The
Texan of the Year with the most negative impact would be Senator Ted
Cruz. Of course, a survey is warranted to see if his popularity is hyped
by tea party propagandists or if he is really popular in Texas. We cannot ignore this guy. Let me list the long and short term impact of his acts on our society. – Mike Ghouse

TEXAS FAITH: Who would be your Texan of the Year?

By Bill McKenzie / Editorial Columnist
wmckenzie@dallasnews.com
8:08 pm on November 5, 2013 | Permalink

A horseman alongside Dallas’ Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge (Jason O’Rear)

We are headed into the end of the year, where there will be a lot of look backs at 2013. This newspaper participates in the annual ritual, too.

Each December our editorial board presents its Texan of the Year. Over the last decade, we have selected political figures like George W. Bush, groups of people like the heroes who endured the Fort Hood killings and unknown people like Roy Velez of Lubbock, whose two military sons died in Middle East wars. The strongest response we received about any choice was when we named Illegal Immigrants as Texans of the Year.

The criterion we use is simple: Uncommon impact by someone identifiable as a Texan. (That impact can be negative as well as positive.)

The person could be in public service, the arts, law, education, research, sports — you name it.

The nominee doesn’t have to be a big shot or household name. It could be an obscure genius who’s having quiet but important impact that’s being felt this year.

The person (or group) could be making a difference outside of Texas, as was the case with Admiral Bill McRaven. He was our 2011 Texan of the Year for heading up the bin Laden raid.

Here, then, is my question:

Who would you nominate as Texan of the Year for their uncommon impact?

Read on for the panel’s answers:

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, and speaker on interfaith affairs, Dallas

The Texan of the Year with the most negative impact would be Senator Ted Cruz. Of course, a survey is warranted to see if his popularity is hyped by tea party propagandists or if he is really popular in Texas.

We cannot ignore this guy. Let me list the long and short term impact of his acts on our society.

First, he has not denounced his father’s statement unequivocally calling on Obama to go back to Kenya. What a shame! I am an Indian, and no one will bother me if I remain a small guy. But if I were to run against him in 2018, would his bigotry come alive again? Since I would be challenging him for the Senate, would he tell me to go back to India or Mexicans to go back to Mexico? I can imagine Ted Cruz smiling at his father for that support.

A corporation would rather have productive employees than the ones who get sick frequently and lower its productivity. It behooves us to invest in health care. Healthy Americans make a healthy nation. A good health care system is an investment in human capital, not a charity or a subsidy. Ted Cruz is bent on destroying America and its systems.

It is illegal to rob a bank at gun point, and it is illegal for me to block Ted Cruz from entering his office and doing his job. If I were to interrupt, I would be arrested. Yet he violated the rules and shut down the government with no consequence.

The Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress, signed by the president and ratified by the Supreme Court. It is a shame for Republicans to claim that no Republican voted for it. That is a gross disrespect to our system.

We honor all legislation passed by elected representatives. Ted Cruz’s act was a dishonorable act and possibly illegal. Shouldn’t there be consequences for breaking the law? Isn’t he supposed to uphold the laws of the land? He did not respect the due process and acted like a Third World politician.

Ted Cruz sounds like a classroom bully who frightens kids and gets away with it. He is excess baggage for the Republican Party.

To read the response of all the Panelists, please visit Dallas Morning News at – http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2013/11/texas-faith-who-would-be-your-texan-of-the-year.html/#more-31282