Has THE ORTIZ ERA ENDED? Or This There Anyone That Can Replace Ortiz at an equal platform?

THE ORTIZ ERA ENDS... And Are Hispanic Media Voices Losing Their Way...

EDITORIAL BY HOMERO VILLARREAL
We all have lost our way at one time or another -- yes, including I. It is difficult to admit the to analyze sometimes without first admitting your own flaws.

As El Defenzor has stated many times before, no one, but no one, can dispute the great man that Solomon Ortiz, Sr. was and the charismatic figure he became in political history. Coming from a humble background and growing up in a black neighborhood – “Canta Ranas” in Robstown. He served his country as an MP and “Linguistics Consultant” while in the military (and when he returned home) rising politically to constable, then Nueces County Commissioner, and subsequently Sheriff of Nueces County, and finally to Congress where he served with distinction until the fateful election that upset a regime that lasted about three decades.
Many political analysts argue that removing himself geographically to Washington left a void back home – the close-knit relationships he had nurtured faded with time. As loyal older politiqueras and voters passed on, many a new generation (bombarded with radio and TV propaganda and marketing disenchanting tactics of conservative rivals) began to lose the initial significant historical reminders of his broader based functionality and began to evaluate his political tenure through a less accurate lens – and a few mouth-piecing for rivals began to harp from the top of their lungs that he had forgotten his constituency in Nueces County and San Pat; it cost him dearly. The new politiqueros and politiqueras had been co-opted by high dollar campaign chests.
People of political fortitude and resounding media voices in Tejano radio, who had stood up firmly against John Birchers and the KKK like Abel Alonzo, Susie Luna, Roland Garza – found them next to them in a join campaign of expediency to bring down the “perceived machine” – the Ortiz Machine. Disenchanting tactics were used against Ortiz and his orbital network by Alonzo and Garza to claim that Ortiz had lost touch with the people – yet no one questions who was bankrolling the apostasy of the likes of Alonzo and Garza who had shrouded themselves under the veil of higher causes – the handicap, civil rights and so forth. Thousands of dollars circulated their their hands -- so-called marketing “dollars”. They joined with the likes of Jim Logo, radio commentator to behead the neck of their own way of life in the name of the new fad of extremist accommodation for financial expediency.
But something much bigger was happening. Congressman Ortiz many times behind closed doors he was quoted as saying, "Even some of my regional constituents in the Corpus Christi area are not voting for me, the valley will take care of me", a sentiment which cost him power and the resultant ripple effected many including his son, his political hawks (i.e., Lencho Rendon, and Rendon’s nephew who's now is more than likely predestined to fail in his campaign for Nueces County Chair. Now some affiliated with the latter dare say I – Homero Roel Villarreal Sr. -- am a "vendido" (sell-out) or am controlled by anyone via remote control I guess. fools!

Even worse, the Caller Times does not fully understand the true significance of Ortiz’ overall tenure and consequences of his defeat at this juncture in time. Yes he former Congressman’ son – “Solly Jr.”—has voiced some disapproval labeled “sour grapes” over redistricting which even the cited paper has it met criteria to avoid racism. Is it clear enough that the writing is on the wall that Ortiz’ fatigue by the voters is ,.irreversible? Over the years some affiliated with the latter regime that emerged failed to support local causes like he used to before, failed to buy a hefty dose of local Hispanic advertising time from Spanish Language and Tejano stations like he did before. Even some Hispanic activists did not endorse his re-election campaign nor his informal and formal political goals, now affiliatedwith rivals (and the high dollar compensations led to glittering rationalizations for their apostasy) were treated like differently, and offered very little support due to their ebbing loyalties. There is no denying the careerist over-grabbing by some in the core group of the machine, let the truth be told, lined their pockets and even those of their children with an open floodgate of opportunities – many a time wanting everything for nothing from their supporters.
Is the Reverie for Ortiz over? Again, question: “Gone are the days when Solomon Ortiz had housewives holding him up in a star-like quality and baking goods and being block captains for free?” The son as many agree is no Solomon Sr. yet gave it his best stab at chiseling his own identity and establishing his own base. Yet now and therefore the criticisms linger: The Texas Monthly called Jr.’s tenure as mere "furniture" in Austin. Was he doomed to fail? Was it in the cards? The air of overconfidence, entitlement and being perceived as the spoiled son of a congressman is irrefutable. There – it has been said, done.
But despite my criticisms and rantings, history had left its niche: there is currently no candidate as charismatic and energetic and saavy in the Hispanic community as Solomon Ortiz Sr. once was – who can replace him? Iif you disagree then, where is the counter-part? Fill in his name so we all can know and kowtow to the individual …. maybe.
Ortiz Sr.' grand mistake as one of many charismatic leaders, is not to have left a sizeable institution and hefty organizational structure in place – a social-political body that can linger on even when he has passed on. Ortiz’ Sr.’s grand mistake (intentional or not) was to spend too much time in Washington and not nurture his political base back home. Instead he left in place the likes of Rendon and a handful of others to be the face of his organization, the daily staple (and even his son Solomon "Solly JR" expected the machine to remain intact for a long time). The same fate stuck on Gloria Caceres (the longtime behind-the-scenes CEO, the outmoded cheerleader of an elitist core subgroup of the regional Democratic Party in Nueces County – a “broken” fixture being treated as the norm for too long in rapidly changing times. The one that did not allow El Defenzor to have a link placed in the Democratic Party website yet allowed known radical socialists who have called for a transformation of U.S. Society to do so. She – described by many a social commentator in TEJANO and Spanish Language media – remains both extremely bitter and is serving as a destructive force in the Nueces County Democratic party after her resounding defeat by Joe A. Gonzalez in the heated County Commissioner race not too long ago where Gonzalez, was one of few Democrats left standing. She reportedly still – i.e. two years later, cries foul and that her "family was hurt" by politics when she and her vocal entourage hypocritically attacked Gonzalez and his family, attempted and failed to report him to judicial committees. They tried to have Gonzalez indicted by local and federal officials but to no avail.
The Greek tragedy that unfolded shows that you cannot sustain an Hispanic machine without nurturing those very media institutions -- radio stations, newspapers, blogs and others -- that reinforce the cultural and spiritual and political base of that unique way of life. Sadly, many a Democratic voter with a high consciousness of the present state of affairs know that it is the Republicans who have doubled their efforts to buy time on Hispanic radio and TV and print -- thus and henceforth are rapidly recruiting the elemental numbers of Hispanic voters to swing elections. This is plain politics.
Where is the accountability? Recent news reveals images of elitist Democratic Party players that leave a bitter taste during these times: law enforcement busts, notice letters of chief figures and funders of the Democratic Party being targets of federal investigations and shady deals coming to light. “Those who clung to a stagnant regime, licked the boots above them and kicked the common people with their own boots has not had political chickens and legal chickens coming to roost. It is clear that those failed candidates and congressional candidates now such as Rose Harrison who clung tightly to the machine, shall be painted with the same brush,” shared a political observer.
When I speak on radio and TV or write for El Defenzor newspaper, there has always been an selective resistance by those who do not benefit from it and in turn would rather step on the U.S. Constitution and accused me of being manipulated or bought off by powerbrokers, the usual calculated poison and propaganda that holds less and less credibility as the years roll by. I am a man exercising his first amendment right to free speech. When I unveil corruption I am told by the latter I am a "vendido", when I try to defend the elderly, poor, and those taxpayers, Hispanic, libertarian or white, or whomever, I am called a socialist and many more names that try to put to corral me in a box. I was called any name but the son of God. Now those lies and the stench of those lies is known by all. Woe to those who try to suppress the press and editorials.
The public has a right to know. Our community will have El Defenzor to point to wrongdoing and morals that equate with a moth. Our readers deserve better than someone under meticulous probes by the Federal Agencies.
Why when El Defenzor begins to investigate public figures, many call our home and beg to have their name removed? No one wants to be held accountable inside the culture of careerist opportunism. Why participate in graft? Why lie to the press? The truth must come out and be revealed and let it be know that no one, owns, controls, or prints for El Defenzor or Homero Villarreal Sr.
We do not have to be a county judge, congressman, powerbroker, lawyer or politician to speak for the people. EL DEFENZOR is A VOICE OF THE OPPRESSED – and those that want to elevate the quality of life for humanity and humanize institutions. The only way to keep the main structure of the body politic from going haywire is to hold public officials and public figures involved accountable.