By NICK RYAN
Special to The Tribune
HARLINGEN, Texas - They're drawing battle lines here in this anthill of a town. Times are tough and revolution is in the air. Already, the town's politics have taken a nervy stab at fashioning a civil war of the sort not seen here in years. It is, again, as happens across this land from time to time, the New Bloods who want change now going up against the Old Codgers who like things as they are - calm and in stir.
On one side is a group labeled The Old Guard comprised of aging civic leaders who see sleepy Harlingen in the light of the 1960s, a community where everybody knows his or her place, on this side of the tracks or on that side. They feel threatened by a cold wind moving across from one city limits sign to the next. They have met to gauge the threat and presumably will meet again. Their names are well known, some admired and some despised. That is the burden of the oppresser, benevolent as they may be. One of its members is a man named Frank Boggus, shown in photo at right. Boggus is a longtime car dealer in town, and a man who, when the itch strikes him, contributes to a variety of social foundations and charities.
On the other side is a group of residents unwilling to keep the status quo, to keep listening to the false promises of inclusion, to keep bending over on dreams and schemes that rarely include them. The economic pie that has long benefitted the few needs to be sliced-up differently, they say in harsh tones. Harlingen needs to plunge into the 1980s.
Life here has never been a walk in the park. Daily struggles with unemployment and debt is as much a part of the familial tapestry as is drinking and spousal abuse. But crazy social blowups aside, what's easily distinguishable of late is a certain hellbent movement toward change, change the Old Guard sees as the potential end of its stranglehold over this city of almost 70,000 souls.
Can the newcomers overcome the so-called powers of the entrenched?
Is Harlingen ready to go all out for change? Will its much-whipped residents say enough is enough and take to the streets Egyptian-style? It could be something to behold, especially if the Old Guard hangs on its tried-and-true practice of buying influence and peddling crumbs to potential unaligned supporters. Life is funny that way. Already, some of the Old Guard backers are being seen as traitors to the cause by the opposition.
What it is is a moment-in-time for little Harlingen, a community once the third-largest town in the Rio Grande Valley that has fallen to the Number 6 slot, behind once-nothing towns that have found a vision, an energy and a dynamic to progress.
No one knows how things will turn out. Words are being tossed. Profanity flows under the breath of restraint. Fists go stiff, ready for something or another. The Old Codgers wince at the possibilities. The New Guard smiles at the idea of a hostile takeover.
It is a malarious time in Harlingen...
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27 comments:
Excellent article. i'm copying it and reading it to my friends at Las Cazuelas. Those Old Codgers need to go. Adios, boys!!!
Nice photos. I can feel the chingasos already. Politics is a contact sport, right? Mensos.
requiring Sonograms before abortions does what? Not clear. Do they think women will change their mind? Some do it for a variety of reasons. It's not a Man thing!
The Old Guard is doomed. Age is not on its side. Change will come one way or another. Take it to the bank!
The old guard can bitch, jump and holler, but Harlingen will not go back to the 1950's or 1960's for that matter.
Jade Meade's macho talk, is all it is, he doesn't scare anyone. Fast Eddie, well he thinks he is white but he isn't, he is no more than a oreo cookie.
I don't care how much money they spend.
We will contribute to the New Pack group and take the fight publically, if that is what they want.
They ruined the city, fixed the numbers to lie to the citizens about growth.
The people that want change, will not back off.
Even city employees are saying enough is enough, or at least that is what two guys said at the pancake house this morning.
This little take over they are planning, is not going to happen. They want to remove Robert Leftwich and Jerry Prep. The old guard doesn't like commissioners who actually feel for the tax-payers.
But why is Korry Marra part of this group??? The drama queen has more problems she can handle and now she is adding more to herself.
Mr. Editor, the fight is just beginning, the fighters are strapping the gloves. The word was out at Mi Rancho Restaurant, about the meeting and the actors involved.
I am looking foward for the chain of events to unrabble.
I heard some of the New Guard are going to start ganging up on City hall and making gthemselves heard at the meetings. Same for the boards and planing & zoning. It's time.
Some of these guys could die any day and then what? The Old Guard is history. Time wins!
Some of these old guard creeps think they can influence people, well back in the days when there were only two banks in Harlingen, they made your or they breaked you. Now, there are plenty of banks. And plenty of Taxi cabs, and buying groceries are from big chain stores.
Not the old mom and pop local stores. That belong to the old guard. By the way, there are plenty of Ford Dealers in the Valley, Harlingen is not the only game in town. F!@#%k these Pr&*(ks.
I plan to start attending the scheduled Commissionmeetings every other Tuesday at city hall in Harlingen, enough is enough.
And Thank You Mr. Editor for your fine articles, posted you your blog.
My deal is jobs. We have no jobs and these idiots have no idea how to bring jobs to the city. McAllen does it. hell,Pharr does it! We're just not getting it done and it's up to the people now.
If Frank Boggus is the answer, then we don't know what the question is. Harlingen has so many damned needs it is ridiculous. Votes must go to those who have good ideas. Let's find good citizens. Must have a good head on their shoulders. And if you own a car dealership or a bank you're not the answer. Get lost, buddy!
i liked the part about Frank Boggus and the itch. Lambiscon!
What Harlingen needs is a tough Mexican as mayor, not another white bread guy who takes orders from the old codgers, as the Trib calls them. Is there an educated politically skilllful Hispanic out there? Get him out to meet the people. Harlingen also needs to change its name to something that fits the valley. harlingen sounds too white. I say we ask for suggestions. Mine would be Relampago. that has a nice sound to it. Relampago, Texas. Just saying.
The monitor reported this week that Pharr sales tax was up 24%. That is one hell of a jump. And in the Sunshine city of Harlingen, we are down.
Listen to this. I heard that people on the Museum Board didn't want a Mexican drawing in the new park, because it didn't go with the Dutch name of Harlingen.
I met Dutch Soldiers while in Europe. And they weren't predujuice, they ate from the same frying pan, and love canned tamales, from the local px.
And the old baggy ladies, that walk around with canes, from Harlingen, think they are Europeans. Ha,ha, haaaaa!!!!
The White People of Harlingen are of the nursing home variety, lame and looking like cadavers, ready for the grave. They are not attractive people. Pobres viejitos. Parecen fajitas! Todos arrugados. FEOS!!
How about a rally at La Placita? We'll buy a used car at Boggus Ford and then charge a quarter for a swing of a sledgehammer. ha ha. That will be in the paper and Frank B. will you know what in his pants. Sonso.
The thing about the sonogram is crap. Does the state think women do not think this out? Of course they do! Texas cannot tell a citizen what to do with their bodies. Rick Perry is stupid.
frank Boggus is yesterday. Who cares what this old fool thinks or wants. Get lost, dude!
Boggus, supports the old guard, he was and is old guard. Why do you think they named the football Boggus Stadium. That is a tax payers high school football field. As God is my witness, I will never buy a ford product from boggus. We need to boycott business associated with the old guard.
What was the stadium's name before it was named Boggus Stadium? Anyone know?
ANONYMOUSES:...All good points. The sonogram law is a weird piece of legislation, unnecessary say doctors who note that they already perform such an examination ahead of all pregnancies. Sounds like politics to me, and we know this legislation would not pass legal muster. As for Frank Boggus, well, we do not know him, although we've heard a litany of negative stuff about him lately. The high school stadium being named after him is perplexing. Has he contributed loads to the schools, paid for the turf, built the stands? Good for him if he has. If he's done nothing of the like, the schoolboard - this one or a future one - could always re-name the stadium. It's taxpayer property and one would think that the taxpayers would be taken into consideration. Perhaps that will be remedied after he dies, if need be... - Editor
Cardinal field.
The football field's name was Cardinal Stadium. They changed the name in or around 1967. He probably knew someone at the school board, nothing but white people ran the school board and the city commission back then.
Actually, he had some relatives and the field was name after them. I know there was some opposition, but back then, they did what they pleased. The school board was nothing but white people.
The Governor ought to stay out of womens personal decisions. This new law is rediculous. Rick Perry, take a hike, with the coyotes.
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