LGBTQ+ Racism
It looks like the Harris County Democratic Party has moved to a new location. I got this yesterday:
We’re excited to invite you to our new space at 3302 Canal St., Houston, TX 77003. Join us on Sunday, February 23, 2025, to explore the new office and connect with fellow community members.
The location is about four blocks from Morales Funeral Home.
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What is up with this? From the Holy Emilia Pérez Department, Commentary received this email yesterday from the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus
Dear Members,
The Board acknowledges the seriousness of recent events that have transpired that highlight a pervasive issue within the organization, one of racism. We understand that offensive comments have caused significant distress and harm to many community members.
We recognize that these comments are rooted in deeply ingrained biases and prejudices, particularly anti-Blackness and misogyny. Such attitudes are harmful and fundamentally incompatible with our organization’s values and mission. We also recognize that these biases and prejudices have been an organizational problem for many years, impacting our organization’s membership. We are committed to taking decisive action to address these issues, prevent similar incidents in the future, and change the organizational culture of the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus.
On February 14, the Board convened to discuss these concerns and develop a comprehensive action plan. The Board is committed to fostering a culture of respect, inclusivity, and equity within our organization. To achieve this, we have outlined the following steps:
1. Mandatory Anti-Racism Training: All Board members will participate in mandatory anti-racism training to increase awareness, challenge biases, and promote allyship. We will also explore extending this training to all members of our organization to create a shared understanding and commitment to anti-racism.
2. Community Standards and Guidelines: We will develop and adopt formal guidelines that explicitly outline acceptable behavior and language during general meetings and other community events, as well as improve our existing policies and guidelines. Our hope is that this will promote respectful and inclusive dialogue while clearly defining the consequences for violating them.
3. Ongoing Dialogue and Engagement: We are committed to maintaining open and transparent communication with our community throughout this process. We will provide regular updates on implementing these measures and seek feedback from our members to ensure our actions are effective and meaningful.
4. Accountability and Transparency: We will hold ourselves accountable for creating a safe and welcoming environment for all community members. We will be transparent about our progress and acknowledge any shortcomings or areas for improvement.
We understand that these actions are the first steps in a long-term journey toward dismantling systemic oppression and creating a truly equitable and inclusive community.
We are committed to doing the necessary work to achieve this goal, and we appreciate your patience and support as we move forward.
We value your engagement and welcome your feedback as we continue working toward a better future for our organization and community.
Sincerely,
Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus Board Members
Your guess is as good as mine as to what happened. I have not been to a Caucus meeting since last August. Obviously, there was a problem that had to be addressed in this manner.
The featured photo is Hallmark’s LGBTQ+ Christmas flick “Friends & Family Christmas,” just because I didn’t want to use the Caucus logo or a pride flag. They may claim that I didn’t ask for permission. You know how that goes.
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In the last week or so, Canadians have been booing during the playing of our National Anthem when a U.S. team plays a team from Canada in Canada. I guess that is what happens when Donald Trump says he wants to annex Canada. If Canada became a U.S. state, it would have 54 electoral college votes.
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New Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes is 26 today. Happy Birthday, Isaac!
