notice salon clients parking in our lot, please let Laura, Peg, or Shawn know, so we can inform the landlord.
Thank you!
Upcoming Events: (please make sure to let Shawn know about any meetings you plan to hold at the office, so we don’t double-book the space. Also: for meetings of more than two people during “business hours,” have participants park in alternative lots.
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YOU ARE INVITED!
We encourage all Kendall County Democrats to attend our County Convention on Saturday, March 23, at 1:00 p.m. at the Hampton Inn on I-10.
What is a County Convention and why should you attend?
Every two years, following the primary election, each political party holds county conventions. The state party sets the date and county parties set the time and place. So on March 23, Democrats all over Texas will be meeting.
The Kendall County Convention is an opportunity to meet and hear candidates for various offices, including Kristin Hook (candidate for U.S. House District 21), Merrie Fox (candidate for Texas State Representative District 25), Dwain Handley (candidate for Texas House of Representatives District 19), Raquel Saenz (candidate for Texas State Board of Education District 10), and Michelle Lowe-Solis, Texas Democratic Party SD 25 Executive Committee member.
At the Kendall County convention, we will also be electing delegates to attend the Texas Democratic Party’s State Convention on June 6-8 in El Paso. Our delegate count this year is 15 (in addition to the county chair). If you would like to become a delegate to the state convention, make plans to attend on March 23!
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KEEPING AN EYE ON GOVERMENT
Click on the links below to learn more!
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BECOME A RECURRING DONOR!
Effective January 1, 2024, any person who sets up a monthly contribution of $10 or more or donates an annual amount of $120 or more will be exempt from regular dues as long as the recurring donation continues.
The hope is, especially during this election year, that recurring donations will increase, thus allowing BAD to contribute to critical campaigns and various get-out-the-vote efforts.
Please consider becoming a recurring donor. It’s easy to set up your recurring donation via ActBlue, Simply go to https://secure.actblue.com/ and click on Sign In to enter your information. You can also donate via a credit card, an auto-withdrawal from your bank, or by mailing a check to BAD, P.O. Box 2132, Boerne, TX, 78006.
If you prefer to pay regular annual dues ($10 for students, $35 for those 60 or over, and $50 for everyone else), you can do so online by clicking here: https://www.boerne-area-democrats.com/membership and by completing the online payment form. You can also mail a check or pay in person at a BAD meeting.
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THIRSTY THURSDAY
Spring has sprung and it's time to get back together
for a Thirsty Thursday event!
Mark your calendars:
March 28 at 5:00 p.m.
tentatively scheduled for RANDOM BEER GARDEN
11 Upper Cibolo Creek Rd, Boerne
Watch your email and our website/Facebook page for more information!
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Be ready for the April 8 total eclipse with the perfect, limited edition, one-of-a-kind
Democratic eclipse glasses!
Available at the Dem office and at our BAD meeting!
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BAD BOOK CLUB
The BAD Book Club will meet on Wednesday, April 17, at 5:30 p.m. at the Dem headquarters, 216 E. Blanco, Suite 201.
The book selection is Adrift: America in 100 Charts by Scott Galloway. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Janice Bloodworth at 210-632-6974.
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Announcing new office hours! The office is now open on Monday-Friday from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Stop by and visit - or better yet, stop in and help work on getting out the vote! |
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Click on any of these icons to be taken to their web pages. |
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GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY!
Let your voices be heard by attending these community meetings.
Click on any of the icons for more information.
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Boerne City Council meets at 6:00 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, 447 N. Main Street, Boerne.
The Planning and Zoning Commission meetings are held on the first Monday of each month in the Ronald C. Bowman Council Chambers at City Hall, 447 N. Main Street, Boerne.
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The Kendall County Commissioner's Court meets on the 2nd and 4th Monday at 9:00 a.m. in the County Courthouse, 201 E. San Antonio Street, 3rd floor. |
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The Fair Oaks City Council meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the FOR City Hall, 7286 Dietz Elkhorn Road, FOR. |
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The Comfort ISD Board of Trustees meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the CISD Central Office, 327 High Street, Comfort. |
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The Boerne ISD Board of Trustees meets on the 4th Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m. in the Administrative Offices, 235 Johns Road.
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The Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District meets on the 2nd Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at 9 Topperwein Road, Boerne.
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BOERNE AREA DEMOCRATS BOARD
President: Susan Dollar
Vice President: Whitney White
Secretary: Robin Prescott
Treasurer: Michele Smith
Membership: Shawn Bonner
Publicity: Gloria Villanueva
Ex Officio member: Laura Bray, KCDP
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Connect with us!
JOIN THE BOERNE AREA DEMOCRATS
Email: BAD@boerne-area-democrats.com
Web: boerne-area-democrats.org
Facebook: facebook.com/boerne.area.democrats
Notice Regarding Photography and/or Audio/Video Recording
The Boerne Area Democrats captures photographs and/or audio/video recordings during our events.
Such photographs and recordings may be used in BAD's advertising and social media relations to let others
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them to record events for news reporting. If you do not wish to be in photos/videos,
please let the photographer/videographer know in advance.
This newsletter is intended for people interested in the work of the Boerne Area Democrats and the Democratic Party in general. To be removed from this mailing list, please click on Unsubscribe below
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