Opinion: Governor candidates put culture war over constituency. | Opinion

We aren’t at struggle with Mexico. However you wouldn’t realize it for those who had been in attendance at a latest governor main convention. And in the event that they accomplish half of what they talked about, then they could simply get their want.

On Wednesday, Jan. 19, 4 Republican governor main candidates met on the Hilton School Station & Convention Heart to make their instances for why they’d do a greater job than incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott. On a panel stuffed with candidates operating to the political proper of Abbott, I’m not hopeful about any of those hopefuls. Former Texas Sen. Don Huffines doesn’t have it, I’d fairly not have Chad Prather and Allen West ain’t the very best.

“We’re being invaded. This can be a premeditated assault on Texas.” 

“We have to put the hurt on Mexico.” 

“I’m stopping most inbound industrial site visitors from Mexico.” 

“I’m partaking your complete Texas navy.”

Statements like these, delivered by Huffines, predominated the evening. 

Prather was simply as regarding, stating, “[The federal government] wants Texas to fall” and is deliberately bringing in “illegals” to sabotage the state. He went on to say immigration will trigger Texas to “lose its identity” and we have to “keep Texas the way it needs to be.” 

On the query of resettling Afghan allies, Prather mentioned, “The folks that are coming here don’t have any intention of assimilating into the id of the spirit of Texas that we all know. So, we obtained to cease it and shield it or we’re carried out, traditionally.”

I’d hazard a guess that “the best way it must be” in Prather’s thoughts is white. 

I’ve simply as a lot mistrust in West’s judgment. In 2003, West was compelled to retire from service after torturing an Iraqi police officer who was later released without charge. 

Certainly one of West’s speaking factors is that Abbott’s Operation Lonestar, the latest deployment of the Nationwide Guard to the Texas border, has been a vital failure. Nonetheless, whereas the operation must be drawing warmth for the rash of guardsmen committing suicide, West has criticized the operation for not being harsh sufficient. He referred to as out Abbott for not properly supplying the Nationwide Guard or permitting them to “return fire” throughout the border. 

It is fiscally irresponsible to not see the labor energy and financial viability of migrants. By most metrics, immigration is a internet optimistic on society. You’d assume the “pro-business” occasion would acknowledge the obvious reply to our labor scarcity downside. Texas wants staff, Mexican residents want work and are sometimes happier bringing American wages again dwelling than members of the Great Resignation. If we would like the safety that comes with home manufacturing, short-term migrant wages are the one resolution that’s aggressive below the United States-Mexico-Canada Settlement and with nations abroad. 

Texas has a singular alternative to develop and foster a particular financial relationship with Mexico. As a substitute, we squander this in favor of tradition struggle bushwa. If these candidates and the remainder of Texas need sovereignty, then making enemies out of each the U.S. and Mexico is the very last thing we must be doing. 

Huffines was essentially the most blatantly outspoken concerning the “tradition struggle,” utilizing the phrase to loss of life.  

For the reason that occasion, Huffines has made clear which facet he sees himself on, having mentioned he wouldn’t take any motion towards the marketing campaign staffer who posted inflammatory racial remarks and promoted white supremacist speaking factors. He additionally participated in one other frequent thread of the evening, saying it was time we “took back our universities from the socialists.” 

Prather additionally blathered an identical sentiment. 

“Our public school systems are not education systems … it’s an indoctrination camp that’s brainwashing our youngsters,” Prather mentioned. “[The schools are] churning out little socialists, sending them off to high schools and universities to be pushed round ideologically by tenured professors.” 

West mentioned extra of the identical. 

“Not every kid needs to go to college,” West mentioned. “The explanation why the left need them to go to varsity is in order that they’ll flip them into little Marxists.”

Why ought to Aggies vote for anybody who thinks our pursuit of upper training makes us brainwashed sheep? No much less, that training makes us our representatives’ political enemies?

The least well-known of the 4, Danny Harrison, supplied particular and more-thoughtful responses to coverage points just like the legalization of hashish, producing new income streams and eliminating gross sales tax exemptions, however he towed the road on lots of the tradition struggle points proposed by the opposite candidates. 

Equally, when questioned by The Battalion earlier than the occasion about whether or not he was anxious about being seen as a secessionist, Alan West responded, “I’m not.” He went on to debate the necessary relationship between states and their dedication to the structure. 

Later, when requested by the moderators on the Hilton if he’d assist a invoice decreeing “The state of Texas shall reassert its standing as an impartial nation,” West plainly responded, “Sure.” That’s the actual hazard of normalizing these extremist positions, people who maintain them will drag others down with them if we enable it. 

We have to say “Foxtrot Oscar” to radical opportunists. Those that wish to flip us right into a wartime state or promote white supremacy have put meaningless tradition struggle points over serving the folks of Texas. 

Whereas Abbott has scarred Texas, what these candidates provide is just not even a Band-Support. Unhealthy management will solely make our wounds deeper. 

Zachary Freeman is an anthropology senior and opinion columnist for The Battalion.