The King of Local Democrats Steps Down
I first met Bill King in the back of his Ford pickup. I'd gone to Boerne's anti-war march at Veterans Park in the weeks before our 2003 invasion of Iraq. I missed my daughter's horse show because I felt it was too important to make a statement against what my country was about to do.
Bill was in the back of his pickup handing out blank signs and magic markers to create the slogan that best fit your thoughts. I wondered who this tall, thin guy with the grey hair and soft-spoken manner was, who would align himself with an anti-war effort in solidly Republican Boerne. I soon found out Bill would never shy away from saying the right thing.
His semi-weekly column in the Boerne Star said what needed saying, never sugar-coating the fact that we have a truly awful President, subservient houses of congress, and a media that would sooner report on yet another pretty missing white girl than tell Americans what they needed to know to safeguard Democracy.
Bill earned the ire of local Republicans, and a few stepped up to the plate to try an opposing Republican column. Whether due to the truth not being on their side or their tremendous inability to communicate, his competition withered after a time. In the end, his column was the only regular political column, and by far the best of what was there.
Bill's responsible for making a Kendall County Democratic headquarters happen in the lead-up to elections, getting the word out and putting a human face to what many hereabouts consider our most serious endangered species: Democrats.
Bill's been running the Kendall County Democratic party for the last couple of years, too. His efforts have been steady, intelligent and business-like. I'd like to report we're bowling them over at the polls and Kendall County is leaving its Republican roots at the same rate Bush's popularity plummets. That hasn't yet happened though. Bill's been scruffing up the rocky Kendall Country soil and planting the seeds that in time will soon yield a Democratic rebound. His efforts were exactly what we needed, and when we needed them.
Now Bill's moving on and we'll be much the poorer for it. It doesn't just concern me, it scares me to think of the local political picture without him in it. John Weir has stepped up to the plate and ready to take on the mantle, and I'm sure he'll do quite well. But I'll miss Bill, and think he deserves far more accolades than this. Thank you Bill. Don't be a stranger!
Bill was in the back of his pickup handing out blank signs and magic markers to create the slogan that best fit your thoughts. I wondered who this tall, thin guy with the grey hair and soft-spoken manner was, who would align himself with an anti-war effort in solidly Republican Boerne. I soon found out Bill would never shy away from saying the right thing.
His semi-weekly column in the Boerne Star said what needed saying, never sugar-coating the fact that we have a truly awful President, subservient houses of congress, and a media that would sooner report on yet another pretty missing white girl than tell Americans what they needed to know to safeguard Democracy.
Bill earned the ire of local Republicans, and a few stepped up to the plate to try an opposing Republican column. Whether due to the truth not being on their side or their tremendous inability to communicate, his competition withered after a time. In the end, his column was the only regular political column, and by far the best of what was there.
Bill's responsible for making a Kendall County Democratic headquarters happen in the lead-up to elections, getting the word out and putting a human face to what many hereabouts consider our most serious endangered species: Democrats.
Bill's been running the Kendall County Democratic party for the last couple of years, too. His efforts have been steady, intelligent and business-like. I'd like to report we're bowling them over at the polls and Kendall County is leaving its Republican roots at the same rate Bush's popularity plummets. That hasn't yet happened though. Bill's been scruffing up the rocky Kendall Country soil and planting the seeds that in time will soon yield a Democratic rebound. His efforts were exactly what we needed, and when we needed them.
Now Bill's moving on and we'll be much the poorer for it. It doesn't just concern me, it scares me to think of the local political picture without him in it. John Weir has stepped up to the plate and ready to take on the mantle, and I'm sure he'll do quite well. But I'll miss Bill, and think he deserves far more accolades than this. Thank you Bill. Don't be a stranger!
posted by VTexan at 7:42 PM
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