A FAREWELL TO JOCELYN GRAY Pg. 23

A JOURNAL OF FREE VOICES OCTOBER 26, 1990 • $1.50

LOUIS DUBOSE

Insurance Man Clayton Williams's Credit Life Business Merits a Second Look

Heavy Mettle New Braunfels Residents Stand Firm in a Fight Against a Toxic Waste Incinerator

Antlergate Who Paid for Rick Perry's Parks and Wildlife Deer Herd?

Also: Contributors to the Most Expensive Governor's Race in History DIALOGUE

Single little for a liberal Democrat. If I'm elected, A I'll want a Western-oriented district, Sour Note leaving the good liberal territory for Lena. David Beilharz Brett Campbell's recent essay praising the Austin achievements of Justice William Brennan ("A Justice For All," TO, 9/28/90) struck a A JOURNAL OF FREE VOICES single sour note that left me wondering Psuedo-pachiquismo We will serve no group or party but hill hew hard to the whether he either understands or appreci- truth as we find it and the right as we see it. We are and Chochitos dedicated to the whole truth, to human values above all ates Brennan's legacy. Dismissing Justice interests, to the rights of human-kind as the foundation Brennan's steadfast opposition to the death Two big mentions and one cross-reference, of democracy: we will take orders from none but our penalty as an aberration in his jurispru- from a Chic-lit barrio to a golondrina own conscience, and never will we overlook or misrep- dence, Mr. Campbell observed that outcry and a safari out to connect, not with resent the truth to serve the interests of the powerful or cater to the ignoble in the human spirit. Brennan's foursquare aversion to state- Diego but Thomas Rivera — all in one Writers are responsible for their own work, but not sponsored killing "stretched the Bill of issue of T.O. in the heartland. Say, for anything they have not themselves written, and in Rights too far." Dago, I've no quarrel with academics who publishing them we do not necessarily imply that we On the contrary; Justice Brennan rejected live out their lives and write truthfully agree with them because this is a journal offree voices. capital punishment because he felt it about their "real" experience, but I do find SINCE 1954 incompatible with the basic respect for fun- pseudo-batos truly boring ... I do feel that damental human dignity at the core of the all sentient beings have lives which are Publisher: Ronnie Dugger Eighth Amendment's prohibition against meaningful, if only they look at their truths Editor: Louis Dubose Associate Editor: Brett Campbell "cruel and unusual punishments." Justice and not strive to be quasi-batos while Copy Editor: Roxanne Bogucka Brennan's opinions in other civil rights and hiding out in Stanford or Wellesley Editorial Interns: Vince Lozano, Richard Arellano, civil liberties cases, from school desegrega- College or Harvard — not that a first rate Jennifer Wong, Ali Hossaini tion to due-process rights for welfare job of writing about Stanford wouldn't Mexico City Correspondent: Barbara Belejack Contributing Writers: Bill Adler, Betty Brink, recipients to freedom of expression, were make for good reading ... IT PROBABLY Warren Burnett, Jo Clifton, Terry FitzPatrick, Gregg animated by precisely that same concern WOULD! I would like to read something Franzwa, James Harrington, Bill Helmer, Ellen for individual dignity. To Justice Brennan, that rings of authenticity from those make- Hosmer, Steven Kellman, Michael King, Mary belief prissy-pseudo-pachucos which Lenz, Tom McClellan, Bryce Milligan, Greg Moses, the fact that the text of the Constitution Debbie Nathan, Gary Pomerantz, Lawrence Walsh. itself plainly contemplates capital punish- spring from the minds of "chochitos Editorial Advisory : Frances Barton, Austin; ment did not end the inquiry into whether (squares)" like Luis and other pretenders. Elroy Bode, Kerrville; Chandler Davidson, ; the practice violates the "evolving stan- The quasi-barrios in Sandra Cisneros's Dave Denison, Cambridge, Mass; Bob Eckhardt, proxy-raza and Gary Soto's pneumatic Washington, D.C.; Sissy Farenthold, Houston; dards of decency" by which its constitu- Ruperto Garcia, Austin; John Kenneth Galbraith, tionality must be measured. migrants are a bit too much — to jive- Cambridge, Mass.; Lawrence Goodwyn, Durham, It is characteristic of the political temper steeped. For a real sense of pachuquismo, N.C.: George Hendrick, Urbana, Ill.; Molly lvins, of our times to fear the unpopular conse- Ratil R. Salinas and Roberto Duran (a Austin; Larry L. King, Washington, D.C.; Maury Califas poet) pack a piquant bite. Maverick, Jr., ; Willie Morris, Oxford, quences of our ideas. To laud Justice Miss.; Kaye Northcott, Austin; James Presley, Brennan's politically palatable decisions Pat, you be one out of sight loca, and Texarkana; Susan Reid, Austin; Geoffrey Rips, (the ones that extended rights to people we your pen is wacky and creative, while the Austin; A.R. (Babe) Schwartz, Galveston; Fred like — women, people of color, and world you imagine galavants through much Schmidt, Fredericksburg. political dissidents) while ignoring or madness ... ooh, it be a roller coaster Layout and Design: Lana Kaupp belittling his courageous opinions that poetics you bespeak, one which careens Contributing Photographers: Bill Albrecht, Vic extended protections to the despised through jive infested labyrinths, greasing Hinterlang, Alan Pogue. (including, the criminally accused gener- the quays of Texasville with panache and Contributing Artists: Eric Avery, Tom Ballenger, outcries ... Richard Bartholomew, Jeff Danziger, Beth Epstein, ally, and the condemned in particular), Dan Hubig, Pat Johnson, Kevin Kreneck, Michael betrays his principles and does the memory Dave, thanks for the mention ... most of Krone, Carlos Lowry, Ben Sargent, Dan Thibodeau, of his judicial career no service. all, Dago, Pat, Dave and T.O., it felt Gail Woods. Robert C. Owen strange to get so much space (finally?) in a Austin Texas mainstream mag, but then I've only Managing Publisher: Cliff Olofson Subscription Manager: Stefan Wanstrom been around a few decades — writing, Special Projects Director: Bill Simmons reading, and organizing along poetical and Development Consultant: Frances Barton Jake, Lena political lines, within barrios, prisons, academe, and other settings — from El SUBSCRIPTIONS: One year $27, two years 548, three years 569. Full-time and David students $15 per year. Back issues 53 prepaid. Airmail, foreign, group. and Paso to the nation and onto Canada, bulk rates on request. Microfilm editions available from University Micro- films Intl.. 300 N. Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Any current subscriber I noticed in the most recent Observer that Mexico, and Europe. Still, I appreciate who finds the price a burden should say so at renewal time; no one need forgo your words and love you for checking out reading the Observer simply because of the cost. you endorsed Lena Guerrero for the Tenth Congressional District, then made a my stuff ... don't matter if academia THE TEXAS OBSERVER (ISSN 0040-4519/UPS 541300), 0 1990. is published biweekly except for a three-week interval between issues in backhanded endorsement of my opponent, unloves me, but I am not a chunk wanting January and July (25 issues per year) by the Texas Observer Publishing Co., 307 West 7th Street. Austin, Texas 78701. Telephone: (512) 477-0746. Jake Pickle. to melt down into the sameness of a Second class postage paid at Austin, Texas. If you really want Lena in Congress, conformist idiocy ... heck, I enjoy messing POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE TEXAS OBSERVER. 307 your readers need to vote me into office. with the burrocats of Guacamolee Centers West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. Next year's redistricting will change the & other tontos ball game. If Jake is reelected, he'll carve Ricardo Sanchez, Ph.D. out a safe chunk of Travis County, leaving El Paso

2 • OCTOBER 26, 1990

XV ,pe, 4 Mer, EDITORIALS ra.,opb1§1 IleX A i Clayton's Hispanic Vote Jver OCTOBER 26, 1990 The human species, according to the best the language he learned is, as it was correctly VOLUME 82, No. 21 theory I can form of it, is composed of two characterized by Austin state Representative distinct races, the men who borrow and the Lena Guerrero, ranch-hand Spanish, a lan- men who lend. guage sufficient to communicate with one's FEATURES — Charles Lamb hired inferiors? Does Williams, as it has been The Two Races of Men implied, use the sort of language that Colonel Heavy Mettle Sanders might have used when talking to By Richard Arellano And all of my friends are insurance men ... chickens? Again, the question is no more — John Prine current than Paz's 30-year-old discourse on The Richards Program "Dear Abby" the many variations of the verb chingar. By Roxanne Bogucka OR SEVERAL MONTHS now a de- Since such non-scientific inquiry is un- F bate has been waged over what percent- likely to yield scientific results, we have Bright and Shining age of the Mexican-American vote Republi- taken a stab at a more scientific, or at least a By Jim Lacy 9 can gubernatorial candidate Clayton Wil- more pseudo-social-scientific, attempt at liams will win. There has been some polling, predicting the percentage of the Hispanic No More Bay Bashing but most of the inquiry has been a variation vote that Williams will win. Twenty-three. on the methodologies of Samuel Ramos and That is, we can say with some certainty that By Art Agnos 1 1 his imitator, Octavio Paz, that is, an attempt Clayton Williams will win 23 percent of the to define the profile or to penetrate the reality Hispanic vote in the November 6 election. Whitetail Whitewash of the Mexicano. Which is more important? That Williams will win 23 percent is based By Louis Dubose 12 That Williams 30 years ago embraced Frank on a fairly straightforward methodology. Velasco, a Fort Stockton resident who now Exhibit A in the civil suit styled Rosalinda Heavy Hitters serves as both chairman of "Amigos for Cruz, Vondell Dunlapp, Johnny Martinez By Editorial Interns 16 Clayton Williams," and foreman of and Allen J. Thompson Individually and on Williams's ranch, after Velasco behalf of all others similarly situated v. was spurned by the local Jaycees? Or that 40 ClayDesta National Bank, Service Life & DEPARTMENTS Casualty Insurance Company, Lloyd Wil- years ago, as he admitted to John Gravois of Political Intelligence 14 the Houston Post, Williams was "serviced" liams, and Compliance Labs, Inc. a/k/a and by Mexican prostitutes? Is it more important d/b/a Texas Lender Services and/or TLS, is a Journal 20 that Williams stood up for a man or that he list of Harris County creditors who received laid down with a woman? It's all the sort of automobile loans from Williams's bank and mascaras de machisrnolsanta o puta dis- allegedly were compelled to buy credit life 28 percent of the borrowers who were com- course that disciples of Ramos and Paz have insurance, from which ClayDesta National pelled to purchase credit life insurance at a long since worn out. made a huge profit. The list includes approxi- price in excess of $1,000 per policy were Then there is the debate about Williams's mately 454 names and of those 454 names Hispanic. Since 28 percent seemed a bit high Spanish. Is it more important that he has approximately 128 surnames are Hispanic. as a prediction of the Hispanic vote, and made an attempt to learn the language, or that So, if the claims made in the suit are correct, since perhaps Harris County borrowers are not representative of other Mexican Ameri- cans — for example the aforementioned Frank Velasco, who probably cuts better Remembering Jocelyn Gray deals with his bank — we decided to include A humanist and a feminist with a kindly another variable in the equation: 18 percent. ever she was so moved, freely and for noth- Eighteen percent is the maximum legal wisdom, Jocelyn was also a competent per- ing putting her wide experience in public amount of interest that a lender can charge a son on whom other serious people relied, service, political campaigning, and fund- borrower in Texas. It's also usury, at least as, for example, in her staff work for Bob raising in the service of the few causes she according to Henry B. Gonzalez, who should Eckhardt, Garry Mauro, and Johnny Faulk chose to be her own. We miss her person- be qualified to define usury since he is chair- when he ran for Congress. During her la't ally, and we miss her as a force behind the man of the House Banking Committee and a years when she was fighting the cancer she survival and persistence of this journal. smart man. Eighteen percent is also the inter- stayed on the job with Mauro, and — unless Those who cannot understand how the Ob- est rate that ClayDesta National charged she was actually in the hospital in Houston server and like causes can seem to defy the — she never missed the afternoon and working-class borrowers unable to qualify economic laws of gravity do not understand with other lenders. So, 28 percent (Harris evening meetings of the inner planning Jocelyn Gray and the people like her who group of the Observer. She was a key plan- County Hispanic working-class borrowers), put their full and generous hearts and bodies added to 18 percent (usury, or the amount ner and player, for instance, in the first two behind what they believe in, just and only charged by ClayDesta), divided by two Observer celebration banquets, taking care because they believe in it. They are the lift- of many kinds of things for each of them. (representing addends 28 and 18), equals 23 ers; they are the ones who count the most. percent and you read it here first. (Such Always equable, she was also unfailingly Life means, among other things, what we methodology, when used in the past, has serious, advancing dissonant views when- make it mean. Jocelyn made it mean much. allowed a margin or error of plus or minus — Ronnie Dugger two percentage points.) — L.D.

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 3 Clayton Williams: Banking on Insurance

REDIT LIFE INSURANCE, however, "captive borrower." The plaintiffs in the suit Mr. Roberts called ClayDesta National Bank C is a serious and lucrative business. "It is against ClayDesta fit the description, be- and stated to us that they required the insur- the biggest ripoff in America for consum- cause the credit-life program they describe ance even if I was already disabled and he ers," said Bob Hunter of the National Insur- offered them no other option. All the shop- told us if we wanted the loan, we would have ance Consumer Organization (NICO). A ping has already been done by the bank, to have the insurance as the bank required." NICO study of credit life discovered that in which doesn't allow the borrower to deal 1988 American consumers were overcharged with competing insurance companies. That's OR CLAYDESTA national bank, the nearly $1 billion. For consumers, the value of all prearranged. The only competition in- F credit life program quickly became their insurance is best determined by the loss ratio volved, characterized by NICO as " cash cow. The bank was founded in 1982 by — the proportion of premiums paid out in competition," has already occurred when the Williams, in an attempt to diversify his oil claims. Premium income not paid out in lending institution went shopping for an and ranching investments, and like many claims is retained by lenders as commissions insurer that would provide high premiums Texas banks which had watched land and and by insurers as administrative costs and and high commissions to be divided between energy notes turn sour, ClayDesta found its profits. insurer and lending institution. The lender salvation in consumer lending. The small Texas does not fall at the bottom of the then further enhances earnings by financing regional bank, located in Midland and de- credit-life rate survey conducted by NICO. the insurance policy and collecting interest scribed by Morning News reporters Nor does it fall at the top. But even at an from the captive borrower. Mark Tatge and George Kuempel as "consis- average of $327 on a $10,000, 48-month, 12 A passage from a deposition of a plaintiff tently ranked among the worst-performing percent loan, consumers in Texas do not fare in the Cruz et al. lawsuit illustrates how the banks in the nation by leading bank-rating very well, according to the study. Rates in credit life scheme allegedly worked: firms," used credit life and disability to get Texas, which fall close to the mid-point in the "Plaintiff Allen, J. Thompson went to a out of the red for the first time since 1984. national premium survey, are, according to dealer in Houston, Texas, and was turned The program earned the bank $500,000 in a Hunter "excessive." And the rates ClayDesta down on purchasing a car by the dealer. 12-month period that ended in February 1990 allegedly required borrowers to accept far Subsequently, in accordance with the scheme when they did $12.5 million in car loan exceed excessive. All of the named plaintiffs and conspiracy set out above, Plaintiff, Allen business. in the lawsuit paid more than $1,000 for their J. Thompson, was contacted by the dealer The insurance program provided the bank policies, according to court records. And one and told that ClayDesta National Bank would an immediate 50 percent commission, with plaintiff, the records show, paid $4,145 for a finance a purchase for him on the condition 15 percent of the premium going to the one-year premium on an automobile. that he purchase credit life and disability company and 35 percent "set aside" by the How did the ClayDesta loan program work? insurance and that he sign the contract ex- bank to pay off claims. The "set aside," Borrowers who initially failed to qualify for actly as presented to him. A payment of however, became profit when not paid out as loans were informed that they could get a $650.00 was made by the dealer to Compli- claims. loan from an out-of-town bank if they agreed ance Labs, Inc. The premiums charged Mr. In a deposition, Barry Neil Dees Jr., a loan to pay 17.9 percent interest and to purchase Thompson for credit life and disability insur- broker who worked with the ClayDesta car- credit life and disability insurance through ance totaled $1,245.16. Furthermore, when loan program, said that the bank's officers the same bank. The consumer, in such a case, Mr. Thompson's initial property insurance decided to pursue lower quality loans: "They is what the NICO report characterizes as a lapsed, ClayDesta National Bank purchased wanted to restructure the program by going property insurance upon Mr. Thompson's after a lower quality of credit. If you used a vehicle and charged Mr. Thompson $4,145.00 grading scale, we would traditionally pro- for one year's premium. ClayDesta National duce an A-minus or a B-plus grade customer, Bank also charged him interest on that amount and they were going after a C-grade, D-grade A RETRACTION at the rate of 18 percent, for an additional type customer, a customer whose credit his- $2,849.48. This total was added to Mr. tory was irrelevant." When we were making our endorse- Thompson's total loan." There are a lot more people with poor ments in legislative races last issue, we A plaintiff's affidavit, attached to a motion credit, Dees said, so loan volume can be talked to several sources, and then looked to expand the suit to a class action, describes increased. And those customers, according at San Angelo's District 67 and assumed a situation in which a disabled loan appli,ant, to Dees, are more willing to take what's that no one could be much worse than one- first told his car would be financed by First offered to them. When the plaintiffs' attor- term Republican incumbent Harvey Interstate Bank, later discovered that ney asked what makes these customers so Hilderbran, a former Farm Bureau lobby- ClayDesta Bank was making the loan and willing, Dees replied, "They're desperate." ist. We endorsed his Democratic oppo- that they required credit life and disability Dees further explained how increased vol- nent, Lester Dahlberg, about whom our insurance: ume of even bad loans works to the advan- sources knew little. We've since learned "My wife, Jennifer, looked over the papers tage of banks. "The way ClayDesta struc- that Dahlberg is a LaRouchite, and not and told Craig Roberts [the salesman] that I tured their loan program allowed them to even a competent LaRouchite. We apolo- was totally disabled and on social security own credit life and disability. They would gize to the good people of San Angelo, and that the insurance would not pay some- earn the full 17.9, 18 percent; they would sell who though they deserve better represen- one who was already 'disabled.' Craig their own credit life and disability, which the tation than they now have, do not, in our Roberts told us that he didn't know and that profit on that, as you know, rims 50 percent." opinion, deserve Lester Dahlberg. — The that was a good question. He said he would So credit life and disability insurance pro- Editors call the bank and check with them on this. vided for ClayDesta bankers what was, in a

4 • OCTOBER 26, 1990 LOUIS DUBOSE Congressional Candidate Joe Dial, Clayton Williams, Phil Gramm, and Dan Quayle sense, risk-free banking. Like savings and I'm aware of that program and I really do like Attorney General, and the State Insurance loan executives who made their money on that program." Board. How ironic, that at a moment when fees at the closing table, ClayDesta bankers Clayton Williams knew enough about the credible authorities from both the private and made their money up front, as soon as they program to fight with federal regulators trying public sectors are predicting possible tax- made their loans. to compel the bank to raise its credit stan- payer bailouts for both the banking and in- How much did Clayton Williams know dards, a change in policy that would have surance industries, Texas is poised to elect a and when did he know it? "Yes, I'm aware of resulted in the loss of the lucrative credit life governor who might understand too well it. I approved of it then and I approve of it and disability income. Williams, according how it all came to pass. now," Williams told the Beaumont Enter- to a source cited in , ClayDesta's loan and insurance program, prise at a Jefferson County Airport press offered to personally guarantee 5 percent of according to a bank memo cited in the Morn- conference on September 12. Later, Wil- all car loans if the bank could hold on to the ing News, is "on hold until after the election" liams distanced himself from the bank opera- program. —L.D. tion, after it was made public that Houston Lloyd Williams's alleged drug laundering loan broker Lloyd Williams, the linchpin in scheme, it seems, is not an issue in the Research for this article was done by Jim the credit life program, was linked through governor's race. Clayton Williams's rela- Lacy. depositions in another case to a drug-laun- tionship with his consumers, who in three dering scheme. Clayton Williams also told months might be his constituents, is. Com- reporters, as the story unfolded in the pages pelling a borrower to buy credit life insur- of the Dallas Morning News that he doesn't ance in order to qualify for a loan is illegal in run the bank, he is only a stockholder. (He Texas. And a bank's paying a $472,484 to owns, however, 92 percent of the bank stock.) stockholders in a year in which it lost money This publication He said that he never met Lloyd Williams, is also an issue, particularly when the owner is available who is not related to him. But a front-page of 92 percent of the bank's stock is a candi- in microform story in the Dallas Morning News cited a date for governor. The dividend, paid to from University source who claims that Lloyd Williams and ClayDesta National's parent company in Microfilms Clayton Williams met at a Houston cam- 1986, was ordered returned by the office of International. paign reception. When Lloyd Williams in- the federal Comptroller of the Currency. Call toll-tree 800-521-3044. In Michigan. troduced himself to Clayton Williams, as the ClayDesta's lending and insurance prac- Alaska and Hawaii call collect 313-761-4700. Or one who was doing the car program, Clayton tices are currently under investigation by the mail inquiry to: University Microfilms International, Williams is reported to have responded: "Yes, Travis County District Attorney, the Texas 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor. MI 48106.

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 5 Heavy Mettle Can New Braunfels Stand Up Against a Toxic Waste Disposal Company? BY RICHARD ARELLANO

New Braunfels waste byproduct consumed as fuel in the of assurances from Systech/La Farge, there T THE INTERSECTION of Cas- kilns, and La Farge will turn another industry's might be serious risks, and they did not want tell and San Antonio, just beyond cost into its own profit. John Chadbourne, to gamble. David Wallace, a local business- the turnaround that encircles the vice president of technology and regulatory man, along with several others, began an gazebo on the New Braunfels town square, affairs for Systech (a wholly-owned subsidi- action group called SAFE (Securing A Fu- the city police had erected barricades. In the ary of La Farge which specializes in handling ture Environment), and drew up a petition afternoon sun, one officer managed the flow hazardous wastes), regards the supplemental that stated their opposition to the "transport- of traffic while another kept watch over the fuel program at the kiln as the best means for ing, storing, processing, and burning of any people walking toward the town square, where disposing of hazardous wastes. "The kiln supplemental fuel (defined as hazardous/toxic the demonstration was about to begin. The process completely and safely destroys haz- waste, chemical materials) in any amount in traffic backed up, and some angrily honked ardous wastes. The solids are isolated in the Comal County, Texas." They publicized the their horns while others looked for a place to concrete, and the emissions are no more July 25 meeting with the TWC, and arranged park. harmful than those that come from tradi- for a rally on the town square and a march to Traffic jams and demonstrations are rare tional sources," Chadbourne told the the civic center. events in New Braunfels. The nearby rush of Observer. "This is a responsible way of Although the march was to begin at 6:30 1-35 and the tourists who come looking for dealing with hazardous waste." p.m., people were still arriving when the the cool waters of the Guadalupe give this But Porter saw potential dangers in the half-hour struck on the bells of the county town of 23,000 a busier feel than others of Systech/La Farge plan. The solvents that courthouse. During the few minutes the de- similar size. But for the most part, people Systech/La Farge hope to burn contain toxic lay offered, Wallace told the crowd that more here carry on quietly, and they rarely encoun- metals in solution. As La Farge admits in its than 2,000 people had signed the petition, ter a problem that demands a demonstration initial permit request to the TACB, "the waste and that others were calling to find out where at the town square, a march up Seguin Street, streams received at the facility are almost they could sign up. He talked about the struc- and a town meeting at the civic center. always ignitable and quite frequently contain ture of the meeting, the right to ask questions, However, during the three weeks preced- toxic metals (paint and ink pigment metals) and the need to make these questions concise ing July 25, many throughout Comal County or toxic organics (solvents such as methyl and topical so that as many as possible could had heard for the first time that a local cement ethyl ketone or isobutyl alcohol)." For Por- speak. plant, Balcones-La Farge, wanted to burn ter, who as an occupational-safety expert has hazardous waste as a supplemental fuel in its studied the effects of metals on human health, HEN THE CROWD filed into kiln located just outside the New Braunfels there are serious questions about using these the auditorium and saw the city limits. Although the applications to store waste solvents for fuel: Would their combus- W question cards left in their seats and burn hazardous wastes had been filed in tion release toxic metals into the environ- and the long table on the stage set up for the 1987 and were now entering the final phases ment? Would the ash from these wastes be TWC, La Farge, and SAFE, many realized of review with the Texas Water Commission toxic, and if so, where would it be disposed? that this meeting was not an opportunity to and the Texas Air Control Board, most resi- How would the waste solvents be transported defeat the permit to burn hazardous waste, dents of New Braunfels were just beginning to the plant? but was only a chance to discuss further to discover the basic facts of the matter. For three years Porter has researched these something they had already decided against. A few people in the area were not new- questions and published her findings in a Asked one citizen later, during the question comers to the issue. Kathy Porter, New Braun- newsletter. The Comal County Commission- and answer period, "What does it take for a fels resident and member of Air, Water, ers Court, meanwhile, did nothing. In fact, meeting to occur where something actually Earth, a local environmental group, had for the situation only attracted public concern gets done? We have a whole room full of three years been investigating La Farge's after Porter contacted an Austin-based Green- people here saying, 'We don't want it.'" In plans for "waste derived fuel" (WDF). In peace action group. Following their talks response, Leela Fireside, a TWC public in- 1987, while serving on the city's Local with Porter, the group canvassed the issue in terest counsel, said the decision on the permit Emergency Planning Committee, she came a door-to-door campaign in New Braunfels. "is not a vote." Fireside explained that the across a letter from the Water Commission to In turn, Chadbourne accused Greenpeace of public opposition must "present evidence the County Commissioners Court that said spreading misinformation to "ignite the that fits in with some of the concerns that are La Farge had submitted an application for the emotions" of local residents. Citing EPA in the statutes. And that's why you all work "receipt, collection, and storage of selected regulations which limit emissions, and the on organizing, that's why you have your hazardous waste solvents which are to be 25-mile dispersion-radius of their kiln stack, group ... getting petitions and funds together, used as supplemental fuels in the plant's Chadbourne claimed that for the people of and organizing to get evidence together so cement kilns." New Braunfels, the health risks of burning that the examiner can find with you. It's more By burning the hazardous waste, La Farge hazardous waste at the kiln would not be any than a vote, it's sworn testimony from ex- stands to turn a much greater profit that it different than those faced on a daily basis. In perts." does by simply producing cement. Genera- many of his talks with concerned citizens, Everyone in the 1,200-plus crowd then tors of hazardous waste will pay to have their Chadbourne illustrated this point by talking understood that they were playing by some- about the dangers of barbecue smoke. one else's rules. Though only three weeks Many in New Braunfels rejected the ago they knew nothing of La Farge's plan to Richard Arellano is an Observer editorial comparison of burning hazardous waste to a burn hazardous waste, and were left with intern. weekend cookout. They felt that regardless perhaps three months to find the time, the

6 • OCTOBER 26, 1990 money, and the experts to enter a bureau- amended to a much lower level. cement kiln. However, there are also ques- cratic battle in its final hour. The example of butadeine and its changing tions about the transportation of waste to the ESL rating best describes what worries many plant and disposal of the waste products from LTHOUGH BOTH STATE regu- residents of New Braunfels. Since the Sys- the kiln. latory agents and company offi- tech/La Farge operation will most likely meet While Systech/La Farge officials say that A cials say they are sure that the every state and federal standard for emis- there will be no ash, since all the materials Systech/La Farge waste-derived-fuel plan sions control, community opposition to the that enter the kiln later exit in the clinker will meet the newest standards for pollution use of waste-derived-fuel comes down to a product (one of the intermediate, post-kiln control, there is reason to be cautious. The distrust of the whole regulatory process. First, stages of concrete), they do not openly dis- use of hazardous waste as supplemental fuel some residents fear that the emissions levels cuss "kiln dust," a compound that must be for cement kilns is a new procedure, and it now considered safe will someday be consid- regularly flushed from the kiln to keep it has yet to bear out claims of environmental ered dangerous: In fact, they wonder if they operational. David Ferrell of the TACB, Troy safety. In Holiday Valley, a small commu- are to be part of the "real-time" test for this Wattler of the TWC, and John Chadbourne nity in northwestern County, new method of destroying hazardous waste. of Systech/La Farge have all said that the , residents contend that the nearby Second, many in New Braunfels feel that the composition of kiln dust directly reflects the waste-fuel operation is destroying their health. relationship between the regulatory agencies composition of the kiln feed. Yet the state They report headaches, nosebleeds, nausea, and industry is too close. At the July 25 town agencies do not consider this "dust" a prod- chronic fatigue, and irritation of the eyes and meeting with the TWC, several people in the uct of a hazardous waste burn, and unlike the mouth. Although cement plant officials say audience noted angrily that the Systech/La ash from hazardous waste incinerators, it their testing shows the plant to be safe, the Farge officials and state regulatory agents does.not have to buried in specially designed California Department of Health Services spoke comfortably on a first-name basis. landfills. La Farge has said that the kiln dust has begun an investigation. Systech/La Farge is, however, not secretive will be deposited in their clay quarry in If the burn permit is approved for the Sys- about this close relationship with state and Seguin. If the dust should in fact prove to be tech/La Farge cement plant in New Braun- federal agencies. In a company brochure, toxic, there is no guarantee that the quarry fels, large quantities of heavy metals can Systech explains that, "much of the scientific will be a safe container and prevent contami- legally be discharged into the air. According data used to establish standards and regula- nation of groundwater and nearby land. to their revised permit application, up to tions for the industry [i.e., cement kiln use of In order to transport the large quantities of 58.343 pounds per hour of zinc, 0.722 pounds waste-derived-fuel] were gathered at Sys- hazardous waste to the kiln (up to 15 million per hour of lead, and 0.0183 pounds per hour tech/La Farge facilities." gallons a year), five trucks a day and several • of arsenic could legally issue, from the La For opponents of Systech/La Farge, their train cars a week will pass through New Farge stack. Both the company and the regu- concern about the intertwining of industry Braunfels. The trucks will follow 1-35 to the latory agencies contend that these levels of and regulatory agencies became greater when Solms Road exit, and there they will turn and emissions are harmless. Chadbourne, speak- Cookie Barboza, a New Braunfels resident, travel down two-lane county roads for a little ing for Systech/La Farge, further stated that asked at the July 25 town meeting how the over a mile. The train cars will have to move "actual" emissions will be far below these state would monitor emissions from the kiln. through the heart of New Braunfels. Resi- levels, perhaps as little as 10 percent of Bill Colbert, director of public information dents are extremely worried about hazardous what's permitted. And as for the seemingly for the TWC, responded: "If they [Systech/ waste spills. For many years, Texas has led large levels of fugitive emissions (material La Farge] get a permit to burn the waste from the nation in rail and trucking accidents. which escapes during the course of handling the Air Control Board, they are the monitor- Coincidentally, on the night before the town or storing the hazardous waste), Chadbourne ing and enforcement agency." The audience meeting with the TWC, a train derailed at the said that the figures on the permits list the shouted out their disbelief. "Will they be local switching station. Compounding the amount that would escape in a worst-case policing themselves, or will someone be danger is the fact that the city does not have scenario — that is, if every valve in the plant checking up on them?" Barboza asked. the personnel to respond to a hazardous waste were leaking. Colbert replied, "They are the state agency accident. If the Systech/La Farge plan to burn As with most permit applications to the responsible for those activities." Some in the hazardous waste is approved, New Braunfels TWC and TACB, the numbers that Systech/ audience laughed and others booed. must either raise the money to enlarge and La Farge gives for fugitive and stack emis- Given the limited budgets of the TWC and retrain their fire department, or rely on help sions are tailored to limits that the regulatory the TACB, and the large number of facilities' from Austin and San Antonio. Austin is 60 agencies have established. These "effects- they must regulate, it is not surprising that miles from New Braunfels, San Antonio is screening-levels" (ESLs) define quantities these agencies delegate the responsibility for 30. In an interview with the Observer, John of material that the agencies believe can be monitoring emissions and ensuring compli- Chadbourne of Systech/La Farge has said released into the environment without harm. ance with the permit. As some officials in that the company has no responsibility to According to Jo Ann Wiersema, a toxicolo- these agencies readily admit, the problem develop an emergency response plan for gist with the TACB, the state determines rests ultimately with the Legislature. "We transportation accidents, and that due to in- ESLs by researching occupational data, ani- have 70 percent of all U.S. chemical produc- surance concerns, only "limited advice" can mal experiments, and epidemiological stud- tion here in Texas. And I have only four be offered in the case of an accident. ies. To date, close to 2000 compounds have toxicologists in my department. We need Despite the issues raised by opponents of been assigned an ESL, and the list continues more money for more personnel," said Jo the waste-derived fuel program, state regula- to grow and be updated. For instance, until Ann Wiersema of the TACB. Wiersema and tory agencies consider the process the best fairly recently, butadeine, a compound used others believe that the regulatory agencies means of destroying hazardous waste. They in the manufacture of synthetic rubber, was can be more effective if they receive the right point to the "five-nine" figure (99.999) for considered safe even at high levels of expo- to charge industry larger inspection fees and destruction and removal efficiency of or- sure. However, when researchers reviewed perhaps even exact a $1-per-car emission- ganic toxics (DRE), the absence of "ash," data which described the synergistic effect of inspection. But for now, the agencies must and the conversion of waste to an industrial butadeine in combination with other com- draw up regulations as best they can and trust fuel. Yet they avoid questions about metals pounds, they discovered that for lab animals that industry will cooperate in good faith. emissions, disposal of "kiln dust," and the it was highly carcinogenic. Although some Kiln and fugitive emissions are the most dangers of transporting hazardous materials researchers still doubt that butadeine is as obvious topic of concern in the debate over through populated areas. carcinogenic for humans as it is for small the Systech/La Farge plan to use hazardous For the residents of New Braunfels who animals, the ESL for the substance has been waste as supplemental fuel in the Balcones Continued on page 10

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 7 The Richards Program 's New Texas agenda doesn't contain any real surprises. It pretty much reads "standard Democrat" in big letters, it's pretty much geared to average working family folks, and it's pretty much what we here in Travis County would expect of the woman we're going to vote for in overwhelming numbers, again. It conveys nothing of whatever it is that makes people such ardent supporters of "Ann." For those of you in the other 253 counties who were wondering, here's Ann's plan.

CRIME The foundation of Ann Richards's crime plan is that most crime is rooted in sub- stance abuse, therefore Richards has logi- cally focused on law enforcement, educa- tion, and treatment. Ann has assumed the "tough on crime" stance required of all, but especially female, candidates. Where her plan is not an outright showdown of BILL LEISSNER hormones with Claytie, Richards has some Ann Richards, Jim Harrington and Cesar Chavez common sense ideas intertwined with some of the trendier items of the 1990s: volvement and decision-making so that • Protect the environment through oil- •Unite communities—homes, churches, schools improve the

8 • OCTOBER 26, 1990 A Bright and Shining Lie BY JIM LACY

Waco UGH SHINE knows the importance of education for our children," the H voiceover says, while the camera pans across the 11th Congressional District candidate and a smiling boy and girl. "He has two of his own." It's a lovely picture, but there is one flaw in it. These may not be Hugh Shine's children. Since Ronald Reagan made style more important than substance in public life, the Reagan prescription for electoral success has often proved effective. State Representative Hugh Shine, though, seems determined to push this Republican campaign tactic to the limit in his race for the House of Representa- tives seat vacated by Democrat Marvin Leath. And while Shine claims to recognize the importance of education for children in his legislative district, which includes Waco, voters might profit from a little education about Hugh Shine. Shine fashions himself today as a far-right conservative, and his voting record in the Texas House between 1986 and 1990 reflects that philosophy. But Shine's old-fashioned conservatism is actually a relatively new LOUIS DUBOSE development. In 1984, Shine served as a Hugh Shine: family value Walter Mondale delegate to the state Demo- cratic convention and had his own name own ideas about Shine's conversion: "He'll to a homosexual political group in Houston. placed into nomination as a delegate to the do anything to win and to keep on winning. You didn't do it to fight AIDS or celebrate national convention. Shine now claims that You can ask anyone about that," said Messer, the record of the late Mickey Leland. You did he became disillusioned with the convention who compares Shine to another Republican it to gain political support from the Houston and walked out, a claim others who attended office holder. "If people think Dan Quayle is Gay and Lesbian Caucus." the convention dispute. In any event, Shine shallow," Messer said, "they've never met Edwards's response was not exactly praise- showed no signs of switching parties while Hugh Shine." worthy, either. Perhaps remembering Phil he was active in city government in Temple Messer's suggestion that Shine is unlikely Gramm's success with a similar charge from 1984 to 1986. It was shortly before the to let principle get in the way of electoral against Lloyd Doggett in the 1984 U.S. Senate 1986 election that Hugh Shine made the victory seems to be borne out in Shine's race, Edwards said it is a "lie" that he has switch. current Congressional campaign. Early in supported gay rights. And Shine showed no John Messer, a Belton lawyer and Shine's the campaign, anonymous mailings arrived signs of letting up; he even ran a radio spot Democratic opponent in that 1986 state House at homes around the 11th District. They in- that implies that Edwards, who is not mar- race, told the Observer the following story cluded pages from a Houston gay-oriented ried, is gay. about Shine's party conversion. Before the magazine which reported that Shine's oppo- While depicting his opponent, who is 1986 election, Messer had been approached nent, state Senator Chet Edwards, had at- unmarried, as something less than a family by local Republican leaders who tried to tended a Houston Gay and Lesbian Caucus- man, Shine has stressed his own "devotion to persuade him to switch parties and run against sponsored banquet honoring the late Con- family" in his campaign literature and adver- Shine, whom the Republicans were convinced gressman Mickey Leland. When he learned tising. But his real family life bears little would run as a Democrat. When Messer about the mailings, Edwards demanded that resemblance to the family life — indeed, the refused and entered the race as a Democrat, Shine "stop the gutter politics." family — in his advertising. In 1985, Shine Shine, who had been considered a liberal Shine, while denying that he was respon- and his wife of 11 years, Debbie Kelly, Democrat, declared his candidacy — as a sible for the mailing, released the following separated. Bell County District Court rec- Republican. statement, which was reported in the Waco ords show that Hugh and Debbie's legal Why did Shine switch? Messer has his Tribune-Herald: "Chet, quit trying to hide struggles continued off and on for two years behind phony excuses and the memory of a thereafter. After a jury trial to determine dead Houston congressman. Tell the people custody of the two children had commenced, Jim Lacy is a freelance writer whose most the truth. You support gay rights and you but before a verdict was rendered, Shine recent mailing address was in Waco. have contributed your own campaign funds signed an agreement giving custody of the THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 9

gp.mirqi.4*-' 7,,s0enblow. children to Debbie. The dissolution of the his ex-wife and ex-business partner. By the Shine owns two pieces of property in Bell Shine family was contentious enough that terms of the divorce agreement, Shine is County, he does not presently own a home in the court agreement listed, in longhand, under allowed very little access to these children. the district, according to Bell County tax a typed list of property Shine was to receive: One of the issues in this rather nasty cam- records. "Photos of girls with father." At the time of paign has been whether the kids seen in the "Hugh Shine first served us in Korea," an the final agreement in 1986, Hugh Shine commercial are actually the candidate's. announcer says in an ad featuring a black and consented to a court order compelling his Shine has two girls, but to many who have white photo of the candidate in uniform. employer, Dean Witter of Temple, to with- viewed the commercial, one of the children Once again, the words may be accurate, but hold $500 of his salary per month in child appears to be a boy. When Shine was chal- they are misleading. The implicit message is support. Shine also agreed to provide Debbie lenged on this point at a press conference, he that Shine is a war veteran, but records in the $200 a month in alimony for 15 years. insisted that both children were girls, and Bell County Courthouse show that Shine did Shortly after this settlement, Debbie Shine were his. But the limited contact access he is not join the military until 1974, a good 20 married Hugh Shine's longtime business allowed with the children raises the question years after most U.S. troops had left Korea. partner, Jeff Lagow, and Shine was back in whether Shine could have put them in his TV Shine, born in 1952, was still in the crib in court filing suit against his former wife. ad. (He has since pulled the spot from the air, 1953, when the armistice was signed ending Debbie Lagow (née Shine) accepted Hugh after a man shown in the ad shaking hands the Korean War. By the time Shine did visit Shine's conditions to settle the new suit: that with Shine turned out to be a Democratic Korea, M*A*S*H was well past its second the alimony payments be discontinued, that county chairman who threatened to sue.) season. the court order mandating the withholding of In addition to the charge that Edwards Hugh Shine (like Republican U.S. Senator Hugh's income be dropped, and that the child supports gay rights, Shine has said that Phil Gramm, who is paying for many of support payments be lowered by $100 a Edwards is an outsider to the 1 1 th District. Shine's commercials), might be a product of month. It is unclear from the court papers Edwards's state Senate district, which he has the Republican Party's design to run every whether Shine had been paying the child represented since 1982, includes the largest race in the same fashion, beginning with the support or alimony prior to this new city in the Congressional district, Waco, but formulaic ad campaign which includes a settlement. Observer sources say that Shine Edwards had to change his residence to run proper admixture of prejudice, patriotism, was deficient in his child support payments. for the seat. and innuendo, to serve as a backdrop for a On the campaign trail, Shine often men- Shine, however, may not have his own candidate who is by design an exemplar of tions his wife and children, but he omits the roots planted very deeply in the soil of the Christian, middle-class "family values." In fact that he married his current wife, another, 11th District. A biography distributed by the Hugh Shine's case — as in the case of a few younger Debbie, 15 months ago and that his Shine campaign says that the candidate only other candidates — the man just doesn't fit two girls, age 8 and 10, live in Houston with moved to the district in 1980. And though the mold. ❑

Continued from page 7 storage, and burning of hazardous waste in On Saturday, October 27, over 200 resi- oppose the use of hazardous waste as a sup- the city of New Braunfels, and set aside dents of New Braunfels, San Marcos, Wim- plemental fuel, the first step has been to $50,000 for the legal counsel and experts berley, and other towns marched to the front convince the City Council to oppose the needed for the final hearing with the TWC. gate of the LaFarge plant, chanting slogans Systech/La Farge operation and to enter the Further, the council decided to research the such as "We're in charge, not LaFarge." It TWC review process as a legal intervenor. legality of annex ordinances and the possi- was a characteristically polite rally; La Farge Initially, the council seemed inclined either bility of taxing and restricting the transporta- officials officials refused to come out and to support or be ambivalent about the burn- tion and burning of hazardous waste. talk to the marchers, but did hire two ladies to ing of hazardous waste. They declared the Officials at Systech/La Farge characterize sell lemonade to them. The rallyers pre- SAFE petitions invalid, and said only that the negative response to their application as sented the company with a banner-sized they were "concerned" with the future opera- irrational. "It's perfectly safe, they just don't "eviction notice," and made a point of clean- tion at Systech/La Farge. want it," said Chadbourne to the Observer. ing up all their litter. Representatives from At. the September 24 meeting of the City "It's almost like somebody saying, 'You're Air, Water, Earth, Greenpeace, and Texans Council, however, 700 people attended, and black, I don't want you here in my cafete- United made speeches, as did local residents. many spoke against the burning of hazardous ria." Now, Chadbourne and his co-workers One professor read off a list of the hazardous waste. By the meeting's end, the council had await the TWC hearing that will decide on chemicals that would be produced by the declared its opposition to the transportation, their permit application. plant; after each name, the crowd shouted "No!" Since the opponents of Systech/La Farge are pursuing their case by hiring lawyers and experts to represent them in the TWC hear- ing, the conflict between industry and com- • Data Processing munity continues to proceed by rules that were produced in compromise between the • Typesetting state and industry. And if the permits to burn and store hazardous waste are denied, then, • Printing for a time at least, one match is finished and • Mailing the rules remain unchanged. However, if the FUTUM Systech/La Farge permits are approved and COMMUNICATIONS. INC New Braunfels tries to control the burning of hazardous waste by taxing and regulating the company" activities, the situation changes considerably. By discovering and develop- 512-389-1500 ing its own regulatory powers, New Braun- FAX 512-389-0867 fels might test the limits of a community's 3019 Alvin DeVane, Suite 500 Austin, Texas 78741 sovereignty and challenge the centralized authority of the state regulatory agencies. ❑

10 • OCTOBER 26, 1990 No More Bay Bashing: A Letter to Clayton BY ART AGNOS

0, CLAYTON WILLIAMS thinks around to Fisherman's Wharf. San Francisco return America's support by showing Amer- he can land a hit on his opponent by is also building the institutions that add to the ica her values at their very best. charging that she "must think she's quality of life — and provide models for There are people from all over the world 5running for mayor of San Francisco." other locales. — including from Texas — who concluded As the person who is the mayor of San We're opening child-care centers at the that they could be their personal best by Francisco, I have some news that apparently rate of one a month, using an innovative living in a city with our kind of values. They hasn't reached Williams: Not only is being program that helps train and license child- brought with them the kind of character other mayor of San Francisco one of the greatest care providers as new businesses at the same Texas politicians — from Lyndon Johnson to jobs in the world, my city has set some time as it increases child-care options for George Bush — so proudly displayed. It is in standards other places — Texas included — parents. marked contrast to the kind of mindless bra- would have a hard time matching. We won a rewrite of the nation's federal vado we hear from the present Texas Repub- The latest reports show San Francisco has loan rules so that new businesses can get lican gubernatorial candidate, Clayton "Drag an unemployment rate of 4 percent, below community development loans; and after the Her Through the Dirt" Williams. last year's level despite recovering from an Loma Prieta earthquake, we won a rewrite of Will Texans really be proud of someone earthquake, and far below the national level. federal law so that non-profit agencies and who talks like that? This year, San Francisco set, the national recreation facilities can get disaster aid. That The presence in San Francisco of former record — for the third straight year — for will help Texas if a hurricane or other disas- Texans also made us better. We're proud of successful start-ups of new businesses. Nine ter hits you. Willie. Brown, son of a Texas sharecropper, out of 10 businesses started in our city in each We've developed the nation's best response who now is speaker of the California State of the past three years have succeeded. We're to the AIDS epidemic, altering its course Assembly and considered the most powerful also a national leader in big business: Five of through education and doing research at our man in the state, after the governor. The the top 10 public as well as five of the top 10 San Francisco General Hospital that will president of the San Francisco Board of private U.S. companies are headquartered in improve and hopefully save the lives of Supervisors, Harry Britt, used to call Port our city. Texans as well as San Franciscans. We're Arthur home. Our chief of protocol, Char- Those factors combine to give our city the implementing a model program for the lotte Mailliard Swig, who most recently highest per capita income in the nation. Our homeless that provides the services as well as organized our welcome for Soviet President Bay Area is now the third- largest economy the housing needed so that we don't simply Mikhail Gorbachev, is also a former Texan. in the , and the education level recycle them from one low-rent hotel to Each of them found that, because they were in the area ranks second in the nation. another. black, gay or a woman, they would have Even with our compact size and popula- We are a city that has taken America's opportunity. As a result, our city is richer, tion of 750,000, we're managing to plan values to heart — the Golden Gate isn't more successful and better for having them. growth that will continue to make us a leader simply a piece of geography, but it represents My own parents came to America from well into the next century. Our voters just the way we feel about our country, a place Greece because they believed in the values approved a $100 million-plus new main li- with golden opportunity for every person. written at the Statue of Liberty. They taught brary, and we've just unveiled plans for a We're also proud that the Bay Area nur- me to believe in those values. I chose to live new Museum of Modern Art. We just com- tured such American movements as the Si- in San Francisco because I believed that this pleted a Fashion Center to showcase what is erra Club and making environment a prior- city uniquely offered a chance to put those now the nation's third-largest design indus- ity, and Consumer's Union,• which helped values into practice. Neither my parents nor try, and our revitalization of San Francisco's consumers combine their strength in the I have ever regretted our decisions — and my historic seven-mile working waterfront is the marketplace with education. commitment as mayor is that no one will ever largest public works project in the country. It Most of all, we are a city that will not have cause to believe that San Francisco will include everything from a new fisheries tolerate intolerance. You can't get elected doesn't practice what only gets preached in center — we're still one of the nation's Mayor of San Francisco — and I sincerely too many parts of our country — whether it largest fishing industry ports — to a new hope you can't get elected is economic opportunity for small businesses boulevard and cruise-ship terminal to wel- or to any other post in America — by pitting as well as big businesses, affordable housing, come passengers who consistently vote us one group of citizens against another because health care even in an epidemic, or respect the world's most romantic port of call. of their race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, and dignity for every person. Our public transit system is second to or nationality. We are city of great diversity So, to Clayton Williams, I say: Recogniz- none, and getting better with new lines and — and we are proud of it. ing that you can't compete in a contest with services, including a historic trolley service Our city picked itself up after a devastating us over our economy, our education, our down the city's spine of Market Street and earthquake last year. We did it by caring cultural values, I'm willing to settle this on a about each other, not by forgetting about level playing field. If you keep this up, we're each other's needs. On prime time television, going to send the San Francisco 49ers back we showed the nation we are made of "the down to Houston, and this time we're not right stuff. - We had America's help — and going to wait till the fourth quarter to get Agnos is mayor of San Francisco. we'll never forget it. We will do our best to serious. ❑

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • Whitetail Whitewash Who Paid for Rick Perry's Deer?

BY LOUIS DUBOSE

Austin HAT IS KNOWN is this. On /VD/ i_ . . . February 4, 1988, Texas Depart- W ment of Parks and Wildlife driver Max Traweek drove his trailer onto a ranch in DEER TRAP AND RELEASE FORM Haskell County and released 22 deer. Twenty tr were adult does, one was an adult buck, and TRAILER NUMBER DATE •2 • one was a doe fawn. That's all anyone knows. Trying to get anything more specific out of DRIVER Pqii A RANCH /) Parks and Wildlife might be an easier task eV Ea- than going out and single-handedly rounding ADDLT DOES TOTAL up those 22 deer — and their offspring. ADULT BUCXS I A routine Open Records request doesn't TOTAL exactly solve the mystery of whether the DOE FAWNS TOTAL deer, as one campaign consultant contends, r>.Pir.r ■ BUCK FAWNS TOTAL were improperly released on a ranch belong- ing to Haskell Republican Representative SUM TOTAL Rick Perry. Perry maintains that they weren't released on the J.R. Perry ranch. When the RELEASE SITE incident first came to light, he told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that as a legislator, • _RELEASE DATE Febt q, /?( good neighbor, and former animal science NUMBER DEER RELEASED major at Texas A&M University, he talked to several landowners whose property was located near his and asked if they wanted South Texas whitetail deer, which according to the Star-Telegram story have a better bloodline than North Texas deer. Perry, a former Democrat, is now a Republican can- / -5 e 71r) "7/7. ), A/0,4' )7e7' didate for commissioner of agriculture. 74 After a wildlife stocking scandal that in- •r a- f(/,( Pr% V‘71 volved House Speaker Gib Lewis and others, 441 the agency's wildlife program director, 1971 /e_ Charles Allen, was replaced, and there has I been some reorganization at Parks and Wild- life. But the agency still seems to have diffi- culty dealing with such items as straightfor- ward Open Records Act requests for public information. A request by this publication for the trap ACROSS THE AISLE 1311 BERKSHIRE DR. and release form, which should explain AUSTIN, TEXAS 78723 whether Perry used his position as an elected official to obtain deer at state expense, was answered within the 10 days allowed by the Texas Open Records Act. But the record was amended written in longhand on the lower half of the page was: "This may be incorrect. the nature of the record, Boyd Johnson, the notation cited by date a Fort Worth Star- Deer may have been released on neighbor's general counsel for the agency, said that the Telegram article published one year after the ranch. (Ft. Worth Star Telegram, 3/7/89)." explanation of any possible error in release deer were released. An arrow was drawn from the note to the sites should have been included in a cover But the Rick Perry antlergate story became blank on which the release site, the J.R. Perry letter accompanying the trap and release form, something of an altergate story when a sec- Ranch, was listed. not written on it. "Whoever did it," Johnson ond document, obtained from a campaign The Texas Open Records Act provides said, "was probably trying to provide addi- consultant, also was amended. And though public access to public records or photocop- tional information." It is evident that there the amended information was the essentially ies of the records. Public records, with cer- was no attempt to present the most recent the same, it was conveyed in a slightly differ- tain clearly defined exceptions, must be made addendum to the form as a notation made at ent fashion. (Both documents are reproduced available upon request. When asked if add- the time of the release — unless it was a on the adjacent pages.) On the second docu- ing information to a document does not change hopelessly clumsy attempt to do so — since ment, which includes at the bottom a stamp

12 • OCTOBER 26, 1990

identifying the Austin political consultant questionable game stockings, that ultimately truck. Traweek then followed Perry to a site that requested it, there is a new notation in the led to the departure of Parks and Wildlife's and unloaded the deer. "I'm not familiar with upper left hand corner of the page: "Not Type wildlife director. the area," Traweek said. "And I don't recall H." Another note is handwritten at the bot- According to a list of 1987-88 Type II deer exactly whose property they were going on. tom: "These deer reportedly were not re- stockings conducted by Parks and Wildlife, They could easily have been put on a prop- leased on Perry's ranch but on a neighbor's whitetail deer were delivered to 41 separate erty adjacent to Perry's." On the same day he ranch." sites in the state. The final four entries, delivered the deer, however, Traweek wrote Type II designates a program by which however, are designated "Other Deer Stock- that the deer were delivered to the Perry deer are moved to land on which the public, ing," and include dates of delivery of deer to ranch. with the purchase of a Type II license, is two ranches owned by Gib Lewis, one Perry disagreed, telling the Fort Worth allowed to hunt. According to the Austin Hopkins County ranch with a site identified Star-Telegram that the records are "very, very wrong." He even insisted that there was no way the deer would get to his property. "There is nothing to draw them there. There is no dense cover, there is no water. We don't DEER TRAP AND RELEASE FORM even lease our country for hunting. Never have." Perry said. (Lewis, at the time, used an entirely different sort of logic to justify ship- TRAILER NUMBER q DATE YS' ping deer to his ranch, saying that the deer DRIVER 1V)/4 ?t 14/AW RANCH )3 —51S released on his place "are not hemmed in on 1,500 acres. They went wherever they wanted ADULT DOES NJ 14 11 114.1111 TOTAL to go.") r 6• B..ek Where were the deer delivered? Acting ADULT BUCKS TOTAL Wildlife Director Bobby Alexander said that DOE FAWNS TOTAL it is not certain. And he could not explain tke who approved the request. Nor could general BUCK FAWNS TOTAL counsel Johnson, who said that many such SUM TOTAL requests made at the time were not docu- A mented, but only verbally approved. Nor

777 RELEASE SITE could it be determined, Alexander said, what R. Perry Reit,ccic lask funds were used to pay for the stocking. And RELEASE DATE FZ4 x L/, /' c there is no record that any agency survey was NUMBER DEER RELEASED conducted to determine if moving the deer to the Perry ranch, or one of the ranches adja- cent to the Perry ranch, was biologically sound. If, at the time the Perry et al. stocking was done, a private citizen wanted livestock moved to his land, a survey would have been required. Or, the applicant would have been required to locate his animals and pay the rya-7-1 state for trapping and transportation. e— yrvi At the time of the incident involving the AA Ve% 0,, ,P 4 fle4A his I Speaker, the American-Statesman cited a number of agency employees who com- . kr90,)-1 S//T-r plained of the pressure they felt when legis- 3/x/W lators, who vote on Parks and Wildlife budg- ets and therefore had some control over the agency, requested that their ranches or deer leases be stocked with wildlife. Members of the wildlife department's field staff told Statesman reporters that delivering game to legislators was referred to as "political stock- ings." They had no choice, agency employ- ees said, but to fill the requests. Policies have been changed and state employees have lost their jobs at the state agency as a result of the 1988 wildlife stock- American- Statesman, which last year pub- as Pickton, and the Perry Ranch in Haskell ing controversy. And the Speaker suffered lished a series of deer-stocking stories, Type County. some political damage before he resolved his II funds, essentially user fees, were used to "Not Type II" was written on one of the problem with his offer to pay or have the deer stock the two ranches owned by House forms released, according to agency counsel removed. Since there is no record of state Speaker Gib Lewis. While Lewis offered to Johnson, because Parks and Wildlife driver Representative Rick Perry, or any of his have the animals removed at his expense, or Traweek thought he was doing a Type II pro- neighbors, paying for the deer, it seems that to repay the state for the cost of trapping and gram stocking and, as Johnson remembered, Perry, before he considers being sworn in as transporting the deer (on average, $175 per originally designated the delivery as Type H. commissioner of agriculture in January, might animal), Perry, now the Republican candi- What actually happened on February 4, have some explaining to do. And if the agency date for agriculture commissioner, has made 1988? Perry's version, as told to the Star- has put its house in order, it's time that it put no such offer. It was the stocking of the Telegram, had him and several local land- its files in order. House Speaker's ranch, and several other owners waiting for the Parks and Wildlife 0

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 13 POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

✓ CLAYTON WILLIAMS'S contra- argument that both parents should be re- who along with J.D. Arnold, a former press dictions often go unnoticed in West Texas, quired to consent to a minor's abortion. "I secretary for , accused Richards where the Republican gubernatorial candi- want you to think of it [parental consent of using cocaine 13 years ago at a Mattox date is considered something of a native son. requirements] in regards to the girl who gets fundraiser. But Lubbock Avalanche-Journal editor Jay impregnated by the father, by the brother, Copeland called a press conference to an- Harris couldn't help noticing that Williams's and those parents, when they go to them, nounce that his chief of criminal investiga- "cut and not trim the fat" approach to gov- throw them out of the house, break their jaw, tors visited Arnold at his home in Santa Fe, ernment puts him squarely at odds with his and beat them unmercifully," Rosson said of New Mexico, after the Albuquerque Journal party's candidate for lieutenant governor. young women who are sexual victims within published Arnold's claim. "He had decided "There is fat," Williams was reported as their own home. Of Lozito's claim that school- that by some stretch of logic that it was within saying in an interview with Harris. "There based clinics should never be allowed to his responsibility to investigate a matter that are 15 layers of managers in the Department hand out contraceptives, Rosson said: "We allegedly occurred in 1977 — 13 years ago in of Human Services and most managers have the highest teenage pregnancy rate Dallas, 250 miles away — and that justified manage two people." among the states. That's a fact ... You have sending an investigator," Cisneros said, Harris asked Williams if the ad was not an to get to these young people and teach them according to the San Antonio Light. indirect criticism of lieutenant governor the consequences of sexual activity." If they candidate Rob Mosbacher, who one day persist in their behavior, "then for God's sake ✓ A PENGUIN FOR A ? Re- earlier had been taken to task by three state teach them how not to get pregnant. Don't publican Lieutenant Governor candidate Rob senators for requesting "10,000 employees have babies having babies." Lozito's other Mosbacher said that he would get the pen- for the deficit-ridden DHS, of which public school initiative is a proposal that the guins out of his ad if his opponent, Comptrol- Mosbacher is chairman." Williams said he police employ dog patrols in public schools ler Bob Bullock, would get the duck out of would defend Mosbacher "but not 10,000 to sniff out possible illegal drugs. his, according to the Dallas Morning News. new people." Mosbacher's ad takes Bullock to task for his ✓ HOUSTON CHRONICLE reporter use of state aircraft, citing, in particular, one ✓ WILLIAMS is a fiscal conservative in Mark Smith's 23-column-inch story on Bryan flight to Alaska. The ad includes a group of most circumstances, but not when it comes state Representative Richard Smith's imbro- penguins looking up at what is supposed to to campaign spending. It's widely known glio with the Resolution Trust Corporation be Bullock's plane flying over Alaska. Pen- that he has spent more money on his cam- could make a difference in Smith's state guins, however, are not found in Alaska, and paign than any other previous gubernatorial Senate campaign. The Chronicle, which cir- there is no evidence that the Comptroller candidate. And, it seems, that's the way he culates in Bryan and most of the Fifth Sena- ever flew to the Antarctic on the taxpayers' planned it all along. According to Republi- torial District (now represented by retiring tab. Bullock's ad hits closer to home and can gubernatorial primary candidate Tom Democrat Kent Caperton), reported that includes a dead bird — presented as a victim Luce, who appeared recently on Fort Worth's Smith voluntarily withdrew his real estate of one of the oil spills caused by a barge com- Channel 8 News Index, Williams always company's listings of RTC-foreclosed prop- pany partly owned by Mosbacher Jr. admitted that money was the big variable in erties to avoid "possible fines and penalties his election equation. The Fort Worth pro- at a federal ethics committee hearing." ✓ ANOTHER HIGH flyer was recently gram ran a taped segment of Luce discuss- Smith, according to the Chronicle, has scuffed up in pages of the Austin American- ing former opponent Clayton Williams be- admitted that he is not eligible to sell RTC Statesman, where political writer Dave fore a group of Harvard students. Luce quoted properties. Federal rules prohibit "any indi- McNeely suggested that state Representa- Williams saying (to him) "I like the hell out vidual, firm, or related entity in default on tive Rick Perry of Haskell, who "pilots his of you ... don't take it personal but I'm going bank or S&L loans of more than $50,000" to own plane, flew too HIGH without his oxy- to buy this governor's race." do business with the RTC. Smith, the Chron- gen mask on." At issue was a Perry press icle reported, has been in default since Au- release attacking his opponent, Democratic ✓ EL PASO state Representative Jack gust 16, 1987, on a $460,000 loan. He re- Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower, Vowell, a four-term progressive Republi- fused to tell the Chronicle how much he had for Hightower's promotion of crop-diversi- can, is the pro-abortion-rights candidate in a earned from the sale of RTC properties be- fication. Perry wrote that he "wouldn't be campaign against anti-abortion-rights can- fore he withdrew the listings. But one sales surprised that HIGHtower's emphasis on didate Paula Thomas. Thomas is a lawyer, agent with Smith's firm had told the paper diversification [of crops] has encouraged the who according to Diana Washington Valdez that she alone received more than $130,000 spread of marijuana in the state. Mr of the El Paso Times, has built an unusual this year from the sale of RTC properties. HIGHtower has spent most of the past eight coalition of "labor, pro-lifers, the local And an office manager in one of Smith's five years talking about Chinese cabbage and Democratic Party and some Republicans Austin offices said that the commission split reishi mushrooms. Is marijuana one of those who oppose Vowell's bid for re-election." between the firm and its agents ranges from niche crops?" Before cutting off Perry's air, Vowell, however, is expected to prevail in 50/50 to 75/25. Smith's firm is Coldwell McNeely gave Perry's statement the two- the race. Banker/Richard Smith Realtors. Smith's and-a-half column inches it deserved — at opponent is Crockett mayor and former House the tail end of a Sunday column. ✓ PEGGY ROSSON, the former Public member Jim Turner. Utilities Commissioner from El Paso, is on ✓ WITH THE U.S. TREASURY just the opposite side of the abortion issue from ✓ HENRY CISNEROS, former mayor about empty, what better way to use its cus- fellow Democrat Thomas. Rosson's Repub- of San Antonio, decried Bexar County Sher- todian than for a little politicking? U.S. Treas- lican opponent Frank Lozito, is, according iff Harlon Copeland for engaging in "cess- urer Catalina Vasquez Villalpando, a native to Gary Scharrer of the El Paso Times, pool" politics. "It took Harlon Copeland to of San Marcos, has campaigned for Clayton attacking Rosson for her pro-abortion-rights be willing to put his hands into the cesspool Williams and Larry Vick (GOP challenger to position. Rosson disagreed with Lozito's of filthy tactics," Cisneros said of Copeland, Senator Judith Zaffirini), and plans to help 14 • OCTOBER 26, 1990

V74.- other Republican candidates for statewide office. Speaking of Vick to the San Antonio Express-News, Villalpando said: "I like his positions. I'm not a feminist."

✓ A FUNDAMENTALIST Christian group from Austin, the Texas Grassroots Coalition, is again preying — and again the object of their prayers is the gay and lesbian community in the state. That's not unusual for the group directed by Adrian Van Zelfden whose organization urges Christians to start small issue groups in their churches. What is newsworthy is that the coalition is, in part, funded by the campaign of Republican gu- bernatorial candidate Clayton Williams. Listed among the recipients of Williams campaign expenditures on file with the Sec- retary of State's office is at least $9,500 paid to the Grassroots Coalition for consulting on direct mail services. In one mailing, Van Zelfden wrote: "I am blowing my trumpet again now." What, besides his reiteration of his primary endorsement of Williams, is Van Zelfden blowing? "Ann Richards had pledged to do every- thing she can to repeal the Texas criminal law statute that makes homosexual acts illegal ... The lesbians and homosexuals hate this law, because it allows people like me to describe their conduct as criminal. It alsovuts them at risk when they cruise parks and public rest rooms in search of casual sex with each other or to recruit children. "Another strong push is to force society and individuals to give special preferences to lesbians and homosexuals. ... This has led to the view that courts will require something akin to quotas, which would be a particular problem for churches that hire people like or- ganists and janitors, as well as the pastoral staff. ... Landlords and agents have been forced to rent to lesbians and homosexuals, even in the case of a person who has a duPlex and lives in one side. Some other affirmative action agenda items sought by the lesbians and homosexuals are marriage, adoption, medical and life insurance, inheritance, and pensions. "If their champion goes down in ignomini- ous defeat because of her stand for them, it will set back the lesbian/homosexual politi- cal movement for a long time. (I think it is not unreasonable to hope it knocks them out for as much as a generation.)" LOUIS DUBOSE Van Zelfden's mailing is something of a Rep. Richard Smith: Problems with savings & loan foreclosures chain letter. He urges those who receive it to make 10 copies and mail them to friends. reform bills during the last decade, legisla- other state," the study noted. "Texas has 42 tion that would have enacted campaign fi- percent fewer citizens than California, which ✓ RALPH NADER has turned his atten- nance reform, limited honoraria and free is the second most energy-consuming state, tions toward Texas recently. Besides head- gifts from special interest groups, and similar but it uses 37 percent more energy and 28 lining the Eco-Fair held in Austin, Nader measures. Senator Lloyd Bentsen, by con- percent more petroleum. ... In fact, although criticized Senator Phil Gramm for being one trast, voted for reform 70 percent of the time. it has less than 7 percent of the nation's popu- of a handful of senators who has consistently lation, Texas accounts for nearly 12 percent voted against measures to end special inter- ✓ A SECOND Public Citizen study con"- of U.S. energy use," the report continued. est influence and corruption in Washington. cerning Texas reveals that the state is one of The results are particularly disturbing during Nader's remarks were based on a report by the five most wasteful in terms of energy a time when U.S. consumption of energy his Public Citizen organization, which re- used per person. "Though it has only the third may embroil the country in a Persian Gulf vealed that 17 Senators — including Gramm largest population, Texas uses far more en- war. — voted down the line against 10 important ergy and more petroleum overall than any 0 THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 15 Heavy Hitters Bidding for Influence in a Clayton Williams Administration

The $18 million-plus raised by Republican Mike Toomey $10,000 Dallas Clayton Williams and his campaign has made Austin Goldman Sachs PAC $6,000 the 1990 election in Texas the most expen- Tich N. Truong $1,050 Washington, DC sive single governor's race ever conducted in Dallas Houston Area Chiropractic PAC $1,600 this - or probably any - republic. Below is Chester R. Upham Jr. $10,000 Houston a list of contributions made to the Williams Mineral Wells W. Warren Prater $1,250 Campaign during the quarter which ended J. Virgil Waggoner $40,000 Plano September 27, 1990 - the most recent filing Houston G.H. McClesky $2,000 period. Observer interns Richard Arellano, Dary Stone $2,000 Lubbock Ali Hossaini, Vince Lozano, and Jennifer Dallas Blas M. Martinez $5,000 Wong compiled the list from candidate dis- James C. Storm (MBank) $1,000 Laredo closure forms, which by law must be filed in Corpus Christi DLJ Better Government PAC $2,000 the secretary of state's office in Austin. Our A.M. Stringfellow $10,000 , New York original plan was to list all contributions of San Antonio Diamond Shamrock R&M PAC $500 $1,000 or more. Such a list, however, would Ken M. Talkington $5,000 San Antonio have filled almost half of this issue. We have Arlington ACS PAC $17,500 therefore included only contributions above Charles W. Tate $1,000 Dallas $1,000, along with a few notable lesser giv- New York, New York ARA PAC $2,500 ers. During the recent quarter, Williams raised Peter Terpeuluk Jr. $3,000 Philadelphia, $3,585,924.24 In mid-October, at a Dallas Washington, DC Amoco Texas PAC $2,500 fundraiser featuring President Bush, $2 mil- Gillis Thomas $5,000 Austin & Houston lion was raised. Dallas American Petrofina PAC $10,500 Gerard L. Smith $1,000 Dallas Frederick R. Meyer $10,400 New York, New York Ned Holmes $10,000 Dallas Jan H. Stenbeck $10,000 Houston Paul J. Meyer $20,000 New York, New York Elton Hyder Jr. $1,000 Waco Robert H. Stewart $10,000 Fort Worth A. M. Micallef $10,000 Dallas Harold Hyman $1,500 Fort Worth Delbert L. Dunmire $2,000 Dimmitt Vance C. Miller $1,500 Grandview, Missouri Bruno Scherrer $1,000 Dallas Joseph F. Fogg $1,000 Los Angeles, Califorina Rev. Gene A. Moore $5,000 Mullontown, New York Paul Schilder $1,250 Pearland • Jon Newton Lubbock $5,000 Monte Hasie . $1,000 Austin Robert Schneeflock $1,000 Lubbock T. Boone Pickens $10,000 Brandon, Mississippi George S. Hawn $2,300 Dallas F. H. Richardson $5,000 Corpus Christi Clive Runnells III $10,000 Houston Thomas E. Martinson $2,000 Houston Frank E. Richardson $1,000 New York, New York George A. Robinson $10,000 New York, New York Arden R. Grover $10,000 Houston Joe C. Richardson $1,750 Midland John F. Lott $2,500 Amarillo Brian McCoy $1,005 Lubbock John C. Robbins $3,650 San Marcos Donald J. Carter $20,000 Longview J. Donald Guinn (NCNB) $1,000 Coppell Thomas P. Roddy $2,000 Tyler SCOPE PAC $5,000 Washington, DC Michel T. Halbouty $1,000 Amarillo Beatrice C. Pickens $28,900 Houston San Jacinto Fund PAC $5,000 Dallas Bill Ham $2,000 Houston R. H. Pickens $5,500 Houston Sawtelle et al PAC $1,500 Dallas Gene Bishop $5,000 San Antonio James R. Ratliff $2,500 Dallas Texas Oxy Employees PAC Lubbock $500 J.H. Conine Jr. $2,500 Lubbock Powell Industries PAC $1,000 Midland Texas DPS PAC $1,000 Houston C.C. Winn $5,000 Austin AIA-PAC $2,500 Eagle Pass IBP PAC $1,000 Houston Harry Westmoreland (NCNB) $1,000 Dakota City, Nebraska PAC State $1,000 Lubbock Korean Senior Citizens PAC $250 Washington, DC Bill Whepley $8,000 Dallas Texas Eagle Forum PAC $250 Irving MBANK Employees PAC $5,000 Lubbock 16 • OCTOBER 26, 1990 H. Ross Perot Jr. $500 David G. Eller $1,750 Jack Brown $12,500 Dallas Houston Midland Bob J. Perry $25,000 Jimmie L. Davis $25,000 D. Button $2,500 Houston Midland Midland Neal Nance $1,200 Alfred L. Deaton III $10,000 G.R. Chapman $10,000 Giddings Houston Amarillo Peter O'Donnell Jr. $10,500 Mr. R. H. Dedman $500 Eddie Chiles $3,000 Dallas Dallas Fort Worth Beef PAC $5,000 Eddie Chiles $13,500 Ken Clark $2,500 Amarillo Fort Worth Midland Bear Stearns PAC $1,000 Dalton Cobb $3,000 Billy W. Clayton $1,000 New York, New York Midland Austin (Bob Dole) Campaign George Conley $1,500 Woodrow W. Clements $5,000 America PAC $1,000 Midland Dallas Washington, DC Richard K. Crane $15,000 Ted Collins $2,500 Constructive Citizenship PAC $5,000 Garland Midland Dallas T.J. Cronk $1,500 Harold D. Courson $15,000 Impact Operating Acct. PAC $1,000 Odessa Perryton Austin Leona M. Bryant $1,250 Frank Cowden $2,500 Exxon Corp. PAC $8,400 Midland Midland Houston Robert Calhoun Jr. $1,000 Wright E. Cowden Jr. $2,500 GTE State PAC $4,000 Greenwich, Connecticut Midland Austin Philip Carroll $3,000 Bobby D. Cox $5,000 Glenn McMennamy $1,200 Houston Odessa Amarillo Geoffrey Boisi $3,000 Earle Craig Jr. $2,500 Wm. A. McMinn $25,000 New York, New York Midland Houston John G. Brittingham $7,500 Richard K. Crane $5,000 Mrs. A L. Hunt $10,000 Dallas Garland Dallas Eugene Becknell $1,250 James R. Currie $2,500 Ray L. Hunt $10,000 Idalou Garden City Dallas Louis A. Beecherl $10,000 John N. Darby $1,500 Gary Jacobs $5,000 Dallas Longview Laredo Charles A. Bird $5,000 H. W. Davidson $1,500 Daniel K. Hedges $3,000 Midland Midland Houston Teel Bivins $1,000 A.R. Dillard Jr. $5,000 F. Lee Hicks $10,000 Amarillo Wichita Falls Amarillo Tom Bivins $1,300 H. Allen Doss $2,500 George C. Hixon $10,000 Amarillo Houston San Antonio Carol C. Ballard $2,000 Wayne B. Duddlesten $1,000 Robert B. Holt $3,000 Houston Houston Midland H.B. Zachry Jr. $10,000 Lynn D. Durham Jr. $1,200 John Keck $5,000 San Antonio Midland Laredo H.T. Ardinger Jr. $10,000 John E. Elliott $2,000 David W. Killam $25,000 Dallas Austin Laredo Connie C. Armstrong $100,000 David G. Fox $5,000 Danny Kilpatrick $1,500 Dallas Dallas Angleton Ernest Angelo Jr. $1,000 Gale L. Galloway $1,790 Martha S. Lyne $1,600 Midland Austin Dallas Nancy Anguish $2,500 James S. Garvey $2,000 Wales Madden Jr. $1,500 Midland Fort Worth Amarillo Joe Bailey $2,000 George H. Glass $2,500 Robert Josserand $2,000 Houston Midland Hereford Kenneth Banks $19,000 James C. Gordon $2,500 Bobby Loggins $2,000 Schulenburg Houston Tyler Thomas D. Barrow $5,000 Nancy R. Gordon $2,500 Bob Loggins $2,500 Longview Houston Tyler Carlton Beal $2,000 Robert D. Gunn $3,100 Bob Lanier $1,000 Midland Wichita Falls Fort Worth Louis Beercherl Jr. $5,500 Frances S. Haley $2,500 H. Ward Lay $12,500 Dallas Midland Dallas Lee B. M. Biggart $1,000 Michael E. Hanson $5,000 Jack Finney $2,500 Austin Houston Greenville Herbert Blankinship $7,500 Neil E. Hanson $25,000 Raymond L. Fisher $1,100 Midland Houston Houston Norman Blankinship $10,000 Fred Havenick $5,000 Dale F. Dorn $2,000 Amarillo Miami, San Antonio Daniel Bower $2,000 Florence Hecht $2,500 H.W. Davidson $1,500 , Miami, Florida Midland Othal Brand $10,000 Joe Henderson $2,600 John Drake $5,000 McAllen Midland Dallas THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 17 Walter C. Hubbard $1,500 Reed Morian $2,500 George Robinson $5,000 Midland Houston Houston J.L. Huffines Jr. $25,250 Frank M. Muller Jr. $25,000 Jim Rochelle $1,000 Lewisville Houston Texarkana James R. Huffines $1,000 Lucille G. Murchison $5,000 Clive Runnells $13,000 Austin Dallas Houston Michael Huffington $5,000 Rob Neblett $1,250 Mike Rutherford $5,000 Houston Houston Houston Tim Hunt $2,500 T.B. O'Brien $2,500 C. Hill Rylander $1,000 Greeenville Midland Austin Gary Jacobs $5,000 Peter O'Donnell Jr. $20,000 Henry G. Smith $25,000 Laredo Dallas Dallas Richard P. Keeton $1,000 AT & T PAC - Texas $1,000 Tom Scott $2,500 Houston Austin Midland W.D. Kennedy $2,500 Arter & Hadden PAC $1,000 John Sheets $3,000 Midland Austin Odessa Peter C. Kern $35,000 Autopac Automobile Dealers PAC $1,500 D. J. Sibley $2,500 Pilot Point Auston Austin Harris Kerr $2,500 Chevron Employees Texas PAC $1,000 L.D. Sipes Jr. $5,000 Midland San Francisco, California Midland Randy M. Kidwell $2,500 EMPAC, Central Division Frank R. Sitton $12,000 Midland Dow Chemical $2,500 Midland Marion Y.S. Kimbro $2,500 Freeport Gene Sledge $2,500 Brownsville East PAC $1,500 Midland James W. Lacy $2,500 Kingsport E. Ashley Smith $5,000 Midland First Interstate Texas PAC $5,000 Houston Edward H. Leede $2,500 Houston Niley J. Smith $5,000 Englewood, Colorado Godwin, Carlton & Maxwell PAC $1,000 Cameron John G. Leede $2,500 Dallas Thomas Smith $2,500 Englewood, Colorado Houston Industries PAC $1,000 Houston Kevin Leede $2,500 Houston Thornton Snider $5,000 Englewood, Colorado Lan-PAC $1,000 Turlock, California Michael H. Leede $2,500 Houston Betty Stedman $2,500 Englewood, Colorado MBank Employee PAC $1,000 Houston Paul Lewin $2,500 Dallas Stuart Stedman $5,000 Miami, Florida OXY PAC $5,000 Houston James R. Lightner $5,000 Los Angeles, C alifornia W.D. Stevens $2,500 Dallas Palo Pinto Co. Women's PAC $3,500 Houston Steven J. Lindley $1,250 Mineral Wells Mrs. Charles Stringfellow $1,000 Houston Pennzoil PAC $2,000 Alpine Walden Little $1,500 Houston Nicholas Taylor $2,500 Tyler Responsible Government PAC $2,500 Midland Stephen C. Lockwood $5,000 Fort Worth Patrick Taylor $8,000 Arlington Texas Good Government New Orleans, Louisiana Tom Loeffler $7,500 Fund PAC $5,000 Gillis Thomas $10,000 San Antonio Houston Dallas Mary R. Lowe $5,000 Texas Commerce PAC $1,250 Jere Thompson $5,000 Houston Houston Dallas Travis Lynch $4,168 Tenneco Employee PAC $4,000 Fred Turner $1,250 San Antonio Mont Belvieu San Antonio Robert C. Lyon $2,000 Tex Den PAC $1,000 Tom E. Turner $2,000 Midland Austin San Antonio E.O. Matthews $1,100 Texas Energy PAC $1,000 Robert Venable $5,000 Humble Austin Dallas Lowry Mays $10,000 Turner, Collie, & Braden PAC $1,000 Shelton Viney $2,500 San Antonio Houston Midland John P. McGovern $25,000 United Telephone PAC $1,000 J. Virgil Waggoner $25,000 Houston Austin Houston Bob McKelvey $1,050 AmSouth Bank $1,000 Cyril Wagner Jr. $12,500 Palestine Birmingham, Alabama Midland Drayton McLane $25,000 Robert L. Parker Jr. $2,000 Neita Walling $4,050 Temple Tulsa, Oklahoma Fort Stockton Edwin Magruder Jr. $2,500 Wesley E. Pittman $2,500 Joe Walter $5,000 Midland Midland Houston Frederick R. Meyer $5,000 Clayton J. Pollard $2,500 Deas Warley III $2,500 Dallas Midland Midland Vance Miller $3,000 B.M. Rankin Jr. $5,000 Johnny Warren $2,500 Dallas Dallas Midland Charles Moncrief $1,000 John Robbins $6,000 Wesley West $2,500 Fort Worth Longview Houston 18 • OCTOBER 26, 1990 Bill Whelpley $5,000 Texas Good Government Irving Fund PAC $1,000 Stephen Weisenfeld $2,500 Houston Midland Texas Rep. Campaign PAC $2,500 This is Texas today. A state full Mrs. Chic Williams $1,550 Austin of Sunbelt boosters, strident anti- Fort Stockton Texas Farm Bureau PAC $7,500 unionists, oil and gas companies, Ken Williams $2,500 Waco nuclear weapons and power Midland USAA Group PAC $4,500 plants, political hucksters, under- C. Ward Williamson $2,500 San Antonio paid workers, and toxic wastes, Midland USAA Group PAC $4,500 G. W. Worth Jr. $20,000 San Antonio to mention a few. Comfort West Texas Utilities Co. PAC $1,000 Robert Wright $5,000 Abilene Dallas Lonnie A. Pilgrim $10,000 W.B. Yarborough $2,100 Pittsburgh Midland Patrik W. Pilgrim $1,000 Thomas D. Barrrow $23,000 Pittsburgh Houston Chesly Pruet $2,000 Carlton Beal $2,000 El Paso Midland Anthony J. Saragusa $1,500 Richmond Dennis Berryhill $2,500 The Woodlands Wallace H. Scott Jr. $2,500 Robert Davis $2,500 Austin Austin Ralph B. Thomas $21,000 Hector DeLeon $1,000 Houston Austin Robert T. Priddy $10,000 David H. Dewhurst $15,000 Wichita Falls Houston Jon Newton $1,000 John Elliott $2,000 Austin Austin Marcus Hart $1,125 Specific-Purpose Committee Contributions San Antonio and Loans from Financial Institutions BUT Jack Heard Jr. $1,000 Robert J. Cruikshank $18,561 DO NOT Houston Houston John Johnson $5,000 Rip Byrd $2,550 DESPAIR! Dallas Huntsville Dan N. Matheson $5,000 Charley Beckwith $1,088 Austin Austin Rick A. McMinn $2,500 Michelle L. Brench $3,500 1511§1el X A S The Woodlands Willis Charles Miller $4,000 Bo and Patty Pilgrim $2,500 Houston Pittsburg aver John D. Murchison $20,000 Joe Davis $1,298 Dallas Abilene Joseph I. O'Neill Jr. $5,000 Joe Bradberry $1,700 Midland San Antonio TO SUBSCRIBE: Central & Southwest Services PAC $1,000 T. Michael O'Connor $4,352.85 Dallas Victoria Central Power & Light Co. PAC $1,000 Travis & Susan Lynch $1,832 Corpus Christi San Antonio Enserch Employees Pac $2,500 George P. Mitchell $2,039.18 Dallas The Woodlands Impact Operating Account PAC $1,000 Emil E. Ogden $1,855 Austin College Station First Financial Corp. PAC $1,000 Albert McWilliams $1,005.46 Address Waco Texarkana Hollywood Marine PAC $15,000 George McWilliams $1,005.46 Houston Texarkana City State Zip Leadership PAC $1,000 Bill Calhoun $2,000 San Antonio Odessa ❑ $27 enclosed for a one-year Republican Nat'l Committee Pati Whitfield $2,680.95 subscription. PAC $10,000 Tyler Richard Harvey $1,050 Washington, DC ❑ Bill me for $27. Republican Nat'l Committee Tyler PAC $10,000 John Robbins $1,350 Washington, DC Longview 307 W•st 7th, Republican Nat'l Committee PAC $5,000 Gale L. Galloway $7,500 AUSTIN, TX 78701 Washington, DC Austin Sawtelle, et al Committee PAC $1,000 Tommy Barrow $2,168.45 San Antonio Longview

THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 19 JOURNAL

bers, state senators and representatives were cess involving parents in school affairs. In present to recognize that the organization has one school, even after years of efforts, the Ten Years won a place at the table. In addressing the principal couldn't create an active PTA. At Of Organizing convention, city councilmember Dale the other schools, PTA meetings rarely had Gorczynski pointed out that he was proud to over 10 people in attendance. The City work with a partner "that comes to you not Drawing on its organizational experience, only with the problems that we see every- TMO began working through its member where, but with viable solutions and the churches to form education-strategy teams to HOUSTON energy to lead the way." guide the church's participation in the pro- The Metropolitan Organization, an associa- TMO is responding to the new challenges gram. Leaders began meeting individually tion of 60 congregations, parishes, and reli- of its position by taking the lead on issues it with parents of students and held hundreds of gious institutions in Houston, celebrated its once only had the power to react to. While the these meetings to develop awareness of the 10th anniversary of community organizing accomplishments of the first 10 years are im- program, solicit input and ideas, identify and set the stage for its next decade with the pressive—improvements to the streets, parks potential leaders, and build relationships theme "Rebuilding the City." Nearly 1,000 and drainage in their communities, better between the families of these schoolchildren TMO delegates crowded into the auditorium security in the inner city, a forced rate-hike and TMO. of Jefferson Davis High School on Sunday, reduction from Houston Lighting & Power, One early program was designed to raise October 14. They came to proclaim their and other projects — the strategy for the '90s student scores on the TEAMS test by devel- agenda for the '90s — an agenda which calls is to rebuild entire communities. TMO has oping a special tutoring program with teach- for, among other things, creation of a hous- prepared a plan to rebuild the things that ers and persuading parents to bring kids to ing trust fund to provide affordable housing matter most to families: their homes and their the sessions. The results were striking. In all for the working families of Houston, equity schools. three schools scores improved by more than in public school financing, and opposition to Beginning in 1987, TMO borrowed about 10 percent. Parents are learning how to better Houston Lighting & Power's proposed rate $1 million from the city of Houston, a private help their children at home. They are also increase. They came to display their numbers foundation, one charity, and one commercial learning how schools work, and in that way and their unity to city and county politicians, lender to renovate two entire blocks of hous- getting the knowledge they need to change and to challenge them to support the fight to ing in the inner-city Fifth Ward (the late and improve the education of their children. rebuild Houston for all Houstonians. Mickey Leland's district). TMO purchased In one of the nation's most ethnically TMO is one of 12 member organizations 23 units of rental housing, rehabilitated them diverse cities, TMO demonstrates pluralism and committees in the Texas Industrial Areas and then sold them back to their previous at its best. It has united Anglo, African- Foundation Network, which includes COPS tenants and other area residents. American, and Hispanic families, drawn to- of San Antonio and Valley Interfaith in South This innovative combination of public and gether Catholics and Protestants, and built a Texas. For 10 years it has worked to em- private dollars, grants and loans (both at constituency that includes poor, middle-class, power poor and working families of Hous- market and below market interest rates), trans- and upper middle-class families. ton, and force the changes necessary to im- formed tenants into homeowners and an In closing the convention, Reverend Robert prove life in the city. assortment of run-down houses into a neigh- McGee called on the delegates to join him in Social movements of the powerless face borhood. Today, a year after the homes were San Antonio along with thousands of other problems of success as well as of failure. If sold, not a single owner has been late on a leaders from the IAF organizations across after a long and difficult struggle they man- payment, and the new homeowners continue the state on Sunday, October 28. "We march age to win a place at the table of power, they to improve their property. to San Antonio to rebuild the state. We march must be ready to make a transition from Encouraged by this success, TMO leaders for quality education for all our children, reaction to initiation. They must not simply are currently developing a strategy for reno- health care for all Texans, job training for respond to problems, but lead with solutions. vating an area of more than 100 blocks in the good jobs, and affordable housing for all They must also take on the responsibilities of Frenchtown community, where French-Cre- working families." governance, and at times, weigh the impor- ole African settled 50 years ago. The 12 organizations — Communities Or- tance of their principles against the need to Once a vibrant community, the area is today ganized for Public Service, the Metro Alli- negotiate compromises with other power full of abandoned homes and has been devas- ance, Valley Interfaith, the Border Organiza- players. tated by the crack epidemic. tion, Allied Communities of Tarrant, El Paso TMO has assumed that role. Houston TMO has also pioneered a program to Interreligious Sponsoring Organization, Bishop Joseph Fiorenza, city council mem- improve community schools. The Houston Austin Interfaith, Fort Bend Interfaith Coun- Independent School District, one of the larg- cil, Gulf Coast Organizing Effort in Victoria, est in the country, presents some of the most the Metropolitan Organization, the Port pressing problems of any school district in Arthur Sponsoring Committee, and the Dal- ANDERSON & COMPANY Texas. Over 80 percent of the students are las Interfaith Sponsoring Committee — will COFFEE Hispanic or African American, with a major- come together in San Antonio to initiate a TEA SPICES ity coming from families of below-poverty- united effort to bring a new vision to Texas, TWO JEFFERSON SWAMI level income. Academic indicators consis- a vision in which the state invests in its AUSTIN, TEXAS 78131 tently place HISD students in the bottom 25 people. They will present their agenda to 512 453-1533 percent of Texas schools. elected officials, including Senator Lloyd Send me your list. It was against this backdrop that TMO Bentsen, and call on them to actively support introduced their Parental Involvement Pro- the investment of serious resources in the Name grams in three middle schools in Houston's future of Texas families. — BErrY WEED Street most troubled neighborhoods. Although these schools had dedicated and enthusiastic lead- City Zip ership, the principals had realized little suc- Betty Weed is an Austin writer. 20 • OCTOBER 26, 1990

.-.404,••- 14, BOOKS & THE CULTURE American Multiplex Boundless Vision, Boyish Despair BY STEVEN G. KELLMAN

AVALON "One way or another, we all have to leave," has named his little boy Sam, he reminds his Directed by Barry Levinson explains the old man, in a film that is shaped grandson of an Eastern European Jewish METROPOLITAN around the comings and goings of human taboo: "You're not supposed to name him Directed by Whit Stillman life. Avalon invites us to become part of Sam after the living." "I know," replies Michael, Krichinsky's family circle, the extended clan as though the ancient Sam in effect no longer T IS THE END of a long December day who, gathered yearly for a Thanksgiving lives or else the blasphemy no longer mat- that salesman Jules Kaye (Aidan Quinn) repast, are able to dine on his passionate ters. Assimilation in Avalon is accomplished I has spent working house to house. As he memories. "If I knew things would no longer with minimal anguish, because not much of is about to get into his car, a mugger demands be here," sighs Sam in the geriatric home substance is seen to be sacrificed. It is always that Jules surrender the day's proceeds. He where he ends his days, "I would have tried the secular American feast of Thanksgiving, cannot believe this is happening, and neither to remember better." Like Hope and Glory not a Passover seder, at which the Krichinskys can we, so utterly devoid is Avalon of any and The Night of the Stars, Avalon assemble. Though scattered and distracted, malevolence. Misfortunes — fires, bank- is an exercise in creative remembrance so the family continues, and it is Michael who ruptcies, funerals — abound, and one char- lustrous we forgive it its omission of dark- now tells little Sam the legend of their patri- acter, Jules's long-lost uncle Simcha, mate- ness. When Eva points out that an event Sam arch: "He came to America in 1914. ..." rializes out of something called a concentra- is recounting actually took place in May, not As with the ballpark scenes in The Natu- tion camp. But, though the people we see on winter, the flashback suddenly loses its snow. ral, Levinson transforms a fond man's fan- may be mulish or foolish, they are But the movie never shakes its ingratiating tasy of personal history into myth, and he presented with such affection — for them innocence. Writer-director Barry Levinson does so with a beguiling complexity of visual and among them — that, if only we could see projects a world that does not know from the and aural montages. We view Sam's arrival his mug for a few more seconds, we would Oedipus complex, in which fathers and sons in 1914 in a gauzy reverie timed to the probably love the thief as well. Avalon is a and grandsons are genuine pals. Levinson's rhythms of a silent movie. Like Michael — triumph of sentimentality over history. 1940s Baltimore, where upwardly mobile who gazes out the back of the family car at It is a luminous story of arrivals and depar- Jews belong to the country club, lacks any something wondrous, a diner being lowered tures. "I came to America in 1914 by way of trace of anti-Semitism. Even when Sam from a crane (a reminder of Levinson's own Philadelphia," announces the opening voice- breaks with his cranky brother Gabriel in a fabulous emergence into film with Diner?) over of Sam Krichinsky (Armin Mueller- senseless spat over carving the turkey, the — we are forever wide-eyed at the precious Stahl). The exuberant Jewish immigrant mood is bittersweet, and more sweet than life passing before us. Avalon astonishes made his way alone from Russia to Balti- bitter. with the revelation of archetype; this is no more, where his four brothers took him into Jules changes his name from Krichinsky to test pattern. their paperhanging business. As he tells it, Kaye, and Cousin Izzy changes it to Kirk. again and again, this time to enraptured The two begin a department store chain and T'S AMAZING to see these things still grandson Michael and his cousins, Sam's are for a while extremely successful. The go on," says Tom Townsend (Edward into Baltimore was greeted by a lavish American dream does not metamorphose I Clements), an outsider who provides display of fireworks. "It was the most beau- into nightmare, even when their largest store the . viewer with entree into an exclusive tiful place you've ever seen in your whole goes up in flames. "I can sell anything," says domain. These things are debutante balls, life," Sam insists, and we are inclined to the indomitable Jules, and, like the Luftmen- and they go on off-camera every evening in agree, dazzled by a radiant visual flashback. schen in Levinson's Tin Men, he returns to Metropolitan, an ethnographic comedy. It is So what if it happens to be the Fourth of July, the trade of peddler, now of commercial time a story of being up and in on Park Avenue and the colorful bombs bursting in the Balti- in the popular new medium of television. during Christmas vacation "not so long ago." more air were not contrived as a welcome Television proves the agent and metaphor for Writer-director Whit Stillman defies the salute to the awestruck newcomer? "What a changes in the Krichinskys and American convention that an "honest" film must con- country is this!" declares Sam three decades society. When Jules brings the first crude cern itself exclusively with characters who later, his eyes still glowing with the celebra- model home from the store he has stocked are impoverished, inarticulate, and in trouble. tion of independence. with sets, the entire family gathers round, The very rich might, as Fitzgerald claimed, Later, when Michael gets a baby brother mesmerized by mere test patterns. Later, be different from you and me, but they, too, and Sam and his yenta wife Eva (Joan Plow- clamorous family convocations are hushed exist, and Stillman does a convincing job of right) move out of the house they share with by the power of the electronic box. Ulti- taking the measure of their heirs. him and his parents, the boy is distraught. mately, only the nuclear family of Jules, wife Because of "a bit of an escort shortage," Ann (Elizabeth Perkins), Michael and baby Tom is befriended by a group of adolescent David attend the Thanksgiving dinner, and socialites who gather nightly at Sally Fowler's they do so in silence, transfixed by the TV parents' posh apartment and call themselves Steven G. Kellman is professor of compara- screen set beyond their plates. Sam lives to the SFRP: an acronym for Sally Fowler Rat tive literature at The University of Texas at see his great grandson, but also the loss of Pack. Most of Metropolitan is set at their San Antonio. family bonds. When he learns that Michael successive after-parties, following cotillions THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 21 at the Plaza or St. Regis. Half a dozen of them Like most viewers, Tom brings a skeptical are granted access to the customs of a vanish- sit around exchanging ideas on life, love, and attitude toward the quaint rites of the Man- ing tribe. None is more engaging than Nick the terminal infirmity of their class. Charlie hattan socialites who adopt him. He feigns Smith (Christopher Eigeman), the amiably Black (Taylor Nichols), adept at socio-philo- distaste for Jane Austen, their favorite au- obnoxious leader of the group who confronts sophical babble, is convinced of the immi- thor, though he later confesses that he has communal extinction with valedictory pa- nent demise of what he calls the UHB: the never read her. "I prefer good literary criti- nache. He challenges Rick Von Sloneker Urban Haute Bourgeoisie. The breed has lost cism," he declares, like plutophobes who (Will Kempe), an arrogant young baron whose its vigor, and most of the SFRP consider their consider Thorsten Veblen an adequate sub- wanton ways with women betray the preppie fathers failures and themselves lacking any stitute for direct acquaintance with the lei- code of chivalry. prospect but downward mobility. Metropoli- sured class. Though he can barely afford to Metropolitan is a genially low-budget tan chronicles the disintegration of this small rent the requisite tuxedo, Tom, like the viewer, portrait of a high-income caste. Though few circle of wealthy friends. More reminiscent comes to scoff but stays to regret the collapse in its cast of unknowns come from the world of Chekhov and Wharton than Footloose and of the SFRP. One of them, Audrey Rouget they depict, they enact the game of truth as Porky's, this is a teen film devoid of cruising, (Carolyn Farina), develops a heartfelt crush convincingly as their characters do one eve- because no one has a driver's license, whose on this interloper from the unfashionable ning at Sally's when the group plays at reve- characters come equipped with trust funds West Side. To the extent that there is drama lation of secret thoughts. What a country is and clever pronouncements on Marx and in Metropolitan, it is in the star-crossed in- this! America is a multiplex large enough to Fourier. Parlor prattle about utopian com- fatuation that develops between Tom, who screen both Sam Krichinsky and Nick Smith, munes is the closest these privileged kids cannot forget the siren Serena, and Audrey, a buoyant vision of boundless opportunity come to political consciousness. who cannot forget Tom. Along the way, we and a boyish despair over terminal entropy.

SOCIAL CAUSE CALENDAR

PAPA HALLOWEEN PARTY minute books, sheet music, photographs, The Political Asylum Project of Austin is postcards, oral history transcripts, broad- having a Halloween Costume Party fund- OBSERVANCES sides and posters, and books. The exhibit raiser on Wednesday, October 31 from will be open to the public through Janu- 7:30 p.m. until midnight. October 29, 1929 • Stock market crashes, ary 31. beginning the Great Depression. SYSTECH PROTEST October 29, 1966 • NOW (National Or- TEXAS HEAD INJURY A coalition of environmental groups and ganization for Women) organized. HILL COUNTRY 100 local political leaders will stage a peaceful October 30, 1888 • Ballpoint pen pat- On November 3 at 7 a.m. the Texas Head demonstration at the LaFarge/Systech Ce- ented. Injury Association will sponsor a bike ride ment Plant in New Braunfels on Saturday, October 31, 1968 • U.S. ends bombing of through the Texas Hill Country. Partici- October 27 at 2:00 p.m. Prevailing winds North Vietnam. pants may choose their routes of 5, 25, 62, would tend to carry emissions from the November 1, 1961 • Women Strike for or 100 miles. All proceeds benefit the plant (lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium) Peace founded. THIA. More information can be obtained over the Edwards Aquifer Zone. For direc- November 2, 1920 • Anti-war activist Eu- from David Painter at (512) 472-3254 or tions and information call John Lofy at gene V. Debs receives almost one million Debbie Frazier at 794-8688. 474-2117, or Kathy Porter in New Braun- votes for President while in prison. fels at 625-8577. November 3, 1883 • Supreme Court rules GREY PANTHERS that Native Americans are "aliens." POST CARD CAMPAIGN ARMADILLO WORLD November 4, 1958 • B-47 carrying nu- The Grey Panthers of Austin are helping HEADQUARTERS REVISITED clear weapons crashes near Abilene, provide pre-addressed postcards to send Esther's Follies, Turk Pipkin, the Guaca- Texas. Dr. Louis Sullivan, Secretary of Health mole Queen, and many more will join'Bal- November 6, 1917 • Bolshevik Revolu- and Human Services, in order to lobby for cones Fault and Master of Ceremonies Mi- tion. a revamped national health care system. chael Priest in a benefit concert reviving the November 7, 1916 • Jeannette Rankin of The cards contain a message pointing out spirit of the late Armadillo concert venue. Montana becomes first woman elected to that nearly 40 million people are without Festivities will be held Saturday, Novem- U.S. House of Representatives. health insurance. A packet of 50 can be ber 3 at the Austin Opera House beginning obtained by sending $2.00 to: National at 8:30 p.m. For ticket information contact Office of Grey Panthers, 1424 16th Street, Mary Kay Mackey at Whole Foods Market Ste. 602, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20036. or the Opera House box office. Baines Johnson Library. For information TEXAS FOLKLIFE BLACK DEMOCRACY IN contact Charles W. Corkran or Barbara TRADITION EXHIBITION THE '90s SYMPOSIUM Biffle at (512) 482- 5137. "Texas Folklife/Texas Photographers: Fo- Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey cus on Black Tradition" is an exhibition of Clark will speak at a Voting Rights Sympo- MOSAIC ON WOMEN 45 black and white photographs docu- sium sponsored by the Texas Young Law- The Barker Texas History Center has se- menting the vital character of African- yers Association, the LBJ Library, and the lected a collection of artifacts that depict American folklife in Texas. The exhibi- LBJ School of Public Affairs. The sympo- various facets of the lives and experiences tion is scheduled to appear in Austin at the sium will take place Sunday October 28 of women in the South and Southwest. George Washington Carver Museum at and Monday, October 29 at the Lyndon Among the items displayed are letters, 1165 Angelina from November 1 - 30.

22 • OCTOBER 26, 1990 AFTERWORD Reflections in Gray

BY KAYE NORTMCOTT Austin An electric gathering of compadres the culinary Jocelyn at the memorial service. OCELYN GRAY was part of the crowded into the tiny room. There were more Ron Waters, a former Houston legislator, Austin women's mafia. A unsung hands than Jocelyn could hold. People got said she taught him not only how to eat an laborer in the political vineyards, she tangled up in the wires, setting off alarm artichoke, but "how to savor it." Even when drew sustenance from her feminism and bells, but the Seton Hospital staff took it all she was dotty from drugs in the hospital, dispensed an exuberance and grace that her in good stride. Jocelyn was still thinking about food. Waters friends only began quantifying when she Through much of the ordeal Jocelyn pre- remembered her saying, "What I'd really died gallantly of complications from cancer sided like the good hostess she had always like to have is a big juicy glass of tartar recently at the age of 58. She raised money been. Jocelyn's room offered the best food sauce." for the Observer, for her former boss Bob and best conversation by far I've ever en- Lisa said Jocelyn helped her overcome Eckhardt, for feminist candidates and gener- countered in a hospital setting. After she age-ism, a prejudice she didn't know she ally pitched in on progressive causes. I could slipped into unconsciousness we consoled had. "Jocelyn was the first close friend I had list her political history here, but in a short one another with stories about Jocelyn and that was 20 years older than me. She helped space there are more important things to say debated which should be told at the memorial me understand that friendships, title friend- about a friend. service. ships can easily span generations. I've rev- She offered to many of us a close-up intro- There were tales of Jocelyn's haughtiness. eled in the example of what my life could be duction to death. During two years of surgery Stacey Abel was partial to the tale about in 20 years," she said. and physical crisis after physidal crisis, she Jocelyn having to fly on Continental to a Her friend Claire Geeson said that Jocelyn never put her face to the wall, never pulled meeting with Gloria Steinem because the was a nurturer: "She was always there for away from life or those who gathered around original airline on which she was booked you when you were feeling a little puny. She her. Jocelyn's final, invaluable lesson to her went on strike. was right there with just kind of holding you younger friends was how to die. For her me- Continental was on strike too, but it had up. I can just remember her (saying) 'What? morial service, she stipulated there should be hired non-union crews to fill in. When the Did you say you felt inadequate? Oh, perish time for grief as well as for celebration. flight ran late into O'Hare, she missed her the thought.' Accordingly it started on a somber note and connecting flight. Registering her displeas- "You just felt so good about yourself. You ascended to laughter. Her half-sister, Sidney, ure, she summoned an airline exec and told felt so strong and wonderful and empowered recounted that during her last two weeks in him, "I should have kn000wn better than to by Jocelyn. After a good dose of Jocelyn's the hospital, Jocelyn had bouts of pure terror fly a scab airline." love, I would walk away feeling bold, bril- as pneumonia inexorably drew life's breath There were tales of her pluckiness during liant, and beautiful." from her. chemotherapy. Celebrating her birthday at Leslie Lemon celebrated Jocelyn's man- But there were sweet moments as well. an Austin restaurant, she wore a matronly ner, her dress, and especially her language, Her daughters Jane and Kathleen slept on a grey-streaked wig borrowed from a gay friend explaining, "If we were to see the same thing, rollaway bed next to her and took turns who had bought it for $1.99 at St. Vincent de I would say it's so big and she would say, 'It's watching over her. Paul as part of a Halloween nun costume. magnificent.' On the last night as Jane slept, Jocelyn One of her birthday presents was yet another "Colors and colorful words, like red, radi- motioned Kathleen to sit by her on the bed. thrift store wig, a gaudy blonde wig. She ant, ravishing, and even regal. Purple, pas- She stroked her cheek and said, "Beautiful whipped off the gray one and became an sionate, purposeful, and very proper. child, beautiful child." Sometime during that instantaneous blonde as those seated at her "Gold, she was made of gold, gilded, gra- long night, she told Jane, "Janey, I've run a own table and a couple of tables nearby cious, gallant, and giving. Jocelyn was joy- good race." applauded her. ful, jeweled, and just. "I know momma, I'm proud of you," Jane The haughty Jocelyn lost anecdotally to "She was just splendid." 0 answered. Lisa McGiffert praised her for "the strength of her remarkable spirit and her ability to continually issue classic one-liners right to the end." Lisa remembered, "On a particu- CASA MARIANELLA BANQUET larly frightening night in the hospital a week Central American food & Flamenco Dancers before she died, it was very scary for her and all of us. She turned to me and in that melodic Friday November 9 at 6:00 PM voice of hers that came through the oxygen San Jose Catholic Church mask loud and clear, she said, 'I may not make it past tonight, but this has all been too you decide your donation: fascinating.' And it was." $10.00/ $15.00/ $20.00 OR MORE! mail donations to: Former Observer editor Kaye Northcott is a political writer for the Fort Worth Star-Tele- 821 Gunter, 78702 gram. THE TEXAS OBSERVER • 23 Postmaster: If undeliverable, send Form 3579 to The Texas Observer, P. 0. Box 49019, Austin, Texas 78765 A.4,-.4-40witimageoatein

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Sendi$2.75 to 110 Faith, High- WOMEN -( 713) 491-8783. lands, TX 77562. (713) 426-4606. TEXAS TENANTS' UNION. Membership JOHN HENRY FAULK'S Fear On Trial UT Press. Send $18/year, $10/six months, $30 or more/ WORK FOR OPEN, responsible govern- recently reprinted by $11.00 (book $9.95, tax .80, postage "VOTE REPUBLICAN, It's Easier Than sponsor. Receive handbook on tenants' ment in Texas. Join Common Cause/ .25), to Mack Lee, 200 Palo Duro Rd., Thinking" bumpersticker. $1.00 ea. L. rights, newsletter, and more. 5405 East Texas, 316 West 12th #317, Austin, Austin, TX 78757. Ross P.O. Box 3594, Austin, TX 78764. Grand, Dallas, TX 75223. Texas 78701 (512) 474-2374.

24 • OCTOBER 26, 1990