UPDATE: I seem to have struck a nerve with some local Democrats over this post. They claim the use of a certain term in the title, a term that I have always understood as referring to immigration status, is racially/ethnically insensitive. If such is the case, I apologize, though I maintain that such offense is not and was not my intent. I won't change the word on my site, though, because I do not go back and hide my mistakes or bury evidence of my own errors.

On the other hand, I in no way retract my comment about a certain city councilwoman whose description of the comments of another member prompted my estension of her metaphor to cover her own behavior.

As I pointed out recently, the city of Houston lost a veteran police officer at the hands of a child-molesting border-jumper who had returned to this country after being deported several years ago. I note that Houston’s sanctuary city policy likely helped contribute to the death by attracting immigration criminals to the city.

Only one member of Houston’s city council has had the integrity and courage to raise the issue – Dr. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, who is the GOP nominee for Tom DeLay’s old congressional seat. And she did so yesterday, hours after the funeral for Officer Rodney Johnson.

When it was Sekula-Gibbs' turn to speak, she said Mayor Bill White now had the chance to repeal what she calls the department's "sanctuary" policy.

"I hope that you will use this opportunity to make this change that has been needed for many, many years," she said.

In response, a number of pro-criminal city council members walked out on the grounds that it was “disrespectful� to raise a serious public safety issue on the day that a victim of the policy was buried.

"It's disrespectful that she has used this tragic event to make a political statement," said Councilwoman Carol Alvarado, one of the nine members who walked out.

Yeah, maybe Sekula-Gibbs should have instead taken the time to comment on incompetent city officials who lack the managerial skills to run their offices, allowing their staff-members to steal tens of thousands of dollars from Houston taxpayers. Did you enjoy your time before the grand jury, Carol? Were you more honest with them about this than you were about your academic credentials? But at least you didn’t break out into expletives directed at Dr. Sekula-Gibbs, like you have during at least one city council meeting.

And at least one commented in a manner that shows the complete lack of class and decency that permeates the pro-wetback side.

"I apologize to the Johnson family today for one of our colleagues attempted to pimp the death and tragedy of Officer Johnson for their political career," said Councilmember Ada Edwards.

Edwards, of course, was whoring herself out to those who support the violation of American law and American sovereignty – scrambling for a few more Hispanic votes like they were crack rocks, just to advance her own career. It’s clear that she doesn’t give a damn about the circumstances of Officer Johnson’s death or the safety of Houstonians, or else she would speak out herself on this serious public safety issue.

And then there is the Republican whose statement yesterday is the basis for my decision to guarantee that she is not reelected.

"I was embarrassed to be in the room with somebody talking like that," said Councilwoman Toni Lawrence, a Republican and one of the first to leave.

"There's a lot of things I disagree with, maybe the way immigration is handled, federally, and this is not the time to make a comparison."

I’m embarrassed to be in the same party with someone who talks like you do, Ms. Lawrence. If someone can’t talk about the flaws of a city policy that create a public safety issue when someone has died because of that policy, then when exactly can you talk about it? There is no more appropriate time than now! And I'd suggest that faux Republicans Pam Holmes and M. J. Khan might also want to get with the GOP platform or get out of office.

And remember, this has been a signature issue of Shelley's congressional campaign for months now, so Dr. Sekula-Gibbs is not playing games with the immigration issue like her colleagues are – she is continuing to address an issue she has been passionate about for some time. Why should she be silent on it now?

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