As a Texas woman, I get discouraged sometimes (OK, often) with the Texas political environment. Sometimes I feel that the struggle for progress is so difficult in Texas that we’ll never make any headway. Besides being discouraged by many of my fellow Texans, I’m also discouraged by my fellow Christians, many of whom show behavior that is anything but Christ-like. Take as an example the behavior of protesters at the U.S. border right now. So imagine my delight when a Liberal American (thank you, Paula!) points my attention to a native Texan like Mayor Ken Shetter of Burleson, Texas.
A small town south?of Forth Worth, Burleson has a population of 38,983 people. I’ve not taken the time to research their demographic (I will, though!), but their mayor’s recent stance on the crisis at our southern border gives hope to the Texas progressive movement. He posted this on his personal Facebook page on Wednesday and it quickly went viral:
Here’s where it gets crazy, though. Though not everyone in the discussion agrees with the mayor’s stance, Mayor Shetter’s post started an avalanche of (gasp) sanity and humanity. The good people of Texas, or at least Burleson, are letting themselves be heard, at least on Facebook.
Who is Ken Shetter? His official bio says that he’s been mayor since June of 2004 and was born and raised in Burleson. From the City of Burleson website:
Mayor Shetter was born and raised in the Burleson, Texas, area, and is a 1990 graduate of Burleson High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Baylor University in 1994, followed by a Master of Arts degree in applied sociology from The American University in Washington, D.C., in 1995. While attending The American University, Shetter was a Dean’s Scholar and a Sociology Department fellow. In May 1998, he graduated from Baylor Law School with a Juris Doctorate degree.
You won’t find much information about Ken Shetter on the web (dare I say that will probably change quickly?). I found a campaign questionnaire and a?piece from Voices Empower, which is what appears to be a Tea Party blog. The writer criticized the mayor for his response to a government teacher’s question: “what do you think is the biggest problem in government today?” The mayor’s response?
?The Tea Party. I remember a couple of years ago when a tea party guy showed up with a sign at Burleson City Hall that read, ?Mayor Shetter, The Constitution Shredder.?, I feel sorry for them, the guy didn’t even know how to spell Constitution.?
In his article, the author of the blog asked the question: “What was it that those children actually learned from Mayor Shetter that day?”
I think they may have learned that there is another way of looking at things, which is what Shetter is offering them right now.
I’ll tell you why this gives me hope. People like Mayor Shetter are out there — in Texas and in other deep red states. We are overshadowed by the right-wing and it’s often disadvantageous for us to speak up. As more people began to take a stand, it will ease the way for others. Shetter is a small-town mayor in a huge red state. This could be seen by many as a shaky political move on his part. Does he think it is? I’ll try to find out.
I believe that he’s speaking from the heart and from the most basic human decency. One of his constituents said it best:
Burleson, Texas — at least the part that I see on Mayor Ken Sheeter’s Facebook page — ?is showing the world the spirit of Texas that hasn’t been seen in recent years. And the spirit of America that we were all taught to be proud of. Maybe it’s still alive after all. Another Burleson resident remembers what that spirit looks like.
It’s not just Austin that shows liberal values in Texas. We have these other pockets of sanity. Let’s give Mayor Shetter a big Liberal America thank you and a show of support. You can find him on Twitter or via the the City of Burleson website. I have a call in to his office asking him for a statement. I’ll update you when I hear from him.
Let us know your thoughts at the Liberal America Facebook page.
Tiffany Willis is the founder and editor-in-chief of Liberal America. An unapologetic member of the Christian Left, she has spent most of her career actively working with ?the least of these? and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. She’s passionate about their struggles. To stay on top of topics she discusses,?like her?Facebook page,?follow her on Twitter, or?connect with her via LinkedIn. She also has?a?grossly neglected personal blog?and a?literary quotes blog that is a labor of love. Find her somewhere and join the discussion.
