What happened in Ft. Worths Texas Republican Convention: Texas Sends a Message
By Adrian Murray
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas For weeks leading up to the Texas Republican Partys state convention in Fort Worth one constant meme on websites emails and media reports could have been summed up in one sentence:
Get ready to rumble." One unfortunate and misguided yet 
widely circulated email warned of a floor fight by Ron Paul supporters to stage a hostile takeover of the convention. The local newspaper printed an opinion piece alerting readers to the multiple rivalries about to converge on the city: Economic Conservatives Evangelicals Tea Partiers establishment moderates & Ron Paulers all eager to lock horns on the floor of the Fort Worth Convention Center in a battle royale for the soul of the Republican Party.
Was political warfare about to break out at the intersection of 9th and Main?
Not so much.
What happened in Fort Worth this week can and should be a lesson to Republicans everywhere. While one must sift through and ultimately ignore biased media reports which attempt to paint a portrait of disunity in the Republican Party if anything reverberated throughout the convention hall like a 3-day thunderclap it was that nothing can be more critical for this nations future than to reverse the horrific mistake an unfortunate number of misguided voters made in 2008 by electing Barack Hussein Obama president of the United States of America. Everything else seems small potatoes next to that.
Policy prescriptions and legislative priorities characterize any political movement. While there may be agreement on broad objectives such as reducing spending or securing the border there can be disagreement on the more narrow issues of which spending to cut or precisely how to secure the border. Those are healthy discussions to have and as long as we continue to move the ball forward to a solution and dont simply use such issues as political footballs such disagreements do not signify disunity regardless of how much the media wishes it were so.
What stood out at the RPT convention this past week were not the differences between the so-called factions but the absolute imperative that only through unity can we muster
the necessary dynamics to prevent a continuation of the unmitigated disaster that is the Obama presidency.
One need only have sat in on the Rules Committee meetings held in the days and nights prior to the opening gavel to fully understand the implicit desire of all involved to undertake that most difficult of human challenges: listen. Not everyone got what they wanted on every issue but some long-held positions were changed on important procedures thanks mainly to a new and young cadre of conservative witnesses who came prepared and gave their testimony with conviction and reason. The old guard met the new guard in the center of the ring and instead of raising fists they shook hands. The groundwork for a stronger party was firmly laid and the shades of the past tentativily yet tantalizingly relegated to the past.
Much credit for this display of unity must go to Republican Party State Chair Steve Munisteri who campaigned two years ago on a promise of placing control of the party back in the hands of the grassroots activists and has soundly delivered. Why did the much ballyhooed and over-hyped challenge for the permanent convention chair never occur? Simple: it was never even considered. Replacing a strong leader hardly seems conducive to driving a wooden stake into the malodorous but still-beating heart of the worst administration ever to be inflicted upon the American people.
Contrast the unifying air of civility and respect in Fort Worth with the goings on 260 or so miles to the south in Houston.
There the collectivist gaggle of misfits miscreants and malcontents that currently comprise whats left of the once pro-American Democratic Party gathered for their own Texas state convention. For reasons which could only make sense in the cluttered mind of a liberal the occupiers of the allegedly post-racial world chose to divide their breakout meetings strictly along racial ethnic and sexual/gender lines.
One wonders which of the following happenings Harry S. Truman would have chosen to attend after perusing the schedule of events which included such inclusive meet-ups as:
- The Progressive Hispanic Caucus
- Tejano Democrats
- Mexican American Democrats
- Oil Patch Democrats
- Gun Owners Caucus
- Non-Urban Caucus
- The Black American Democrats Brunch
- Muslim Democrat Caucus
- Pro-Life Democrats
- Stonewall Democrats Caucus
- The Black Caucus
- Jewish Democrats and
- Asian American Democrats
Left out of the festivities was a Transgender Caucus although one could easily presume there was a fitting homage in the form of a tribute at an SEIU-sponsored fashion show at the
gala kick-off reception. (It can only be hoped a YouTube video will soon be posted of the fundraising workshop appropriately entitled Take the Money and Run.")
While we will never succeed (and therefore should never try) in erasing the mythical lines of division in the Republican Party drawn by the annoyingly confused liberal media in a desperate gambit to provide aid and comfort to their fellow travelers in the Democratic Party we should at least ignore them and acknowledge that factions within political parties can peacefully coexist while focusing on an overall goal. That is the essence of the message the Republican Party of Texas sent to Republicans all across America last week: knock it off set aside that which divides you embrace that which unites you and never take your eyes off the ultimate prize.
The fate of the nation hangs in the balance.
Finally we should recognize the energy spirit and passion of the young Ron Paul supporters in our ranks. Unlike the rogue-element stereotype so common with the media and among our own peers they were engaging enthusiastic determined to play by the rules knew what they wanted to accomplish and accomplished it. Its not their fault they can stay up later than many of us.
No blood was shed. Lessons can be learned from that. Perhaps the time of us versus them" has at long last passed. Perhaps the time has come and gone to retire the moniker Ron Paulers."
While the good doctor is and will remain the source of their inspiration it will only strengthen the party and the conservative cause to do what seems so patently obvious. We should embrace them and call them what they truly are: Fellow Americans and fellow Republicans.
The giant is awake. Welcome to the revolution.
Adrian J. Murray is president of Painless Performance Products in Fort Worth Texas and past President of the Fort Worth 9-12 Project.
