Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker declined to sign a letter of support from the United States Conference of Mayors urging the U.S. Senate to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. Mayor Parker’s unwillingness to get into “good trouble” may put Cowtown residents in big trouble!
In a quote to the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Parker says, “she focuses on areas where she has some level of expertise or where her involvement would lend what she called helpful attention or weight.” That’s fair, but it also means that the 5th largest city in the country’s 2nd largest state needed a more well rounded choice for mayor. Wait…WE DID!!! Parker soundly defeated Deborah Peoples last November to succeed longtime mayor, former Tarrant County Tax Assessor and current candidate for County Judge, Betsy Price.
To her credit, Mayor Parker remains true to herself and her values. She also said in the article, “the responsibility of protecting the vote goes beyond party politics.” Unfortunately, her true self may be as duplicitous as her talking points suggest. Harrison Mantas closes the article with this gem, “She called on state and federal leaders to find a way to protect free and fair elections, prevent voter suppression, while maintaining what she called appropriate responsibility at the local and state level.”
You don’t say, Mayor Parker?!? Correct me if I’m mistaken, but that’s EXACTLY what the John Lewis Voting Rights Act pledges to do. If the citizens of Fort Worth are clear, Mayor Parker has withheld her support of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and solidarity with her colleagues in the United States Conference of Mayors for the very reason she feels she should not. This mind numbing double talk from city hall only leads to one conclusion, she is her predecessor’s successor!
Mayor Parker’s support would transcend party politics, her involvement would lend helpful attention and weight given the city’s demographic and while she has passed the buck to state and federal leaders, she has ultimately eliminated herself from contention for and by default snubbed many citizens of this great city possibly impacted by her inaction.