- Angela Hunt, shown standing on the float (in the Capri shorts), said she was among 13 of 15 councilmembers who showed up for Sunday’s Pride parade.
I was in the street taking photos when the float with Dallas city councilmembers on it sped by during Sunday’s Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade, so I didn’t get a chance to confirm who was or wasn’t on it. As I reported previously, all councilmembers with the exception of District 5’s Vonciel Jones Hill had agreed to appear in the parade this year, which would’ve been a record — 14 of 15. But Councilwoman Angela Hunt told me this morning that in addition to Hill, there was one no-show: District 7’s Carolyn Davis.
I’ve left a message with Davis’ office, but as one city official whom I won’t name put it, “good luck getting her to call you back” — not because we’re the gay paper, but because she’s just not good about returning phone calls in general.
Anyhow, mayor’s chief of staff Chris Heinbaugh confirmed for me again this morning that Davis had agreed to appear in the parade. Heinbaugh said he’d even delivered a map of the parade area to Davis’ office so she would know where to go. But apparently Davis either got lost anyway or simply decided not to come. Who knows, maybe she was sick. Or maybe, just maybe, she was in Belize.
I’ll bet that she was actually there, but she got into the Budweiser truck with the driver instead of onto the City Council float because she wanted to talk him into going on a trade mission to Tyler — the purpose being to exchange cases of beer for rose bushes in an effort to keep her campaign promise to spruce up the neighborhoods in her district. Either that or she got confused and thought she was supposed to be “floating” with the City Council down the Trinity River and spent hours looking for the dock where the boats were supposed to be waiting. By the time she got it all figured out and made it to Oak Lawn she followed a bunch of people into Sue Ellen’s and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
I was pleased to see so many city officials come out in support of our community. I have downloaded a video highlighting the parade on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ge70eGTRWY
Tisk! Tisk! This is the behavior that turns people against us and our cause.
Anon,
Actually I think the part that turns people against us is the fact that we’re gay.
Any public official that promises to make a public appearance and then backs out without notice or explanation deserves whatever criticism comes their way. Anyone who would “turn against us” because we are disappointed by such an egregious slight wasn’t turned toward us to begin with. Davis’ record thus far speaks for itself, and the least she should suspect is derisive humor when she continues to falter in both her commitments and her basic understanding of the duties which she was elected to embrace. She asked for votes, and she needs to live up to her promises.
The next questions: Who on the Fort Worth City Council will be at Fort Worth Pride in two Sunday’s time?
Will the Mayor be there?
Will the Police Chief be there?
I would like to add that District 7, where I used to live when I owned a home in the Parkdale area of Dallas, has a large gay constituency. Davis would never have gotten elected without LGBT support, and this is how she responds to that loyalty?. Every LGBT voter in District 7 needs to sends an e-mail of complaint to her office and remind her about that. Former City Councilman Leo Chaney was always there for us, and he would never have treated his gay constituency in District 7 that way.
David,
Pointing out that she made a commitment and then backed out is one thing. Insinuating that she is a lesbian that lacks the cogitative ability to realize where she needed to be for the parade is just distasteful. I am a gay man, a very liberal gay man at that, but my personal belief is that she should be given the benefit of doubt instead of making fun of her like a 13 year old child.
Anonymous:
I’m always suspicious of people who criticize others and don’t reveal their identities. What are you hiding?
I was not insinuating she is a lesbian but instead that she was uncomfortably out of her element. Again, her record stands for itself as regards her apparent confusion about why she is supposed to be somewhere (such as the Trinity River Project Committee meeting) and her past failures to show up at places (such as council meetings) on more than one occasion. She needs to explain herself, and so far that hasn’t happened. If she has a history of not returning phone calls, I guess we’ll never know.
OPEN LETTER TO CAROLYN DAVIS E-MAILED TO HER COUNCIL OFFICE
Dear Ms. Davis:
As a former homeowner in District 7 I would like for you to know how dreadfully disappointed I am in you for failing to show up at the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade as you had promised. Surely, you could have called someone to tell them you couldn’t make it for whatever reason that might have been. As it was, everyone expected you to be there, and you just didn’t show. Former Councilman Leo Chaney, who represented District 7 when I lived there, would never have treated his LGBT constituency that way. Given the numbers of LGBT voters in District 7, you owe them more than that. Your failure to honor your commitment will be remembered, and I hope you will explain yourself in the days to come. What we have read in the Dallas Voice is that you have a history of not returning phone calls. This may be one you need to make.
David,
Between you and I, Ms. Davis, is not known for her intellect or effectiveness on the city council. She should be easy to defeat.
As for Anon: “Tisk! Tisk! This is the behavior that turns people against us and our cause.”
YOU LIE!
You sound like a closet queen or member of the Tea Party. A public display of pride, diversity and unity is directly linked to the involvement of politicians, city officials and those who once feared ridicule. In the old days the cops beat many of our brothers and sisters. Today they are enthusiastic participants, with the exception of one Ms. Davis.
My video depict people from all backgrounds and cultures joining together in celebration and awareness of Gay Pride. How does that turn people against us or our cause?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ge70eGTRWY
Jerry