Talking Latinos and the GOP with The Dallas Morning News

After the Vice Presidential debate last week, I spoke with the Dallas Morning News about the fallout from Mike Pence's "Mexican Thing" comment. I discussed how a careless remark takes on added meaning and scrutiny in the age of Donald Trump.

You can read the article by clicking right here.

SMU to honor fallen Dallas police officers

The NFL would not allow the Dallas Cowboys to wear a sticker on their helmet to honor the five Dallas police officers killed in an ambush in July, so Southern Methodist University in Dallas is standing up to say "Blue Lives Matter."

My appearance on the Terry Lowry Show 7/7/16

Last week (July 7), I appeared on the Terry Lowry Radio Show, and discussed the gun control social media campaign employed by President Obama's Organizing for Action, and how the Republican response is woefully inept. You can find out more about the Terry Lowry show at www.terrylowry.com. You can listen to the segment below:

Discussing Ann Coulter and the fall of the GOP on The Kevin Jackson Radio Show

During my appearance on the March 15 edition of The Kevin Jackson Radio Show (click here to see if a station near you carries the show), Kevin and I discussed Ann Coulter's recent attack on Ted Cruz. I discussed how her actions are indicative of a disturbing trend among high-profile "conservatives" putting personal ambition and publicity ahead of principle. You can listen to our segment below:

 

My February 16th appearance on the Kevin Jackson radio show

 

During my appearance last week (February 16) on Fox News contributor Kevin Jackson's radio show, we discussed the absurdity of Kanye West and his $50 million debt. You can listen to our radio segment below:

 

Talking Bernie Sanders on the Kevin Jackson radio show

 

 During my appearance on the Kevin Jackson Radio Show last week (February 11), we discussed the appeal of Bernie Sanders with millennials, which I credit to their nostalgia of having a grandpa who likes to shower the grand-kids with goodies and free stuff. You can hear the entire segment below:

My February 2 appearance on The Kevin Jackson Radio Show

During my appearance this week on Fox News contributor Kevin Jackson's radio show, I discussed the return of Boko Haram and yet another cop shooting of someone named Michael Brown. You can listen to the segment below:

A deck park could revitalize the neighborhood around the Dallas Zoo

The Marsalis Ave. bridge, where a proposed deck park would be built.

There is a movement afoot to create a "deck park" over Interstate 35 at the Dallas Zoo (it's on the right in the picture above). Citing the success of the Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas, backers of the I-35 Deck Park hope it would change the fortunes of the neighborhoods around the Zoo, which have been in decline for decades. Of course, the issue is more complicated than that assessment, as the two locales are hardly comparable. Klyde Warren was nestled between a bustling downtown and the foot of Uptown. The neighborhoods around Jefferson Blvd. and Marsalis Ave. aren't going to change overnight, and no amount of green space will create jobs, reduce crime, or improve education choices. The Zoo, however, is a city asset worth investing in, and the surrounding neighborhoods are due some betterment from any attention the area gets.  

Click here to read an informative article by Nanette Light and Conor Shine about the proposed deck park at DallasNews.com.

My appearance on Kevin Jackson's radio show

Kevin Jackson is a frequent guest on Fox News, including regular appearances on Fox and Friends, Megyn Kelly, and Hannity. He also hosts a popular radio show, and I had the pleasure of appearing on his show Thursday (November 19) as editor of PoliticalIllusionsExposed.com to discuss Al Gore's failed "climate change reality" concert last week in Paris. You can hear the audio in the YouTube clip above. You can find out more about Kevin Jackson and his show by visiting TheBlackSphere.net, and you can follow my work as editor of Political Illusions Exposed by clicking right here.

My comments in the Dallas Morning News about the GOP Presidential debate

Donald Trump insisted in Thursday's GOP Presidential debate that he introduced the issue of immigration into the campaign. Once again, he's overstating things, and he's also managed to ensure we don't get a reasonable discussion on the issue with his hateful rhetoric.

Today's Dallas Morning News features a column by Mercedes Olivera, who addressed the lack of real details or solutions coming from GOP candidates during the debate. I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Ms. Olivera, and my comments are featured in the article.

You can read the full column by clicking right here.

Read my comments on ICE's recent hire in The Dallas Morning News

I had the opportunity to discuss the hiring of Dallas immigration attorney Liz Cedillo-Pereira as a senior advisor at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with Mercedes Olivera of The Dallas Morning News. Pereira understands the struggles immigrants encounter, and the shortcomings of ICE in dealing with those foreign nationals. Her hiring is, hopefully, a positive sign that ICE is serious about giving immigrants due process without fear of deportation, a major reason why many undocumented immigrants remain in the shadows, rather than attempt to achieve legal residency.

You can read the column, with my comments, by clicking right here and visiting DallasNews.com.

Is Rosemont the problem, or is it DISD?

The recent news that Rosemont Elementary principal Anne Brining would not have her contract renewed for next year angered many parents at the Oak Cliff school. It also exposed feelings among many that the school is divided between haves and have-nots, with the latter made up of low-income and Latino students. DISD officials point to a series of low testing scores as the reason Brining was fired.

The situation is covered in a new column by Randolph Bush of The Dallas Morning News. You can read it by clicking here. It is an interesting read.

I personally know a number of Rosemont parents, and there is certainly some truth to the claims that Rosemont is split between affluent white students and poorer Latino students, many of them the children of immigrants who are learning English as a second language. However, as a sibling of both a former elementary principal and a teacher, I also know of the extraordinary challenges school administrators face when you have a large ESL student body. Low test scores are not always the result of poor administration, but they could be a symptom of a greater problem.

It should be the job of DISD officials to take all the factors into account when reviewing school personnel. Unfortunately, we have seen far too many nonsensical decisions come from DISD headquarters, and for all we know, this may be one of them. While it is important to understand that, despite her popularity among many Rosemont parents, Principal Brining may indeed deserve to be fired. But DISD officials owe it to those Rosemont parents, and their children, to justify that decision. A woman's career, and the educational progress of hundreds of children, hang in the balance.  

Texas Monthly weighs in the great DFW taco debate

We just don't know how good we have it in Texas. I've been to states where both good Mexican food and Dr. Pepper are hard to find, but thankfully we have those things in abundance here. Texas Monthly recently jumped on the "Best Of" list craze by naming the best tacos in different regions of the state. They recently posted their DFW list, which was pretty evenly split between Dallas and Ft. Worth. At least four of the restaurants are in Oak Cliff, which is a nice acknowledgment for our neck of the woods. There are definitely some hidden gems to be found.

You can see the full list yourself by clicking right here.

Dallas' Trinity River Parkway Report offers new vision

The Trinity Parkway has seen its share of concepts and designs, but the latest offerings, shown in the just-released report shown below, may actually provide a vision Dallas can get behind. This offers a road and park partnership that enhances downtown Dallas, instead of a tollway that does nothing but get people out of the city. Let's just hope they don't change it yet again. 

Trinity Parkway Design Charrette Report

Oak Cliff history, Facebook style

I can't get enough of Oak Cliff history, and if you're on Facebook, there's a great group made up of former and current residents who share stories and photos of life in The Cliff. It called Oak Cliff Boomers and can be found by clicking here. Even though I'm not a Boomer (technically), they were gracious enough to let me join, and I've enjoyed the stories.

Among the photos posted recently was this gem (posted by Steve Baker via the Dallas Public Library) of the old Stevens Park Drug Store at the corner of Ft. Worth Avenue and Hampton. It was torn down and a new strip center was built, which housed a Minyard grocery store for a time, and is now a Big Lots.

My interview with David Hayter

David Hayter has made a name for himself in Hollywood on several fronts; as a screenwriter (of X-Men, X-Men 2, Watchmen, and The Scorpion King), as an actor (including his iconic performance as the voice of Solid Snake in the Metal Gear video game series), and now as a director. His debut film, Wolves, is a throwback of sorts to 1980s horror films, and stars Lucas Till (X-Men: Days of Future Past) as the lead. Wolves is now available on DVD and Video On Demand, and you can check out my recent interview with him by clicking right here.

Inside the Marvel Experience in Dallas

I recently had the opportunity to check out The Marvel Experience for Examiner.com and Cinelinx.com, when the event camped out at Fair Park in Dallas. The Marvel Experience is an interactive attraction featuring characters from the Marvel comic book universe, and was a huge hit with attendees.

To see my coverage of the grand opening, which was attended by Mark Cuban and Glenn Beck, click right here. To read my review of The Marvel Experience (which will be handy for those of you in cities the attraction is scheduled to stop in during its tour), click right here. You can find out more about the Marvel Experience Tour by clicking right here. A big thanks to the folks behind the event for inviting me out to cover it.

You can also check out the video below, which we shot as part of my coverage.

In defense of in-state college tuition for undocumented students

(Author's note: I was recently asked by columnist Mercedes Olivera of The Dallas Morning News to comment on Texas Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick's initiative to repeal in-state college tuition for undocumented immigrant students. You can click here to read the Morning News column, including my thoughts. I provided The Dallas Morning News with a full statement (excerpts from which were used in Olivera's column), but I have included the complete statement here to explain why in-state tuition makes sense.   

Republicans had previously supported the in-state tuition program, and Gov. Rick Perry signed it into law and continues to support it. Patrick, however, has led a vindictive, anti-immigrant campaign that led to his election as lieutenant governor this fall. Here is why I feel repealing the in-state tuition discount would be a serious mistake.)

Dan Patrick continues to cloud the immigration issue by using words like “invaders” and “criminals” to disparage immigrants, especially using the term “illegal” over the legally correct term of “undocumented.” He fails to grasp the intricacies of the immigration issue, particularly the fact that no immigrant, regardless of entry, is “illegal” until designated as such by an immigration judge. His inability to differentiate the complexities of immigration law makes him wholly unqualified to comment on the issue, much less lead the charge to change a law that could have disastrous consequences on the future of our state.

Dan Patrick

The concept of in-state tuition is based on the idea that those who live in Texas and contribute taxes to fund our college education system should be awarded a discount. These taxes are collected regardless of one’s legal residency status, so undocumented immigrants and their children pay into the system just as much as a documented citizen. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates that undocumented immigrants contribute over $1.6 billion in taxes to the Texas economy, so the contention that immigrants (legal, illegal, or undocumented) do not contribute to the Texas economy is false. They pay in as much as any other citizen, and deserve to partake in the benefits of paying into the system.

The hard truth is most undocumented immigrant children qualify for legal residency and eventual citizenship under current immigration law, and not any special directive from the President, Congress, or ICE. They are going to eventually become legal citizens of Texas. They are in this position because they cannot afford an attorney to help settle their residency status, and ICE offers no help except the option of deportation without due process. It’s a problem I’ve seen over and over in my work with the Isenberg Center for Immigration Empowerment in Oak Cliff.

By denying these young Texans the chance to earn a college education, we will create a permanent underclass that will have ramifications both for their families and our state, as a whole, in the future. I find it disgusting that Mr. Patrick, in order to score some cheap political points and advance his own career, would sacrifice the futures of kids who want to learn, who want to better themselves, and want to contribute to our great state. These kids have known no other home but Texas. They deserve a fighting chance.

There is a reason in-state tuition was championed by Gov. Rick Perry and other Republicans, as well as Democrats. It is a stand based on principle, not restricted by party.

Clay Jenkins thinks concerned Dallas citizens are "crazy"

You likely didn't see this during live coverage today, but here's what Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, who is running for reelection, said when asked if Dallas County would hold town hall meetings to keep residents informed of the Ebola crisis. Ron Natinsky, who is running against Jenkins, posted the video on his Facebook page. Remember, this statement is coming from a man who sat next to John Wiley Price on the Commissioner's Court for years, and never said anything to him about his antics, and yet he will readily throw Dallas citizens under the bus. If you don't see the video load, click the black box in the post to play the video.

Post by Ron Natinsky.

Oak Cliff Chamber hosts state reps for "Legislative Summit" Oct. 9

The Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual legislative summit on Thursday, October 9 at the historic Texas Theatre. "A Preview of Plans for the 2015 Legislative Session" will give attendees a chance to get informed on the upcoming legislative session with a panel discussion among members of the Texas House who represent Oak Cliff.

State Representatives Rafael Anchia (District 103), Toni Rose (District 110), and Helen Giddings (District 109) will all participate in the event, providing their input and plans for the next legislative session. Brad Nitschke of Jackson Walker LLP will moderate the discussion. The event will run from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and is free to attend. To RSVP or learn about sponsorship opportunities of the event, contact Taylor Basped at the Oak Cliff Chamber at 214-943-4567,  ext. 17. The Texas Theatre is located at 231 W. Jefferson Blvd.

The mission of the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce is to promote economic development and the quality of life in Oak Cliff. For more information on the Chamber, visit OakCliffChamber.org.