Politicos MIA at Interfaith convention
McALLEN -- Valley Interfaith has transformed a "tragic Valley" into a "magic" one, Ernesto Cortes Jr. said Sunday.
The political organizer, who founded Valley Interfaith in 1983, returned to praise the work of his creation and celebrate Interfaith's 25th anniversary at the group's convention.
"You have been about the business of taking on the small things - of local government, of schools, of county government, of city government, of water and sewer systems. You have been about the small things, which makes a big difference in all of our lives," Cortes said.
Church delegations arrived at the convention via bus and car, representing parishes from Brownsville to La Joya and filling most of the available seats in the cavernous McAllen Convention Center hall.
They were joined by veteran's groups and other branches of the Industrial Areas Foundation network, including San Antonio's COPS.
But the gathering was notable for its absences. Of the five major political guests touted on Interfaith's flyers, only one - state Rep. Rick Noriega, who is running for U.S. Senate against John Cornyn - attended as promised.
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison sent her regrets early, said group co-chairman Estela Soza Garza. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, State Reps. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, and Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, all called to cancel Saturday night, she said, each citing "personal" reasons.
"That was not good," she said. The group is famous for its tough sessions with political leaders, and in the past the willingness of major political figures to attend Interfaith conventions was seen as evidence of the group's political influence.
Garza said Dewhurst and Hutchison have promised to meet with leaders to make up for their absences.
In addition, at least five other politicians or political candidates listed in the program were nowhere to be seen Sunday afternoon.
Among the officials who did arrive, there was nothing but love for the quarter-century-old activist group.
Each guest was given a minute to respond to Interfaith's state-level agenda, which focuses on abolishing the high-stakes TAKS test, expanding Children's Health Insurance Program eligibility, reforming state-level immigration laws and funding job training.
"Yes, yes, yes and yes," state Rep. Aaron Peña responded cheerfully.
Noriega also expressed his support for Interfaith's goals, which on the national stage include building a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in the Rio Grande Valley.
"Why is it that we can spend $700 billion (on bailout legislation), with so much junk on it and appropriations on it, and in those appropriations we could not include a veteran's hospital?" he asked, chiding an absent Cornyn.
Even Eddie Zamora, a McAllen businessman running against U.S. Rep. Hinojosa, focused on his few points of agreement with Interfaith's national agenda, rather than mention the many ways in which his conservative platform differed from that of his hosts.
"God loves you, and I'm for you," he said, giving the assembly a thumbs-up.
Sara Perkins covers Mission, western Hidalgo County, Starr County and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4472.
