It Matters to This Mother That Carmen Dusek Wins

During election season, it gets intense when emotions run high. It’s not uncommon for the media to look into the individuals running for office and run profiles, editorials and endorse specific candidates. Even beyond political discussions, news organizations run daily editorials about various topics, and most people understand these articles are opinion and not fact.

For some reason, however, when San Angelo LIVE! does the same, we are threatened. This past week, not only did we get slammed, but we actually had a few people threaten to complain to our advertisers, the companies that allow us to provide you news without paying a subscription fee, and demand that they pull their business.

These people are bullying us simply because we wrote an editorial about the 391st District Court Judge race. The people bullying are Brad Goodwin supporters.

I’m going to add another editorial, because that is the format of Top of the Email. When we tag an article as “LIVE! Thought”, that too means “opinion.” With that being said, I don’t require everyone to agree with me on what I’m about to say; however, as an editor of the news source with the largest audience in San Angelo and also as a voter, I should voice my opinion not just because I have an informed opinion of issues facing San Angelo, but also because this is my right. I also trust our readers; they are smart enough to make their own choice even after reading this.

I don’t know Brad Goodwin, nor do I know his character, but I know if I were running for office and my supporters were bullying by threatening the livelihoods of good people running a fragile media start-up for writing opinions not in support of me, I would have issue with that and I would let everyone know. That’s not to say Goodwin is okay with this, nor does it mean he’s not capable of being a good judge for the 391^st because of these people.

However, I do know Carmen Dusek, and she would definitely speak out to people for such acts. I witnessed her do so recently. I have also had the pleasure of speaking and interviewing Carmen on the topics of children and families. I even shared my own personal family situation, and Carmen’s reaction touched me. Her empathy was real, not feigned.

When she told me her story about how she made children and families her priority and life’s mission, I developed a deep respect for her. Carmen has proven that mission time again, including during the FLDS trials. I don’t have the space here to go into more details, but I will say it’s not every day I meet someone who through talking and watching her, I am assured of her passion for what she does.

I am here to encourage people to get out and vote, including my Latino brothers and sisters. Although we are fast becoming the majority, we have the lowest voter turnout rates, especially when it comes to local elections.

In my younger years, I too didn’t vote. I believed no politician cared about my neighborhood or me. They weren’t going to stop the out-of-control social problems. Also, when I relocated to San Angelo, I said, “I’m in a red state. There’s no way my vote will make a difference.”

That was inexperience and youth talking, and that’s changed because I know nothing will change if I sit back and do nothing.

Here we are looking at a judge who will hear divorces, determine child custody, sentence mothers to jail, and deeply impact the lives of our children, families and our future. We must let our voices be heard. It’s time we determine who we want running our courts instead of sitting on our behinds and complaining about the people currently doing so.

Complaining gets us nowhere.

As a Democrat in a red state, I’m going to do something I’ve never done in my entire life: vote for a Republican. I’m going to step outside my party and vote for Carmen Dusek because she is the person I would want to appear before should I have to, or my family members. I trust that she would make the best choices for my children, grandchildren and family.

So how about you? Who do you want making the decisions that affect your children and family? No matter your answer, go out, vote, make it count, and no bullying allowed.