We Need More Claudia Meyers

There are failures and then there are glorious failures. Just ask William Travis.

Claudia Meyer did not win her District 3 council race against Vonciel Hill on May 11th. Odds were heavily against her doing so. But Claudia knew this going in. And still she fought a good fight. 

"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do." ~Atticus to Scout in Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Imagine you're a 71-year old retiree who's spent the last four years being exhausted by a fight with Dallas City Hall over gas permits in your neighborhood. And then you're drafted at the last possible minute to run against a Dallas Establishment darling, keeper of the Trinity Toll Road dream, with access to money and resources that you'll never be able to match. Most sensible people would have said thanks but no thanks. Thank goodness Claudia Meyer did not. 

Without a serious opponent, Vonciel Hill would have glided to a third term, her homophobia and complete subservience to the Powers That Be mostly unchallenged. Claudia Meyer made sure that didn't happen. Hill had to go out and work for her victory. She had to at least pretend to be concerned about neighborhoods and issues she otherwise probably would not have bothered with. Opposing such a Citizens Council sycophant is a badge of honor.

Claudia also made Hill's literal worship of embattled City Manager Mary Suhm an issue, as well as Hill's support of Suhm's secret gas drilling deals. One can't help but feel this language, and similar campaign rhetoric in other council races, played a part in Suhm's decision to step down later this year. We know that the drilling scandal that she was at the center of, and which Claudia and Ed Meyer helped uncover, certainly did.

So while Claudia lost the battle on May 11th, she and the forces organized on her behalf have been winning the wars. Suhm is now history and for the first time in eight years, there won't be a "Strong Manager" form of Dallas City government. The fight Claudia help found and direct against the Trinity East gas permits has not only stopped them dead in the water, but shifted the entire council to a more anti-drilling stance. She wont be sworn in on June 24th,  but Claudia Meyer's efforts will be well-represented on the new city council.

Not all of us have the gumption that Claudia did in taking her leap of faith. But we can do what we can do – and, let's face it,  that's usually more than we end up doing.

We need more people willing to put their shoulder to the wheel of creaky social change. Its hard work. You don't always win. But there's a great deal of value in trying.

If you want to make sure that the Dallas City Council is as progressive as it can be; that it will reject irresponsible gas drilling permits and build a real quality of life agenda, then the consensus is that you should go out and volunteer for the Philip Kingston and Jesse Diaz Campaigns. Early voting begins June 3rd for a June 15th run-off election day. These races will be decided by even fewer votes than the races in May. Every single one counts. Stiffen that backbone, slip on those walking shoes, and finish the work Claudia started.