Tag Archives: El Paso Times

El Paso Times Censors Own Article into FBI Probe of DA Jaime Esparza

Posted by Martín Paredes on May 3, 2012 3 comments

Screen capture of mobile version of the article

Yesterday at about four in the afternoon the El Paso Times published an article titled; “El Paso lawyer in DA primary wants inquiry into allegations against Jaime Esparza”. Within half an hour the article by Times’ reporter Diana Washington Valdez had been pulled from the Internet. This action by the El Paso Times raises many questions regarding El Paso Corruption, journalistic integrity, manipulation of the electorate and possible criminal wrongdoing.

The published article, that was later removed, states that District Attorney candidate James D. Lucas “asked the FBI and two state agencies to investigate his allegations against District Attorney Jaime Esparza which he had posted on a website this week”. The article that was removed by the Times, quotes Lucas as stating that the reason he asked for the investigation “is that I wanted people to know about the expenditures in the district attorney’s office”. Lucas added, according to the retracted article that; “(t)he expenditures are all a form of taxpayer money”.

Google results for the article

The removed article adds that Lucas had sent letters asking for an investigation of Jaime Esparza to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Texas Attorney General Office and the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The article quotes FBI Special Agent Martha Terrazas, a spokeswoman for the FBI office in El Paso as stating that “agents are looking at the website”, adding that they have nothing further to say”.

Times search results for the article

The article further adds that the State Attorney General’s Office has the letter from Lucas and the “matter is under review”. According to the now removed article, no one from the comptroller’s office was available to comment.

The article, before it was removed by the El Paso Times quotes Jaime Esparza as stating that he saw the website on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 and denies the allegations. Esparza is quoted by the article as stating that the allegations levied against him by Lucas are “not true” and that they are “political” in nature.

The now removed article seems to comply with the basics of journalism integrity as it presented both sides of the issue, the topic is relevant as it involves a political race about to be decided in the next few weeks, it quotes sources that have confirmed the accuracy of an initial probe of the allegations against a sitting district attorney by at least two investigative agencies, the FBI and the State Attorney General and most important it involves allegations of public corruption in a city involved in a far-reaching corruption investigation.

El Paso Times removes the article

The censoring of the article by the El Paso Times begs the question, why was it removed?

All elements of a public need to know are present in the article that is written by a well-respected journalist and it is current and relevant information important to the community. Who benefits from the censoring of the article and more importantly who caused the Times to censor its own article?

The El Paso Times is a private corporation that, in my opinion, has the right to choose what they report and how they do that. The problem is that the action of self-censoring raises questions about whether the El Paso Times is an unbiased reporter of information for the citizens of El Paso or is it an editorial vehicle for vested interests in the community. Not only does the censoring of the article raise the question of whether the El Paso Times has the integrity to be the newspaper of record for the city but also whether the censoring of the article is, in itself, a corporate donation to a political activity, a violation of Texas law?

On August 13, 2011, the El Paso Times reported that District Attorney Jaime Esparza disclosed that he had launched an investigation into allegations that Pastor Tom Brown may have violated a Texas State law during the attempted recall of Mayor Cook. The Texas Election Code referenced in the allegation states that corporations are prohibited from making a political contribution or political expenditure in connection with an election. The El Paso Times is a corporation.

The article, which has now been removed by the El Paso Times, involves two candidates involved in a political race about to be decided by voters of the community. It appears that someone within the El Paso Times, a corporation, decided to censor an article that would have an impact on the upcoming election results. The article itself meets all the requirements of fairness in that it reports information relevant to the community, it expresses facts about the status of an investigation and it gives both sides an opportunity to state their relevant positions, yet it was removed, for no apparent reason other than because it seemed to hurt one candidate directly.

As a corporation, has the El Paso Times not influenced the outcome of an election by first choosing to publish an article and then remove it? Would this action not be a violation of the Texas Election code relevant to corporations contributing to political causes in Texas?

Who is tasked with investigating a violation of the Texas law in question? Who makes the determination of whether an action warrants an investigation for this law?

Jaime Esparza makes the determination on whether an investigation is launched against a corporation for violations of the Texas election laws. Notwithstanding the recent Supreme Court ruling in regards to corporate political participation the Texas law has recently been employed to launch an investigation on at least one occasion. It stands to reason that Jaime Esparza was most likely to be hurt by the publication of the article that has now been removed.

Is there likely to be an investigation launched against the El Paso Times for a possible violation of the law? Probably not, as the likely investigator would be the very same person that may have benefited by the activity that allegedly would be a violation of the law in the first place.

Regardless of whether an investigation is ever launched what is more important to El Paso is whether the El Paso Times can be trusted to inform the community ethically and without outside undue influence.

How many articles has the El Paso Times chosen to censor? What reasons are used to make the determination of whether the community should be informed about current and relevant information? Who makes that determination? Who instigated the removal of the article? Does this mean that the El Paso Times allows itself to be influenced by outside forces as to what issues it covers or not?

Is this the type of news coverage the citizens of El Paso deserve? Can you trust the El Paso Times to report unbiased news free of outside influences important to the community, especially in light of the multiple corruption probes going on in the city today? Likely not as the El Paso Times self-censors articles whenever it likes.


Guest Editorial: Political Candidates Working for Themselves… Indeed?

Posted by El Paso News on March 24, 2012 Comments Off

Editor’s note: The following is a guest editorial by: Ju Teixeira

Sigh. Just when one thought that the El Paso Times in the midst of a dying industry had discovered the true meaning of journalism with powerful investigative pieces like this one by the journalist Diana Washington Valdez, it takes three steps back and practically goes to cut & paste and fails to dig deeper than the press release by  Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).

First, it is important to point out that despite the misleading phrases in the opening paragraph of the story, CREW is not in any way associated with or appointed by the Congress of the U.S. It is an independent non-profit  watch dog group with its own dubious ethical lapses. Link

While the EPT quotes Congressman Reyes stating the fact that this is strictly within the law, it also miserably failed to go further in conducting its own due diligence– and report on it– by further clarifying that fact that not only were taxpayer funds were NOT ever involved.  These are campaign expenditures funded by campaign donations.

As far as hiring family members and relatives as trusted members of your staff and reimbursing them for expenses or paying them a salary, this is not something new and exclusive to Congressman Reyes. The New York Times also featured a story on the study and responsibly reiterated on its own that, “Most of these practices do not appear to violate any laws or House ethics rules. And it is extremely common for lawmakers to use campaign funds to reimburse themselves for expenses related to a re-election bid.”

I wonder if former President Bill Clinton and his daughter, Chelsea, funded their own expenses while campaigning for Hillary Clinton during her 2008 presidential campaign. I also wonder if George W. Bush was paid a salary by his father, George H. Bush, for serving as his campaign manager during Bush, Sr.’s 1988 presidential campaign. I wonder how many present and former elected officials have hired family members or covered their expenses when participating in official campaign events throughout modern campaign history.

Some may not like it, but it did not involve misuse or use of the taxpayer’s dime and did not violate any laws. Perhaps, politicians prefer to trust family members and choose to remunerate them for giving up part of their lives to campaign for their loved one. Maybe it’s just as simple as complying with federal campaign laws and reporting any expense, activity or work on behalf of the campaign.

The story ends by quoting Mr. O’Rourke stating that, “Reyes is working for himself, his family and those close to him.” Well, according to O’Rourke’s own campaign reports from his current campaign for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. House of Representatives as well as reports for his for Congress paid his own media company, Stanton Street Technology Group, presumably for work provided to his campaign.

If we look at the 2012 race for TX House District 16, Mr. O’Rourke paid his own company, Stanton Technologies Group $8,025 and he reimbursed himself for a bit over $1,600 in expenses from July to December 2011.  Link

And in prior campaigns for city council, he also paid Stanton Street Technology Group for campaign services.  He even reimbursed Ms. Amy O’Rourke $1,300 during his 2007 campaign for another term on El Paso’s City Council.  Granted, the amount must be taken in the context of a  small time local campaign certainly not a federal campaign for a seat on the United States Congress.

Given these facts, one would have to ask the editors and reporters at the El Paso Times, what’s the different standard here? Surely it can’t be the EPT displaying bias or merely lazy “reporting.”  After all, if it was biased and wanted to report on ethical lapses by local politicians, it would fail or decline to report on the instances where Mr. O’Rourke refused to recuse himself while a member of the El Paso City Council from voting on measures that might benefit his extended family’s business interests, such as decisions on eminent domain right?

And as far as Mr. O’Rourke himself, if he is appalled at ethical lapses involving less than arms length relationships, he should speak out against Citizens United and the havoc and lack of transparency it is causing on political campaigns and further eroding the public’s trust in government.

He might also want to read and ponder about Ms. Washington Valdez’s article (link provided above) before pointing out the alleged speck in Congressman Reyes’ eye.

After all, Mr. O’Rourke would not want to appear to be working for himself and those close to him, no?


El Paso is the second safest city in the nation…. Wink, wink

Posted by Martín Paredes on February 23, 2012 2 comments

Yesterday evening, current County Commissioner and candidate for State Representative, Willie Gandara Jr., was arrested by federal agents. According to media releases, the arrest and search warrants are drug related. At this point, besides the “wink, wink” government relations pronouncements, the investigation is being led by federal agencies with local police and prosecutors nowhere to be found.

I have been writing for many years that the notion that El Paso is somehow immune to the neighboring drug war is nothing more than a smoke screen designed to hide the obvious, El Paso’s participation in the drug transit of drugs into the nation. Local police forces and politicos have notoriously publicly postured that the drug war is south of the border and that drug dealers are not among us. Incredulous, some have even pronounced that drug henchmen are too afraid of the local police forces! I can’t even keep from laughing out loud as I write this.

A few days ago, the Police Chief once again pronounced the city safe after a woman was hit by a stray bullet supposedly discharged in the Mexican side. This, even before an investigation was started! It’s the standard political mantra, the violence is on the Mexican side. At this point, the bullet likely made it from Mexico but that is not conclusive and an investigation still needs to be concluded before pronouncing the case solved.

Late last year, the city’s drug testing lab, a local police run entity, was put on suspension for failing basic security protocols designed to ensure the integrity of drug prosecutions. Numerous corruption trials are ongoing or have concluded. The County government, including County prosecutors even defended, until the bitter end, the lying of a medical examiner who’s job it is to be honest in order for juries to determine the innocence of an accused.

In every case, the local county government, led by County Judge Veronica Escobar, has been nowhere to be found in either the investigations or the prosecution of wrongdoing in the community.

“It makes me very sad for his children. Obviously, he is innocent until proven guilty and he will have an opportunity to plead his case and want to assure the public this has nothing to do with the county of El Paso and county government,” said County Judge Veronica Escobar.

That statement says it all, the local County officials see no evil and hear no evil!

Not to be left behind, Police Chief Greg Allen is quoted as reiterating that El Paso remains one of the safest cities in the nation after the shooting incident downtown. Mayor John Cook reinforced that notion as well. Curiously, both Sheriff Wiles and the region’s prosecutor, Jaime Esparza have been quiet.

And now a County Commissioner is accused of drug related crimes.

It has been acknowledged publicly that current Congressional Candidate Beto O’Rourke, sitting city representative Susie Byrd and County Judge Veronica Escobar are friends and are ardent political allies.

Congressional Candidate Beto O’Rourke and Byrd recently published a book on legalizing drugs. Escobar, as the sitting County chief has not once asked the simple question, how come local law enforcement and prosecutors have not once investigated and brought charges against the corruption permeating the county? Why is it that all of the prosecutions and investigations are led by out of town agencies?

It’s not like it is one investigation or two, or that the community never whispers about the ongoing corruption in the community. It’s numerous investigations. The under-current in the community for decades has been that you “must pay to play”.

Let’s recap the three amigos; Byrd, Escobar and O’Rourke. Byrd and Escobar actively support O’Rourke both personally and professionally. O’Rourke takes the position that drug legalization will solve community issues. O’Rourke’s mother plead guilty, on behalf of her company, to money laundering. Escobar, as the County leader, supports and defends a disgraced medical examiner who is a proven lier. Escobar has never publicly challenged or even asked why is it that her government entity’s law enforcement agencies have not brought a single charge in any one of the numerous criminal investigations permeating County government?

Likewise, city official Byrd proclaims government accountability, yet co-writes a book about legalizing drugs and has never once demanded accountability by the police department she governs over, even after numerous police officers are indicted for corrupt practices and numerous allegations of abuse against the police agency are levied?

George DeAngelis, a former police chief, levied corruption charges against his own police department and the department responded by harassing him instead of proving their innocence.

Throughout out all of this undercurrent, we are now witnessing the prosecution of a sitting county official for drug crimes.

Let’s examine the latest case. Willie Gandara, Jr. is a current County Commissioner and a candidate for State Representative. As of this morning he sits in County lockup. His father, former Mayor of Socorro, Willie Gandara Sr., was arrested and charged in August 2010 with committing fraud as a school board member, by federal agents. He is accused, along with 10 others, of using bribes to secure multi-million dollar contracts.

Former Socorro city councilman and politically linked to the Gandara family, Luis Varela plead guilty to drug charges. He was arrested in November 2011 in possession of 27.5 grams of cocaine and 44 pounds of Marihuana.

In January, Willie Gandara’s uncle, Jesus Gandara Sr., was arrested and charged in California on corruption charges involving the Sweetwater Union High School District. He is also charged with accepting bribes.

Willie Gandara, Jr., was quoted in the news media as stating, “My family is my family and I won’t waver. At this point,  I don’t know everything because there’s a lot of allegations. It’s a bunch of hearsay and I’m going to wait till I get together with family and figure out what’s actually going on.”, in reference to his uncle’s arrest.

Willie Gandara’s father’s case is related to the ongoing public corruption case in El Paso that was started by an investigation of Bob Jones’ tenure as CEO of one of the largest employer’s in the city at the time. Jones currently sits in federal prison a convicted felon. Bob Jones was a darling of the city’s politicos and establishment while he was doling out money.

What about the local business and non-profit community?

The local non-profits were more than happy to take the monies proffered over by Bob Jones not once publicly questioning his ethics. The Chamber of Commerce and tourism boards, then, as today, would rather continue to play dumb and see no evil and hear no evil, as long as the corrupt money continues to flow.

What is corruption?

Contrary to popular belief, corruption is not just about taking money or making quid-pro quo deals between parties. It is also about not performing the job someone is paid to do. Now, let’s examine the actions of the three amigos, Byrd, Escobar and O’Rourke.

City representative Susie Byrd, as one of the government officials of the city of El Paso is in a position and I would argue, has the duty to demand an explanation from the city’s police department’s actions when it comes to the expenditure of the taxpayer’s monies. For example, the city of El Paso has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to settle cases of numerous allegations of police brutality. The police department is currently embroiled in allegations of corruption within its ranks for ticket fixing. The police department had its drug lab suspended for protocol violations. And, allegations of drug baron influence over the police department has been levied against it by a former police chief and not once has Susie Byrd demanded answers, instead she has publicly defending the agency.

Byrd even co-wrote a book with Congressional candidate O’Rourke on the merits of drug legalization. Likewise, O’Rourke, also defended the local police force during his tenure as city representative.

Judge Escobar, on the other hand, sits in a position and I would again argue has the duty to demand accountability from the Sheriff’s department and the county prosecutors. Yet, she will defend a lying medical examiner who’s job is to tell the truth in order to determine if people should go to jail. Even at the expense of the taxpayers footing the liar’s salary.

Where are the local prosecutors and police agencies?

There are numerous local corruption investigations ongoing in the community. El Paso sits on the border with one of largest transit points of drugs entering the United States. Throughout all of this, the local prosecutors and police agencies have yet to mount a credible and successful corruption prosecution, not one. Not one day goes by where the community’s undercurrent whispers about rampant corruption. And the investigations?

None.

On the other hand, three cases of bullets crossing the international border in five years of open conflict against drug dealers on the Mexican side, with many lives lost, and the three amigos and the local law enforcement and government offices rapidly proclaim El Paso is the second safest city in the country!

Not one ever asking where do the drugs that make it over the border end up?

What about the local media?

Since 2008, there has been an ongoing open battle between Mexican law enforcement and drug dealers with thousands of Juarez citizens loosing their lives. It is universally acknowledged that the battles are about control of one of the most significant drug routes into the United States.

There have been a few reported cases of drug violence, in the form of kidnappings in El Paso with bodies turning up on the Mexican side of the border. The undercurrent commentary is that there are many more that are not documented because the local law enforcement agencies conveniently argue that it’s outside of their jurisdiction.

Throughout all of this, the local media has been noticeable absent when it comes to reporting the ongoing Drug War that has captivated the world.

Why is it that the BBC and The San Diego papers have better coverage of the ongoing battles for control of the drug corridors? And the local media just regurgitates reports from others?

Rather, the local media would rather continue to spoon feed the notion that the city is the second safest in the nation instead of asking where are the investigations? It’s as if everyone is in cahoots and no one wants to admit it.

Who benefits?

Money is the driving force behind the drug war and for someone to benefit from the huge amounts of monies that feed the drug cartels doesn’t mean that, that individual needs to be directly involved with drugs. Money juices the bureaucracy that conveniently allows shipments to go unimpeded and investigations to never get started. Money flows from the top to the bottom and eventually engulfs a community that remains oblivious to the obvious.

In the case of El Paso, no public official has ever had the courage to ask; “what happens to the drugs once they make it over the border?” A simple question and one that is not asked and much less investigated.

Those that would argue that the majority is captured by law enforcement ignore the obvious fact that if the city of El Paso was not a lucrative gateway for drug transit to the nation then the drug war in Juarez would not exist. Local law enforcement has even argued that the drugs do not stay for long in El Paso. As if that excuses the apparent lack of local law enforcement investigations.

It’s simple, if the majority of the drugs didn’t make it to the rest of nation then Juarez would not be a battle ground. If El Paso did not look the other way, then drugs would not make it out in significant quantities to feed the habits of the users.

The three amigos, Byrd, Escobar and O’Rourke have banded together around the notion that they are weeding out corruption and are acting in the best interest of the community, yet when in the position to ask the simple question, why aren’t those that I wield some authority over not prosecuting corruption?, the answer is…. nothing.

Like the rest of the community, Byrd, Escobar and O’Rourke see no evil and hear no evil. The conspiracy theorist in me asks, could it be that they benefit by not asking the questions that need to be asked? Corruption is also inaction when it comes to doing your job.


The El Paso Forum is Back!

Posted by Martín Paredes on February 13, 2012 1 comment

Politics makes for strange bedfellows, todays amigos are tomorrow’s enemies. Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. My enemy’s enemy is my friend. I could go on and on with clichés that all end up with the fact that politics is just about the dirtiest and grimiest endeavor anyone can get involved in. Tie that with the fact that sensational headlines sell newspapers and accepting that The El Paso Times is the slimiest newspaper in the world all leads to one indisputable fact; that El Paso’s corruption is enabled by an entrenched political machine allowed to operate by a news media that trips all over itself trying to make news rather than to report it.

With that in mind plus the frustration that is El Paso corruption I have brought back the El Paso Forum for political discussion, dissection and outright dissention. I fully expect all of the political operatives to attempt to make the El Paso Forum their own platform for their message, it is par for the course, but what I really want and what I crave is for the frustrated and disenfranchised masses to have a sounding board to quickly get their anger off their chests with quick drive-by messages to the world.

Will it solve the political crisis? No. Will it server a greater good, probably not. But it should at least give the oppressed a small outlet to work through the morass of political shenanigans in the community.

It is no secret that I believe the El Paso Times is corrupt and easily manipulated. My comments aren’t directed at the majority of the reporters because they are hampered by the corporate bureaucracy that sees El Paso as an insignificant little corner in world that generates no real revenues for the corporate owners. It also doesn’t help that print media revenues are under continuous assault by the new media that is the Internet. That is why it is no surprise that Bob Moore has once again been directed to run the El Paso operation as his shenanigans have no real impact on the corporate owners and it keeps them from having to fire him and deal with the legal ramifications of that.

It is incredulous to me that all major institutional organizations in the world, including political and security operators universally agree that the El Paso-Cd. Juárez corridor is a major transit point for the majority of illicit drugs that enter the American market, yet El Paso is a ‘safe’ city. Yet, the death merchants are waging a bloody war on the Mexican side of the border and the politicians on the American side of the border proclaim that it is one of the ‘safest’ cities in the United States. They would have us believe that once the drugs get past the border they magically disappear and no one knows how.

Of course, if that were my only argument then it would be just a crazy notion on my part. But we also have a former city representative, now running for Congress, Beto O’Rourke, who not only has publically advocated for drug legalization but has also written a book in support of it. Some of you would probably argue that it’s his opinion and he should be entitled to it. Sure, but like everything else follow the money.

O’Rourke doesn’t only advocate drug legalization but his mother pleaded guilty on behalf of her company to illegally hiding money from the government. Why would someone want to structure cash? The only people looking to structure large amounts of cash and thus hiding it from government oversight are those looking to avoid taxes or most likely, avoid having to explain to the government where the money came from. Hmmm, sounds to me like money laundering.

Let’s see, money laundering and a politician looking to take office at the federal level where drug legislation can be manipulated. Oh yea, let’s not forget that the local police department had to be put on probation because its drug laboratory failed basic standards and a police department that currently has officers being indicted for falsifying public records and the same police department that had a former high-ranking administrator accuse the department of colluding with drug dealers. Yes, that is the department that trumpets the loudest how safe the city is.

Oh, and I almost forgot, a former director of the local FBI incarcerated for hiding a friendship and receiving economic benefits from a businessman from Mexico without properly documenting it to the authorities. As if that wasn’t enough, a former County Judge, Dolores Briones, pleading guilty to corruption, a former El Paso Chamber of Commerce and non-profit darling, Bob Jones in jail for defrauding the federal government and thus the taxpayers. And the list goes on and on.

And through all this, the local political shenanigans involves an advocate of legalizing drugs, funded by big money with everything to gain and O’Rourke groupies; a sitting city representative, Susie Byrd, who co-wrote the book on drug legalization with O’Rourke, another sitting representative, Steve Ortega who has no business in Mexico documenting how long it takes to cross the border on the only day of the week that city representatives are required to meet and a married county judge who sees nothing wrong with getting drunk with Beto O’Rourke on a night out on the town and slapping him on the ass all tripping themselves trying to ingratiate themselves into O’Rourke’s friend circle.

And, we are expected to believe that drug dealers are so afraid of the local policing and government efforts of El Paso that they dare not bring their violence across the border? Please!

Or, as is more likely, the city of El Paso is so corrupt that the drug dealers don’t even have to bother to pay extortion fees on the US side, they just put the people friendly to them in office. With friendlies in government there is just no need to bring violence across the border as their drugs just mysteriously disappear into the rest of the United States. Why create a problem if there is no need to do so?

Through all this, and I’ve only mentioned a very small portion of the evidence of corruption rampant within the community, where has the El Paso Times been? When Bob Jones was the darling of the city, his corrupt money trickled down to the advertising sold in the paper and now that he’s in jail, what does the local paper need? Another benefactor to feed it. Would proper investigative journalism do the trick? Hmmm, no that might bite the hand that doles out the little money for advertising in a city where corruption rules.

Follow the money! Who’s vying for office and who’s funding campaigns? Who benefits the drug dealers? Who advocates for drug dealers? And, who does the local paper support? It can’t be plainer than that.

And what about the Diario de Juárez? The Diario is so inept that news is nothing more than skimpily dressed women gracing its pages. Its El Paso operation is a disgrace to its Juárez counterpart because the local leader is too afraid to aggravate anyone lest he’s ignored by the powers-that-be at the local country clubs. He’s too busy ingratiating himself with the PDNG that he’ll throw his own father under the bridge if it means he’ll get a smile at the club house.

For those just tired of the political diatribe but too busy to get involved to make the community better or too afraid to mess with a hornet’s nest of corruption, the El Paso Forum is for you. Enjoy and make the best of it, at worst it just becomes another gripe outlet or at best it shines a light on the cockroaches that hide in the darkness enabled by the El Paso Times. It’s your playground. Enjoy!

http://www.elpasoforum.com

 


The Drug Capital of the World can’t even test the drugs!

Posted by Martín Paredes on July 9, 2011 3 comments

The El Paso Times broke a story a few days ago detailing how the El Paso Texas Police Department’s drug lab has been decertified to test for certain drugs in criminal cases. That’s right; it is El Paso, Texas and not Cd. Juárez! For at least the last four years, Cd. Juárez has been embroiled in a life and death battle for its very survival against drug traffickers. Nationally and internationally, Cd. Juárez has been labeled the deadliest city in the world, while El Paso has been labeled the third-safest city in the nation.

And now it turns out that the El Paso Police Department can’t even keep its drug lab certified. The drug lab is crucial to prosecuting drug cases. According to the newspaper report, the city’s drug crime lab has been suspended from analyzing certain drugs because its personnel and process have been called into question. The accrediting organization that suspended the El Paso lab has only sanctioned one other lab in its history. And, according to the newspaper, city officials, including the mayor, were made aware of the lab’s deficiency by the newspaper and not by its own staff. The city manager is quoted by the paper as stating that she is “not upset” at only finding out of the serious failures of one of her departments one day before the paper, although the police chief knew of the probation since at least June 27.

The paper reports that one technician took 45 tries to finally confirm that a sample was actually cocaine, only making that determination on the last try. The report adds that the supposedly secure lab wasn’t secure at all. This is important for prosecutions as a chain of custody needs to be kept in order to ensure that the sample by which someone is convicted has not been tampered with.

The seriousness of this problem has been downplayed by the politicians of the city. Drug crime is central to the rampant drug war going on in the region and the city’s politicians seem to care nothing about their ability to determine whether a sample is actually an illegal substance or not?

This is ripe for conspiracy theorists. Why would it matter that a city’s drug lab is unsecure or that a technician can’t determine cocaine is cocaine until the very last try, 45 tries later. Why is this important? Imagine, for a moment, that a drug trafficker wants to manipulate drug tests. The drug trafficker gets to determine who goes to jail with a positive sample and who goes free with a negative one. Are the ingredients there for that scenario? We know that according to the accreditation agency a technician took 45 times to determine a sample is positive for cocaine. So why not test a sample until it gives the desired result? Better yet, since the chain of custody cannot be guaranteed why not just tamper with the samples?

A January 25, 2011 Congressional Report titled; “Southwest Border Violence: Issues in Identifying and Measuring Spillover Violence”, quoted The National Drug Threat Assessment, 2008 as summarizing that the “Southwest Border Region is the most significant national-level storage, transportation, and transshipment area for illicit drug shipments that are destined for drug markets throughout the United States”. El Paso is geographically at the center of the southwest border corridor and is directly across the border from Cd. Juárez. The report adds that “as much as 90% of the cocaine consumed in the United States” comes through the Mexican border.

On one-hand, El Paso is proclaimed the third-safest city in the nation, while its sister city; a walking distance from El Paso’s downtown, is labeled the deadliest in the world. Also, the US government has classified the southwest border as the most significant player of drug trafficking. Drugs are the nexus to both. What could El Paso have that Juárez doesn’t that keeps drug violence at bay?

It is easy to assume that corruption in Mexico is what keeps them apart. Hmmm, let’s look at that for a moment.

On August 30, 1999, then Assistant Chief of Police, George DeAngelis alleged that El Paso Police officer Luis Cortinas, a personal assistant to then El Paso Police Chief Carlos Leon, was involved with drug traffickers. The subsequent internal investigation by the department resulted in the re-assignment of Cortinas, without charges being filed and with DeAngelis calling the investigation a “whitewash“. Subsequently, DeAngelis settled with the city for $250,000, after DeAngelis had been accused of leaking confidential police information to the media.

According to court records, DeAngelis and another officer were setup in a police sting where then city attorney Stephanie Osburn passed along false information about another police investigation to both officers in the hope that it would appear in the media. DeAngelis sued and won his case. On one hand, DeAngelis alleges drug trafficking ties against one of the closest advisers to the police chief and DeAngelis is then setup in a sting trying to determine who leaked the information to the public resulting in the city having to pay DeAngelis $250,000. Although serious drug trafficking accusations were made, the only result was that the accuser was targeted for leaking police information while it appears that no serious investigation was ever made about the initial allegation.

Of course one incident does not make a case. So let’s look at two other recent incidents. In 2010, city council members; Beto O’Rourke, Steve Ortega and Susie Byrd attempted to pass a city resolution asking for a debate in legalizing drugs. The measure failed only because of pressure from the national leadership. Subsequent to that, in May 2010, Charlotte’s Furniture, an upscale El Paso furniture store owned by O’Rourke’s mother, plead guilty to not properly documenting over $630,000 in cash transactions to the government. Interestingly, in a plea agreement, the store pleads guilty and no individual is held accountable for the failure to report cash transactions.

Since when does a store handle large cash transactions without any human intervention? More importantly, the court documents show that the cash in question was kept in the store safe and that it came from a single family. Again, who keeps over half a million dollars in cash and why pay for furniture in cash to begin with? A plea agreement basically ends any serious investigation into the events surrounding the money.

The city, like any other city, is rampant with rumors of drug trafficking ties to locals and corruption at the highest levels. Whether true or exaggerations or somewhere in between what we are left to deal with are the facts.

1. The US/Mexico border is the focal point of illicit drugs entering the US.
2. El Paso is at the center of the southwest corridor.
3. El Paso is directly across Cd. Juárez, arguably one of the deadliest cities in the world.
4. El Paso City Government, led by Susie Byrd, Steve Ortega and Beto O’Rourke attempted to pass a resolution to study the legalization of drugs.
5. A member of two prominent local families with influential political ties, O’Rourke’s furniture business pleads guilty to not properly documenting over half a million dollars in cash.
6. Rampant rumors of drug trafficking infiltration of local police forces is alleged over years with a former assistant police chief publically demanding an investigation into the higher echelons only to be targeted and ultimately cleared of releasing information to the public alleging police corruption.
7. The El Paso Police Department’s drug lab is accused of incompetence and is only one of two labs that have ever been put on probation.
8. The city’s political leadership wasn’t even aware of the police department’s serious problems until it was brought to their attention by the media.

So the question that begs, no demands to be asked is why is El Paso exempt from the violence across the border? Is it really because the drug traffickers are truly afraid of the American justice system, or could it be, that they have a friendly city for their illicit trade?


Commentary: Mediocrity is the way to go according to the El Paso Times

Posted by Martín Paredes on May 19, 2011 1 comment

On May 17, 2011 the El Paso Times editorial board stated through their newspaper that Arditti’s defense team was an embarrassment to El Paso. According to their reasoning, the actions of the Caballero-Leeds team in zealously defending their client before a tribunal that can deprive Arditti of her freedom is somehow an aberration and an embarrassment to our community. In those few words, the El Paso Times editorial board just represented everything that is wrong with the city; a city where mediocrity rules.

If we are to accept the Times’ notion that it is more important to maintain a façade of everything is fine for the rest of the nation then we, as a community, are doomed to continue living in a community where we keep our secrets and our heads buried in the sand oblivious to all that is wrong. It really should be no surprise that the El Paso Times has chosen this road as this is reflected in the community’s leadership on a daily basis. Of course, there is no cross border violence and El Paso has no fault in the deaths happening in our sister city, proclaim the talking heads of our community. It’s a façade, of who, us, but we are the third, fifth or whatever most secure city in the country! A collective let’s pretend all is fine. Let’s not embarrass our community by doing our jobs to the best of our abilities, because after all we are just El Paso and our way of doing things is to pretend all is fine.

The Caballero-Leeds team did their job, not only did they do their job but they chose to give their client the best of themselves, even to their detriment. Shouldn’t that be the case all around? A simple notion of I’ve got a job to do and I’m going to it to the best of my ability. Wow, what a notion!

Of course, the El Paso Times states that Arditti could have won her case even if her lawyers had acted in a different manner; after all it was a weak case they state. Even the editorial board acknowledges this when they write “showed the evidence was flimsy”. Instead of asking why prosecute someone, if the evidence is flimsy, and ruin one to two years of their lives, the El Paso Times editorial board feels compelled to castigate the Caballero-Leeds defense team for doing their job. What about Arditti, does her life not merit more than “flimsy” evidence?

Interestingly that the El Paso Times doesn’t bother to note that had Arditti lost her case she would not only loose her ability to make a living for herself and her family but she also faced the possible loss of her liberty. She could have been sentenced to jail. Faced with that possible outcome would Arditti want mediocrity in her defense or someone giving it their all?

I wonder if any member of the El Paso Times editorial board, faced with the potential of going to jail would have asked for a lawyer more interested in maintaining the façade of “all is well” and “I won’t be an embarrassment to my community”? I think not!

Maybe that’s why the established businesses in El Paso contract out of town experts to do the jobs they need because in El Paso, at least according to the city’s paper, It’s about not embarrassing the city rather than to do the job they are paid to do. What a concept, do what you are paid to do, but not according to the Times.


The El Paso Times Needs Substantial Reform

Posted by El Paso Tribune Archive on December 15, 2002 Comments Off

Two recent articles about the Times’ bias has begun to document a strong foundation for the case proving the allegations against the Gannett owned newspaper. Unfortunately, the resources funding the city’s only daily newspaper are too well funded for a grassroots effort to force the El Paso Times into providing this community a fair and accurate account of the government’s daily activities in our community. Already the newspaper has begun to attempt to silence criticism of its reporting practices by publishing an article that is the basis of a civil lawsuit that is clearly intended to harass the opposition, as well as asserting pressure on business partners to distance themselves from the opposition’s publications. Instead of addressing the issues head-on by providing documentation and information that shows the perceived bias as inaccurate, the Times has resorted to applying economic pressure in hopes of quietly shutting down the dissenting voices.

In its continuing efforts, at least three regular contributors to the Times in the form of letters or commentary have been denied access to the Times editorial page. One regular letter writer who had nothing to do with the bias controversy, except for writing one of the letters that triggered part of the issue, has seen his expected interview silenced in the paper. Jaime O. Perez, publisher and editor of the El Paso Metro has been targeted with a civil lawsuit based on a lie infested article written by Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times reporter who interviewed Perez’ under the false-pretence of gathering information for a “Living Section” profile of the community activist. The reporter not only interviewed Perez under false pretenses but also fabricated perceived violations of the electoral code in advance of the date that those codes could have been violated. The Times, in violation of its ethical duties published the article on the front-page, above the fold portion of the paper usually reserved for national news at the height of the attempted recall of Representative Medina.

Supporters of the Times would argue that the vocal opposition is a minority, albeit loud. This assertion will undoubtedly be supported by examples of news stories seemly in support of the opposition and the printing of editorial letters espousing opposing viewpoints. The Times will remain silent about the dissenters’ claims while attempting to silence them through economic pressure and possibly further frivolous lawsuits. One recent poster to the El Paso Forum, Gerry Mangrum best exemplified the community’s feelings towards the Times when he posted; “So whose fault is that if an entire newspaper department’s motives and integrity is questioned from numerous people on websites and calling into radio talk shows.” The Times’ has created a community that questions its integrity. The credit for creating this atmosphere of distrust lies squarely on the shoulders of the local management team of the El Paso Times, not the opposition as the Times’ would have you believe.

This lack of public trust has shown that the El Paso Times is beyond rehabilitation. The community’s trust can only be recovered through a complete revamping of the paper’s management staff. This restructuring is the only way for Gannett to prove to the community that it is serious in its quest to provide the community with a true and accurate reporting of the events that affect our community. Perception is the basis by which a community accepts the accuracy of the information presented to it. When the perception is such that the integrity of the only local newspaper is put into question, the only recourse is to fix the problem that feeds the perception. The failure to maintain the paper’s perceived integrity shows a complete breakdown of the management team’s responsibility to maintain the public trust in the community it serves. Regardless of the agenda of the opposition, the perception of integrity failures can only be fueled by examples of alleged wrongdoing. Truth is an absolute defense. If the allegations are to be proven as unfounded, it is incumbent upon the management of the Times to address them in public and show them as lies. Their failure to address these in public and their back-door attempt to silence the opposition only reinforces the public’s perception of the paper’s lack of integrity control.

FAIR – Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting, the national media watch group has been documenting media bias and censorship since 1986. Their work in First Amendment rights is characterized by documenting media practices that censor public interest and silence dissenting viewpoints. According to FAIR, “Independent, aggressive and critical media are essential to an informed democracy. But mainstream media are increasingly cozy with the economic and political powers they should be watchdogging.” Unfortunately, FAIR’s words exemplifies the democratic crisis our city currently faces in light of the Times’ complete failure in fulfilling its obligations as a watchdog to the increasingly political inadequacies in our community. Its attempted manipulation of the public’s right to fair and accurate news by its continued attempt at silencing those that dare to embrace the First Amendment’s right to free speech is a violation of the public’s trust and an attack on the very rights that protects its own right to operate in our community. Gannett, are you listening to the cries of our community?


Journalistic Integrity

Posted by El Paso Tribune Archive on November 27, 2002 Comments Off

“Collusion between traditionalists groups and officials intertwined with powerful economic and media interests is a formidable challenge for the rule of law. The problem grows when the media, with a hidden political agenda, influences the court of public opinion. In the last analysis, such collusion risks popular sovereignty. In the face of such drastic adversity, to overcome it the unity of organized people in strategic positions and through strategic action will be necessary.” -Carlos Salinas de Gortari, August 2001; “México, The Policy and Politics of Modernization“, First edition, January 2002: page LXV; Introduction to the first English Edition.

With these words, former President Salinas de Gortari put into words the fact that without journalistic integrity, news publications can and sometimes do affect the outcome of political agendas. The media in general has been the last line of defense against those power mongers intent on destroying the democratic ideal. Although the media is intended to be a revenue generating private entity, the media nonetheless has a duty to inform the population about the actions of the government. The ideals of democracy are only defended and protected by an alert and ever vigilant free press that not only reports the news but also challenges the government to do its duty to the electorate.

The power of the media to manipulate and collude with the government is ever present, but the integrity of most reporters is such that the press defends even at the cost of life the rights of citizens to be informed. Unfortunately, when the press fails in its mission, the fabric of democracy and the well being of the people is put in danger of oblivion. El Paso is currently undergoing a crisis of journalistic integrity that threatens the very foundations of the city’s future. El Paso’s only daily newspaper, the El Paso Times has shown a penchant for ignoring news that is of importance to the community, while at times it seems to manufacture stories and other times it attempts to manipulate the community’s perception. At best, these actions are of managerial misconduct and at worst, they are an actual attempt by the paper to inject itself into and manipulate the events that it purports to report on.

Many supporters of the newspaper point to the fact the bias of the paper’s detractors are the source of dissatisfaction for the paper’s products. They argue that the paper reports only factual news and sometimes the news does not fit the whims of the detractors. Still others argue, that the reading comprehension of the detractors is suspect and that the detractors do not understand the difference between the opinion section of the paper versus the news section. Personal bias and the reporters’ perception are all defects in both the authors and readers of the stories. Anyone reading a newspaper should expect to be ever vigilant for the reporter’s bias and attempt to draw from the article those facts that affect the topic and discard the superfluous that accompanies all stories. To expect a reporter to set aside personal perceptions is unfair and an ignorance of basic human nature. What any reader of any newspaper demands is the integrity of the reporter, editor and publisher to report the news in an even and fair way so that the reader may glean relevant and accurate information from it.

The journalistic integrity of any newspaper is questioned when a pattern of manipulation of the public perception is perceived by some in the public. When some in the public begin to question the integrity of the daily newspaper, it is incumbent upon the editor to seek to address this perception by tightening the process of the publication, if nothing else but to silence the dissenters. When the question of integrity is raised, whether with foundation or not, the management of the publication is expected to seek to address the issues, and when addressing these issues, he should forever put to rest the dissention or at least expose the detractors as malcontents with no actual grievances against the publisher. Absent of proving that the detractors have no foundation for their dissatisfaction of the paper, the editor should guard against any mistakes or sensitivity that might give rise to the detractor’s battle cry of journalistic malfeasance. Even though stories published in the daily may meet the strictest definition of accuracy, their positioning and publication date can lead to the public perception of manipulation and the support of one side of an issue over another.

The Gannett Newspaper Division, the owner of the El Paso Times published a set of guidelines titled, “Principals of Conduct for Newsrooms” in June of 1995. Among the many commitments delineated in the document, the following are of importance to the issue of journalistic integrity. Under the commitment to seek and report the truth in a truthful way, the following bullet point standouts: “We will dedicate ourselves to reporting the news accurately, thoroughly and in context.” This bullet point is followed with; “We will be honest in the way we gather, report and present the news.” In the same topic, “We will seek to gain sufficient understanding of the communities, individuals and stories we cover to provide an informed account of activities” is one most often ignored by the local newspaper as evidenced by the numerous accusations of being out of touch.

Under the topic of “serving the public interest”, we find the most telling of all the bullet points, “We will be vigilant watchdogs of government and institutions that affect the public.” Interestingly, this point is immediately followed by “We will provide the news and information that people need to function as effective citizens.” Interestingly because of all the accusations against the El Paso Times, the negligence of providing news and information that people need to function as citizens is the most damaging of all.

To be fair, the El Paso Times has brought to light some items that further serve the public interest of the community. Among them has been the issue of free airline tickets to Mexico City some city officials used, the fishing trip and subsequent crash of the aircraft that Representative Medina and Commissioner Aguilar were on and the allegations of impropriety by Commissioner Scruggs in his involvement of the Sportsplex among others. Unfortunately, the coverage of our city government and specifically the Mayor shows a favoritism that at the very least borders on local management problems or at worst shows an intention by the paper to manipulate public perception in favor of the current city mayor. To be honest, it is much easier to criticize then to look for actual good in the process because personal bias tends to cloud the perception of any individual. At times like this, it is better to point to specific issues and look for any possible patterns in the actions of the paper in order to support the hypothesis that the local newspaper is violating its own company’s established ethical policies.

One of the first times that the issue of a possible slanting of the news in protection of city government first came up was in late July 2002. The issue was the use or misuse of the public microphone at City Council meetings. No matter what side of the debate one finds oneself in, the discussion is an issue that affects the community involvement in local government. Whether the rights of the citizen over the rights of city government to conduct city business can be argued by both sides ceaselessly, the fact that there was an issue regarding the public microphone should have been adequately and timely covered by the local daily. Although the issue of the microphone raged on in local Talk Radio and online forums, the newspaper chose to ignore it. The microphone issue was not only a timely piece, it also had fundamental free speech implications, something that any newspaper would be expected to cover specially since there is no doubt that it involved local government. So much for “We will be vigilant watchdogs of government and institutions that affect the public.” Local editorial columnist John Laird in his editorial piece of July 28, 2002 even wrote an editorial alluding to the microphone issue without having any basis from which to draw background material from in his own newspaper. It took a local business weekly journal, the El Paso Inc. to finally bring the issue to the public consciousness.

The realization of the TIF districts has been a major source of city divisiveness since their implementation. Many issues and disinformation has been discussed in public forums, yet the El Paso Times has not taken the time to accurately report on the one issue that most divides the community. The issue of eminent domain has been the issue that has galvanized the residents of the affected areas and created dissention within the community. An attempted recall of a city official was in direct response to this fear. In reporting on the issue of possible resident displacement, the Times has only reported the city’s point of view without even attempting to question the city’s plans in relation to the residents of the neighborhood. Even though public records are readily available the emphatically state that the reason for the TIF district is its inherent ease of land appropriation with the mayor and the city planning director stating this on the public record, the Times has chosen to ignore this. Before the TIF districts became such a controversial issue, the Times actually has a quote of the mayor stating that the TIF allows for an easier acquisition of land for the BHI. As the controversy continues to brew over, the fact that eminent domain is still on the table has been largely ignored by the paper.

On October 31, 2002, a small publication, the Austin Review ran an article titled; “Smelt Bad?” by Duggan Flanakin. In the article, Mr. Flanakin explained in detail the issues involving Asarco and alleged environmental issues. Mr. Flanakin goes into detail explaining the issues involved; the party involved on both sides of the matter and details the make up of the board that effectively controls the outcome for Asarco. This newspaper, located in a city over 600 miles away effectively provided more information on the matter then the local daily did in all of their reports. The Asarco issue is one that not only possibly causes future problems for the city in future economic development through the possibility of being designated a “Super Fund” site, but also could possibly negatively affect one of the largest employers in the city, Jobe Concrete. If the El Paso Times was fulfilling Gannett’s stated purpose of informing the public, why should the community of El Paso have to rely in an out of town newspaper in order to get local news?

The issue of journalistic malfeasance is further shown in the attribution of local attorney Theresa Caballero when she is quoted in the newspaper. Although Gannett’s own code of ethics demands that the news not be slanted towards one side of an issue over another, the descriptions attached to Ms. Caballero only serve to create a perception of negativity when mentioning her in the story. Although factually correct “estranged daughter” of the mayor does not add to the substance of the story nor is it an issue of the topic of the piece. Numerous times, the “estranged daughter” of the mayor was attached to Ms. Caballero’s name. Since Ms. Caballero is of age and a professional in the community, her true attribution should have been “local attorney”. There are those that will argue that the fact that she is the daughter of the mayor should be plainly identified when reporting statements she is making to the press. This would be true if Ms. Caballero’s statements were statements that had direct reference to past family situations or somehow involved personal family situations. When statements attributed to her are statements made about local government issues that do not affect her personal family life, then her professional status would be all that is required. Even if we were to assume that the Times’ true goal was to provide enough information to allow the community the opportunity to evaluate the issues at hand with all the pertinent information, then it would also be incumbent upon the Times to report on the relationships of all the protagonists that all the local issues encompass. Unfortunately, this has not been the case as demonstrated by the fact that local attorney Lina Ortega is both a former law partner of the mayor’s, owns property in partnership with the mayor and was appointed by the mayor as the head of an Environmental Task Force intent on making policy that affects the largest employers of the city. Ms. Ortega’s association with the mayor is relevant to any discussion involving policies that could affect the lively hood of local employees plus their corporate job sources.

On November 7, 2002, a letter to the editor written by Mr. Gerald Mangrum was published by the El Paso Times. On that same date, an opposing viewpoint was also published in the same paper. It is common knowledge that a paper will try to publish opposing viewpoints at the same time in order to be fair and balanced. In this, there is no argument. What is incredulous is the fact that the letter in support of the local city government was presented in exactly the same format; bullet points that Mr. Mangrum’s used in his letter. The use of bullet points is rare in letters to the editor and in most cases is discarded by the editor to save space. To have two opposing letters in the same format is astronomically impossible. The best explanation for this occurrence is that someone was encouraged to write a letter in opposition in order to give two viewpoints. The problem is that in order to reach the same style, the other author would have to have prior knowledge of the other letter and possibly have access to it. Either way, by leaking the letter or making it available before publication is an attempt to manipulate the public opinion.

Although there have been numerous examples of the misuse of headlines to influence public opinion or the publishing of negative mayoral stories on days that are less likely to be read by the community, the examples above show a clear and concise pattern of a breakdown in the El Paso Times’ managerial integrity at the very least. If Gannett truly believes in its published principals of journalistic integrity, then at the very least a token investigation by their corporate offices is in order. In their document, being accountable is of utmost importance. The publics is now asking that Gannett step up to the plate and prove to the community that the allegations have no basis to them whatsoever or if a problem exists, that it will take immediate steps to rectify it. To ignore the problem of perception is an acknowledgment by Gannett that its “Principals of Conduct for Newsrooms” is nothing more than an empty piece of paper.


Diversity, the Stagnation of Society

Posted by El Paso Tribune Archive on October 27, 2002 Comments Off

The “Diversity in the Media” awarded to the El Paso Times editor recently has focused attention on the stagnation of US society. “Diversity”, a noun pointing out that someone is different, focuses on the one thing that the American society has been trying to distance itself from for centuries now. The US Civil War arguably brought about the beginning of the “we are the same” psychosis that has inhabited the American mind-set since.

In the zest to show how inclusive the American social scene is through awards and recognitions, the promoters of social inclusiveness betray their true feelings of perceived social divisiveness that permeates the social landscape of today’s America. The champions of social equality between peoples of different races are the ones that continue to stagnate the progression of race inclusiveness in society. Awards of work place diversity focuses attention on the one thing that the cheerleaders of the awards are so desperately trying to fix – the problem of pointing out the differences between races.

Any society, regardless of its history or traditions will always have a minority in its collective. The minority will be manifested in the color of the skin, the language spoken, the class system the person was born into or the educational accomplishments of the person. These differences are what makes each of us unique among the 6 billion or so inhabitants on Earth. The differences, which makes us individuals, is what allows us to perceive the world in our own unique perspective. This unique perspective allows us to contribute to the betterment of humanity by giving us a unique insight into a solution to a problem. For example, the invention of sign language would not have come about if the need to communicate with the deaf was not demanded by the deaf community. Each individual is unique in life experiences and perception of the world. No two individuals will ever agree on everything, to do so would be to create a collective of automatons reacting to pre-programmed directives instead of individuals contribng to our society in their own unique perspective.

Instead of ignoring our differences and demanding equality, the ill-conceived diversity awards should instead focus on our individual contributions to humanity. Accepting that our skin color may be different or that our thought processes are governed by our individuality only strengthens our equality in the fact that we are all different. Artificial integration only brings about resentment of forced social engineering and creates a majority of those formerly a minority, thus starting a never-ending vicious circle that never ends. The former majority is now the minority clamoring to get on top again. Thus, the circle of stagnation never ends.

By ignoring our differences and allowing Darwin’s theory of the stronger shall survive only strengthens the community’s sense of belonging. By eliminating our focus on the differences in our skin color and recognizing, those that contribute to society through their own merits only forces the dormant to either contribute or disappear into oblivion never to hold back human progress again.

Jobs, advancement and income should always be based on personal merit instead of the color one’s skin may be. Inclusion means that all are created equal based on our individual abilities to interpret and learn from our experiences. Those that learn are more likely to progress and fulfill their dreams than those who sit idly by expecting the others to reach out to them in order to artificially elevate them to higher levels.

Anchoring a society to numerical representations of how many of what color should be where and making how much only stagnates the social evolution of the society. Sixty percent of one race in a society should not necessarily be representative of each level of that society. Levels of society are reached by the individuals who strive to better themselves for the good of their own free will. The drones of mediocrity will always strive for a handout in order to avoid the exertion of the exercise. By allowing the mediocre to proceed through the levels of society unchallenged forces the achiever down to mediocrity because no matter how much the achievers work, the artificial barriers of diversity will stifle their reach to the top. As more and more achievers are held from reaching pinnacle of achievement, the more they will cease to exist in our society. Once the achievers give up and become part the mediocre club in search of a handout, the society they belong to begins to languish in despair.

El Paso Times’ editor Don Flores should really consider the ramifications of diversity in the work place. By accepting the award of diversification, he is only acknowledging that mediocrity is the order of the day and that individuality is neither accepted nor embraced. His acceptance only stifles the normal evolution of the society he calls home and as the stagnation permeates throughout the community, the beacon of individuality is silenced. The award and Flores’ acceptance signals the Time’s commitment to giving a voice to those that fill the artificial world of percentages and silencing those that really do have something to share with the community.


A Resounding NO to Briones

Posted by El Paso Tribune Archive on October 23, 2002 Comments Off

Greg Freyermuth, on his radio talk show, KTSM 690AM brought up a novel approach to taking back control of local government. Today is the 3rd day of early voting for the November 5 elections and it is still not to late to take control of future politics in El Paso. Freyermuth’s solution to an immediate problem is slick and effective.

By purposely skipping past Briones’ name while filling out your ballot will not force Briones out of office but will send a strong message to both her and the stagnant electoral in the community. Even those who vote straight party tickets can contribute to the subtle rebellion by manually checking your party’s candidates while skipping over Briones’ name.

No matter which local publication you read, whether print or on online, you always encounter someone bemoaning the state of affairs in the city. These individuals always preface their resentment with a complaint about why this city doesn’t progress or why this city is backwards. Supporters of one group will attack and vilify detractors of the vision. El Paso lacks a sense of community involvement and has no understanding of social activism. This has created the city we live in today and has set the foundation for the government that decides the future of the community. With a local electorate participation of less then 30% and a community ignorant of community responsibility it is no wonder that El Paso has stagnated in the 19th century.

The 17th largest city complains about the lack of opportunity and points to the apparent brain drain as the source of community strife. The self-proclaimed defenders of the status-quo, writing for El Paso’s only print daily, trip over themselves by pointing to imagined foes wrapped in the standard “good ole boys club” mantra of bygone days. The reality in our community is much simpler than the rhetoric spewed forth by our monopolistic newspaper – the lack of community participation.

Our government manifested in the form of County Commissioner Dolores Briones is a direct result of the community’s failure to take responsibility for our own actions. Dolores Briones did not lie to the community or steal an election in order to propel herself to power, she did what any El Paso politician will do – she counted on El Paso’s lack of patriotism in order to take control. By relying on the daily’s sense of superiority and the community’s lack of understanding, Briones casually walked into a new term of office. Having secured her next 4 years in office, Briones wasted no time in slapping the community across the face by demanding a higher salary. Fortunately there are still some community members willing to exercise their right to government and soundly refused this outrageous request.

Unsatisfied and with the realization that the community is too blind to act, Briones didn’t bother to wait until the elections were over in order to exercise her agenda over the population by solving one of her biggest headaches in her upcoming political ventures, the issue of an empty Ascarate Park. By forcing the issue of the Arena’s location, Briones hopes to be able to come back and tell us how wonderful she was in bringing this great Arena into our homes. El Paso’s short political memory will assure that the demise of Western Playland , the loss of county revenue and the increase in taxpayer liability will be a distant thought. Fortunately it is not too late to teach Ms. Briones a lesson or two on community activism.

Change can only happen, if we as a community were to take responsibility for our own future. Responsibility comes in many different forms but all have the same result, control of our own futures. Obviously the place to start is at the polls. By voting, the community forces the politicians to work for the community instead of for themselves. Voting gives the community the ultimate weapon against tyranny and self-serving interests. Voting works both ways; it serves to elect a representative as well as to admonish an errant public servant.
The time for community activism is here. Subtle or public, community activism is an effective tool for the public scolding of wayward servants. No agenda driven publication or ineffective mass media can stifle the voice of public activism. Voters who are tired of the abuse of power, our embarrassing local government and have decided that it is time for a change should take control of their government and state unequivocally that enough is enough by purposely “undervoting” for Briones. When the tally comes in with a record voter turnout and a majority repudiation of Briones, a chastised Briones will have only one recourse and that is that she serves at the discretion of the electorate.