The Cheers Podcast: Recent Episodes
Patrick Everitt
The mainstream media outlets have their narrative of our border area and our guests in this podcast live another. We want to expose you to people that live in this borderland and let them respond to national and international discussions.
This episode is about the history of the environmental resistance movement in the 'RGV' for the past ten years. To help me with this, I am joined by Bekah Hinojosa.
A local environmental activist that has sacrificed so much in this resistance to protect our local ecology and return the land back into native hands.
The first half starts with public comments submitted in front of the ‘Brownsville’ Commission Meeting on February 7, 2023, by Sandra Trevino, Nancy Guevarra, Jose Jimenez, Emma Guevarra, Sara Stapleton-Barrera, Bekah Hinojosa, Juan Mancias, and Christopher Basaldu.
All supported Bekah Hinojosa and demanded the charges against her to be dropped and for the former mayor Trey Mendez to be investigated for abuse of power. The charges of a Class B Misdemeanor for allegedly spray painting on an Elon Musk-funded mural with the tag “Gentrified, Stop SpaceX” is a clear threat to her but especially others resisting the continued colonization of this area.
The second half is a discussion with Bekah Hinojosa about her experience in these environmental and indigenous struggles for justice and sovereignty.
The goal is to stop the expansion of the fossil fuel industry. To a large extent, stop the industrialization of our coastline, that includes SpaceX. There are major achievements and current actions to stop LNG development.
“In 2021, a major lawsuit victory led by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Sierra Club, Vecinos para el Bienestar de la Comunidad, Costera, Shrimpers and Fisherman of the RGV, and Save RGV is forcing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to re-evaluate the environmental justice and climate impacts of Rio Grande LNG, Rio Bravo Pipeline, and Texas LNG. 3 Ongoing litigation and permitting delays due to community opposition continue to push back the timelines for these projects while further exposing the harms and risks they pose.”
Other major achievements discussed were the anti-LNG resolutions passed by local municipalities and special political subdivisions. They are: Laguna Madre, South Padre Island, Long Island Valley, The Town of Laguna Vista, Port Isabel, and Laguna Madre Water District.
Friends of Laguna Madre, Save RGV, Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, and residents in Cameron County have successfully pressured the Port Isabel School District to reject tax subsidies/breaks. These same community organizations were also able to convince some European banks to stop funding these risky fracked gas export terminals.
One major item discussed was how inflation was being caused by continued colonization of the ‘RGV’ and of Ukraine by the US government. The observation that capitalism always operates in dual aspects (the regime of non-violent exploitation in the core and the regime of violent expropriation in the periphery) is the key to understanding how, though swastikas may be banned and in poor taste, the entire history of the West can be described as deeply fascist:
“The profound hypocrisy and inherent barbarism of bourgeois civilization lies unveiled before our eyes, turning from its home, where it assumes respectable forms, to the colonies, where it goes naked.” - Karl Marx, 1853-07. The Future Results of British Rule in India [web]
Defund Petition, Latest LNG Risk Report, and Anti-War Movement
Tell Global Financial Institutions Pull Your Support From LNG in Rio Grande Valley
Rio Grande Valley: At Risk From Fracked-Gas Export Terminals | 2022 Update by Rainforest Action Network, Save RGV, Sierra Club, Les Amis de la Terre France, and Carrizo Comecudo Tribe of Texas
The March 18 National Anti-War Protest
Coinciding with the 20th anniversary weekend of the criminal U.S.-invasion of Iraq a major demonstration will take place at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Saturday March 18 demanding "Peace in Ukraine – Say NO to Endless U.S. Wars” and “Fund People's Needs, Not the War Machine.” Learn more about the demonstration and the 100+ organizations supporting it here.
To fight inflation we need to end the US’s massive international sanctions regime and demand they stop sending weapons to fuel the Ukraine war, and stop blocking peace negotiations.
The Wall Street Journal now says: “Gas Prices Poised to Rise Again as Sanctions on Russia Take Effect,” while global economists say the “massive shock” of the war will produce new “inflationary pressures, sapping confidence and household purchasing power.”
US sanctions on Venezuela and Iran are further impacting the market in oil and gas prices, driving up prices and driving the climate crisis destroying the planet.
It’s clear as it ever that the US’s own policies of sanctions, and the proxy war provoked by NATO policies, is directly impacting the cost-of-living crisis for working class people. Meanwhile the military industrial complex and Wall Street get richer. This is criminal — the time to act is now!
Stop the Continued Genocide with Indigenous Sovereignty
To help reclaim native lands, contact the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas through Instagram or Facebook. Please donate to the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe!
Website | Donate | GoFundMe | PayPal | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | LinkTree | History
Music Credits
Mother Earth Song - Carrizo Comecrudo Language (2013) by Juan Mancias
Burn Your Village To The Ground (2015) by The Halluci Nation (Neon Nativez Remix)
Quechua 101 Land Back Please (2021) by Bobby Sanchez:
This episode is a discussion with the RGV Greens on September 30, 2022, during the Texas Governor Debate, where they answered the debate questions and presented the RGV and Green perspective at the People’s Debate.
We were located outside the UTRGV Edinburg campus where Democrat Beto O’Rourke and Republican Gregg Abbott were performing their one and only so-called “debate” for the ruling class, their donors, and their media.
The good thing is we have grassroots movements pushing back against the “one evil party with two names” and are platforming socialism for the people of Texas.
I was joined by Aly and Gloria, two volunteers of the RGV Greens, representing the Green Party, and Delilah Barrios for Governor of Texas.
The People’s Debate is an opportunity for the Green Party to raise its voice and interact with the people. To let the people know about their campaign and platform in person and online.
If you enjoy the episode, please rate and review the podcast to let others know. Share it on social media with your friends and family.
If you want to hear more episodes like this, subscribe today for more important discussions and stories from the so-called Rio Grande Valley. Until next time, take care.
- Salud, Sláinte, Cheers!
Connect to and learn more about Delilah Barrios, the RGV Greens, and the Green Party of Texas at:
RGV Greens - Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Delilah Barrios for Governor of Texas | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Green Party of Texas
References:
Barrios: Representation and Healthcare for All
Green New Deal of the Green Party
Diane Ravitch
Network For Public Education
ACLU Texas files Civil Rights complaint against Sharyland ISD for 5-year-old boy told to cut hair (KVEO-TV)
Debt Domination - Chapter 2 of Against Empire by Michael Parenti
Elon Musk Is Not a Renegade Outsider - He’s A Massive Pentagon Contractor
Starlink Military Use
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In this episode, I have invited my friends EJ and Joey to discuss the NFL and their stupid decides regarding players protesting against police brutality and inequality in this country. And how the message of police brutality and inequality is lost under the siren calls of unpatriotic, un-American, ostracising propaganda.
This episode we start off with my thoughts on the Port of Brownsville Navigation District candidate forum and get to hear from Patrick Anderson. A teacher from Los Fresnos, to discuss his recent run to be Port of Brownsville Commissioner. We talk about LNG and May 22, 2018, Democratic Primary Runoff Election that is underway between Alex Dominguez and Rene Oliveira.
The oil and gas industry is increasing operations in the Rio Grande Valley with refineries, pipelines, compressor stations, and LNG export facilities. This episode is a reflection on the March 8, 2018, Rio Grande LNG Air Permit Public Meeting that happened in Brownsville, Texas. You will hear my 2 cents about social-economic development, professionalism, organizing the community, and a political narrative. As well as, from 12 individuals that I selected that submitted formal comments.
The BONUS Episode picks up where the 2nd episode left off. It is about Immigration and Welfare in the RGV and the US.
Arturo Alonzo joins us to talk about his experience running for Texas' thirty-seventh state house district that represents Brownsville, Texas. We had plenty to talk about, therefore Episode 2: Gorilla Warfare Review, includes a bonus segment that covers immigration and welfare. The upcoming episode will be about the Rio Grande LNG Air Permit Public Meeting that occurred on March 8, 2018.
I create because the mainstream media outlets have their narrative of our border area and our guests in this podcast live another. We will expose you to people that live in this borderland and let them respond to national and international discussions.