By Steve Walker
Last week I wrote about
Senator Leticia van de Putte as Governor for a Day and how she was the first Latina to become Governor
even if it was for only a day. It was a joyous and exciting day. Sadly two days
later one of her grand children Rex passed away. Our prayers are with her.
This week we look at
another Hispanic Icon who along with Senator van de Putte has contributed much
to our community. Interestingly she occupies the same Senator’s chair who was
only the second Hispanic Senator, elected to the legislature. That was Senator
(Dr.) Joe Bernal. Henry B. Gonzalez was the first.
When I returned from Vietnam & Germany in 1972 Senator Bernal had
already stepped down as Senator in my area in 1971. However I met him in 1974
when I attended my first Democratic State Convention that nominated and
re-elected Governor Dolph Briscoe to a four year term. Up until then the
Governor’s term was for only two years.
He was so helpful to me at
that convention and even though he was no longer an elected official he was
still reaching out helping people and guiding them in the right direction. That
has not changed to this day. I learned so much from him just at that convention.
I wanted to be on the credentials committee and he without hesitation assisted
me in securing a slot on that committee. He was a wealth of knowledge in
maneuvering the political waters to achieve success.
Through out the years as a
Democrat he was always around to answer my questions and offer good advice. As
a Democratic activist he always fought for the little guy, Hispanic or
non-Hispanic, even now that he has retired.
Former Houston Mayor Bill
White who ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 2010, says he remembers the
Senator fondly when he was an Eisenhower
Junior High School
seventh grader who served as a page for him in 1967. I was junior in college
that year.
The Senator’s history
shows he has always championed the interests of minorities, the elderly and the
disadvantaged. I have seen that first hand over the years.
Ironically in the early
nineties when I taught in Harlandale ISD, he was one of my Assistant
Superintendents and I was able to see him on a regular basis since he was one
of my bosses! Even then he was good to me.
A couple of years ago I
was invited and attended an American GI Forum committee meeting at Estela’s
Mexican Restaurant. A very active and longtime member of that organization, the
Senator was sitting there in the middle of it.
After those of us who were
attending for the first time were asked to stand up and introduce ourselves, I
jokingly mentioned I was the only white guy at the meeting. He laughed and
said, “Sit down Walker ,
you are already an honorary Mexican!”
That brought a wave of
laughter from the crowd. I felt right at home with Senator Joe Bernal. The
final stamp of approval for me came from him when he endorsed me in my campaign
for Justice of the Peace.
Anyway, as always, what I
write is “Just a Thought.”
Steve Walker is a Vietnam
Veteran and former Justice of the Peace and Journalist. His column “Ask the
Judge” column ran in La Prensa for the last two years.
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