Leadership, perseverance needed for ordinance fixes

At last month’s meeting of the City of Marfa’s Planning and Zoning Commission, their first meeting in half a year, Commission Chair Stephen “Chick” Rabourn lamented the sad state of our crudely designed and shoddily maintained Planning and Zoning Ordinance.

It’s true that our ordinance is a poor reflection of our community’s goals and objectives, and bears little resemblance to our Comprehensive Plan. The ordinance, rather, is unduly empowering to a select few who benefit from the chaos and ambiguity it creates. Chick opined that he wished things weren’t as they are but that revisions and reform had been tried and had failed.

Chick … we’ve traced the call; it’s coming from inside the house.

YOU are the chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission. It is your DUTY to maintain the City’s Comprehensive Plan and to keep the Planning and Zoning Ordinance finely tuned to that plan. If things have fallen by the wayside, they have done so under the stewardship of many, but now also including you. To be fair, you are not the cause of these problems, but you are currently the sole gatekeeper to the instruments of their remedy. YOU set the agenda. If something is wrong, you have the power to try to do something about it.

I understand that you and others have tried to fix issues in the past and have not been able to get the votes from the City Council. This is unfortunate, but it’s life. Sometimes things are hard. The answer is not to throw your hands up if your first attempt fails. Perseverance is the name of the game. Yes, you’ll learn that Planning and Zoning is, for whatever reason, incredibly political, though of course it shouldn’t be.

You’ll be obstructed and delayed as you try to dismantle a system that has not come to exist by accident. You’ll acquire enemies and friends and those who float between the two. You’ll revel in small victories and stew in what will seem like insurmountable defeats. You’ll lose and try again. When all is said and done, you will earn your victories and our collective respect and gratitude for your tireless public service.

You are a leader. Lead.

Tony Georges
Marfa

Looking back at Porvenir after the Uvalde shootings

There are a few similarities between Uvalde, Texas, made infamous after the May 24, 2022, mass shooting and the massacre at Porvenir, Texas, on January 28, 1918.

There are several troubling facts about both mass killings. Perhaps the most troubling is that both mass killings of Mexican Americans involved the infamous Texas Rangers. Of course, no one likes to think heroes of legends and movies could have been involved, but they are. This troubling fact has been known since Texas Rangers and other agencies failed to risk their lives and attempt entry into the classroom where Salvadore Ramos, the killer, took position.

There are about 160 miles between Porvenir and Uvalde, as well as more than a century in time. Both events have further damaged Texas history, which flies against myth and legends about the heroic Texas Rangers. Porvenir has been described as a state-sanctioned massacre and Uvalde as a pattern of a disturbed individual bent on destruction.

Stepping back a step, it also reveals a disturbing pattern in American society regarding violence, marginalized vulnerable communities and ongoing failures of institutions responsible for protecting them. One of the least known and best kept secrets is that Texas Rangers accompanied by local ranchers and U. S. Cavalry soldiers executed 15 unarmed Mexican American men and boys in Porvenir, in 1918. It was justified by authorities as a response to alleged banditry but later revealed the victims were innocent and targeted because of their ethnicity. Others suggest it was based on greed for their land.

In contrast, the Uvalde shooting occurred when the gunman entered Robb Elementary and killed 19 children and two teachers. Most of the victims were Mexican Americans, reflecting the demographics of Uvalde. The shooter was not employed by the government, but the massacre exposed serious systemic failures in police response and broader societal issues relating to guns and the protection of children.  

The striking similarity between two events is the failure of institutions to protect vulnerable populations. In Porvenir, the Texas Rangers tasked with enforcing the law became perpetrators of violence, acting with impunity and targeting a marginalized community. The cover-up and complete lack of accountability highlighted systemic racism and dangers of unchecked authority, which reflect current events today.

In Uvalde, police delay and inadequate response to the shooter drew national outrage. Despite being on the scene, officers waited over an hour before eliminating the shooter. During this time more lives were lost. Investigations revealed confusion, lack of leadership, and a breakdown in communication, all contributed to the tragedy. In both cases, the very institutions meant to serve and protect failed, leading to preventable loss of life.

Both impacted Mexican American communities in Texas. The Porvenir victims living on the border were historically subjected to discrimination and violence. That massacre instilled fear and trauma, leading to the abandonment of the village and a legacy of mistrust toward law enforcement and, most importantly, a hatred of the Texas Rangers, which lingers today. Similarly, the Uvalde shooting devastated a tight-knit community. The loss of children and the perceived indifference or incompetence of authorities compounded the grief and anger felt by residents. 

In both instances, the events became symbols of the vulnerability of minority communities in the face of violence and institutional neglect. The aftermath of both events saw outcries for justice.

The 1918 Porvenir massacre led to the eventual disbandment of the Texas Rangers company involved, though no one was held criminally accountable. In Uvalde, the shooting reignited national debate over gun control, school safety and public accountability. Families and advocates demanded answers and reforms, leading to more legislative hearings and policy proposals, though change remains elusive. Both tragedies serve as catalysts for broader conversations about justice, equity and the responsibilities of those in power.

The acquittal of a Uvalde police officer accused of failing to protect the children has left the parents stunned as once again a lack of accountability raises its ugly head. This matter remains unanswered and exposes the dark side of our American justice system. 

Jorge A. Martinez
Independent Journalists