February Newsletter

IN THIS EDITION:

Chair Talk
Next Meeting
Important Dates
Upcoming Events
BCDs in Action
Feature
Blanco County Executive Committee

1. Chair Talk...

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest”

- Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and activist

Happy February!

January was the month of bad news. The first murder was Renee Good on January 7^th. Then Alex Pretti was murdered on January 24^th. These deaths have hit us all very hard. They were both talented, hard-working, loving young people. We mourn their loss and grieve with their families.

The quote above reminds us of the terrible injustices throughout world history and makes the call to never stop protesting more powerful. Yes, we might be scared, but we can take heart from the people in Minneapolis. We know they have reason to be afraid, but they come out in sub-zero temperatures to show Trump and his goons that they’re still there! Our protests are working! And, there is good news. 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father have been released from the detention center in Tilley, and they are home in Minnesota! Democrat Christian Menefee won a U.S. House seat in a special election in Texas! And Taylor Rehment won a TX House seat in Ft Worth!! He beat the Republican by double digits. In Minnesota’s special election, Democrats won two seats in the State House of Representatives, giving Democrats the majority. The Republican candidate for Minnesota governor dropped out of the race, saying that Trump’s immigration operation in the state is an unmitigated disaster!

Early voting for the Primary Election begins February 17 and runs for two weeks; Election Day is Tuesday, March 3^rd. This election is so important. Please vote all up and down the ballot. Encourage your friends and neighbors to vote. Don’t let anyone tell you, “my vote doesn’t matter”. Tell them voting is a responsibility of being an American citizen, and we don’t use that privilege; we might lose it. Work for your candidates. Volunteer to help get out the vote, and attend forums to meet the candidates.

Our annual fundraiser is on February 26^th. The theme is Voices of Hope. It’s going to be a beautiful evening with great candidates you need to meet. The invitation to this event is listed in this newsletter in Section 4. Upcoming Events. Click the RSVP button for more information and to register.

Blanco County Democrats will not endorse candidates until after the Primary, but the money raised will be used to help candidates and to get out the vote for the General Election.

Thanks for all you do. Keep working! We will win!

Good health and happiness. Maggie

2. Next Meeting

Voices of Hope Annual Fundraiser

Open to all Blanco County Democrats

Thursday, February 26th @ 5:30PM

Location: Released upon registration

3. Important Dates

Feb 5 / Let’s Talk Candidate Forum / Canyon Lake
Feb 5 / EYES ON ICE: Document & Record - Online Training
Feb 17 / First day of Early Voting for the General Primary Election
Feb 21 / Saturday Early Voting from 7am-7pm at the Blanco County Annex / Hoppe Room in Johnson City
Feb 22 / Sunday Early Voting from 9am - 3pm at the Blanco County Annex / Hoppe Room in Johnson City
Feb 26 / Voices of Hope: Blanco County Democrats Annual Fundraiser
Feb 27 / Last day of Early Voting
Mar 3 / General Primary Election - All precinct locations open 7am-7pm
Mar 14 / Blanco County Democratic Convention TBD
Mar 28 / NO KINGS Blanco County - Stay Tuned for Details

4. Upcoming Events

Click the image to RSVP!

Special Thanks to artist Mark Smith for his generous support and the use of his Hope Suite collection for this event.

“The Hope Suite - has special meaning for me, because of the way it combines inspiration with history. The works - 44 works on paper - were inspired initially by the election of the first Black president of the U. S., Barack Obama. It is ironic that these works are exhibited in a former plantation manor that has deep roots in Austin’s history of African American enslavement.

Each of the 24” x 18” works on paper contains the word “hope” in one of 44 world languages. My idea is to utilize the universal language of art to build bridges between diverse cultures, i.e., bridges, instead of walls. I hope they can provide a note of peace and a unifying feeling in a challenging and divided world. Viewers can see on the Map of Hope that we all live and die under the same blue sky and can write a note of hope to add to The Bowl of Hope."

5. BCDs in Action - January

Thank you to everyone who brought donations for our Blanco County food pantries, to Travis for delivering them for us.

Blanco County Democrats with Texas Attorney General candidate Joe Jaworski.

Texas Attorney General candidate Joe Jaworski.

Become a GEM Today!

6. Feature: Texas 2026

The Dissolution of Labor Unions in Nazi/Fascist Germany, 1933

The Question of Our Time

As a kid I was fascinated by books about World War II. This began as escapism from a youth that swung from mundane, to confusing, to undirected. The stories taught something about morality, courage, mortality, and a love for my country. After all, that generation of Americans had a major role in saving the world.

Age and education showed me there were much deeper, more horrific, and more ambiguous realities about that war and about all wars. War is ugly and painful beyond understanding. It is a failure of humanity and the unrestrained violence of WWII resulting in the slaughter of millions of innocent lives presenting an objectively real moral choice.

But a question grew as this understanding developed, “how could people in the 1920’s and 30’s not see the wrongs that were occurring and take a stand against them?” Certainly, there was resistance (met with more cruelty) but why did so many keep their doors closed and their mouth shut – were they stupid, cowards? Then the most important question came, “what would I have done?”

No doubt, many are asking this question today so let’s put it plainly – what will we do in the face of authoritarian-based violence directed at people who’ve been made scapegoats in a political drama? Lies are being told about innocent people. Some believe the lies because of who is telling them. Others are willing to believe without evidence or to use the lies to obtain power, wealth, or fame. Still others promote the lies hoping to achieve racial, social, or religious purity to allay their own fears.

In the face of today’s authoritarian lies and violence, what will we each do now?

Some are already taking a stand. Others feel the answer in their gut and are actively seeking courage or will be compelled to by the next bad thing. We know some will act publicly, some quietly, and some not at all. Some will be judged negatively based on their choices and become scapegoats themselves. We should take care not to do so.

I cannot forget my question as a boy, “how could some not act?” Therefore, I will not be silent. I will bear witness to wrongs. I will protect my family, my personal community, and the innocent from lies, threats, and violence. I will pray for peace.

It is time again for people of good faith to ask this question and come to the answer they will live by. It’s not about winning as nothing is guaranteed, but about being true to ourselves, our conscience, our faith, our love of democracy. I believe Americans are up to this challenge now as we were 85 years ago. May we all do so, serene in our choices.

Terry Casparis