I Saw Houston Mayor Annise Parker—Then I Saw A Chicken

A few hours back I went to the blogger lunch that is hosted each month by Charles Kuffner. Mr. Kuffner writes the top Houston and Texas political blog  Off The Kuff.

The guest at the lunch this month was Houston Mayor Annise Parker.

Below you see a picture that I took of the Mayor at this lunch.

The Mayor has her hand raised as she takes a pledge to read Texas Liberal each day.

No–I’m making that up. I’m not sure why her hand was raised. She was making a point about something or other.

The Mayor was quite cordial and took questions for just over an hour.

In the days ahead I’m going to offer some thoughts about Mayor Parker, and issues related to moving forward in Houston.

My thoughts will be less about what the Mayor said at the lunch today, and more about the need for an effective and constructive progressive and liberal opposition in Houston.

Not an opposition that simply exists to oppose Mayor Parker when she veers more to the right than need be.

But rather a more long-term, consistent and hopeful force that helps change the political climate here in Houston, so that we don’t see again Council Democrats passing a law that criminalizes many acts of sharing food with the homeless.

An opposition can “govern” in the sense of offering hopeful alternatives to what we get from people in “official” positions of power.

An oppostion can “govern” in a fashion if it develops the capacity for disciplined and effective advocacy and leadership.

This is what I want to talk about the days ahead.

After the lunch, I took a long walk along Allen Parkway here in the city.

I’d say I walked for about five miles. This long walk gave me plenty of time to think about stuff.

While engaged in this thinking, I came across a chicken.

I do not believe there was any connection between Mayor Parker and the chicken.

Below is a photo of the chicken–

Here is a close-up of the chicken—

My Uncle Tom in Providence, R.I. saw these chicken pictures on Facebook. He insists that this bird is a Rhode Island Red.

Based on this Wikipedia entry, I think my uncle is correct.

As a former resident of Rhode Island, I’m very glad to have seen such a bird.

Thanks to both Mayor Parker and to the chicken for a good and productive day.