Tuesday, November 22, 2011

The Beating Of Women

"The distraction is gone, and she can file all the appeals she wishes, who cares, she will be a citizen, who no one cares about. Well, maybe someone at La Placita might have a different view. Daisy, I am good for $50.00 for the korrry moving away fund, or as the Beatles use to sing, far, far away. I agree too many carpetbaggers in our city..." - Harlingen resident Olivia Levier Richardson

By DUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
The Paz Files

HARLINGEN, Texas - In Brownsville, less than 25 miles downrange from here, they throw the Sex Card at female politicians. It's always So and So's had an affair, while married, with any number of local males, usually many. They throw the dirt, and they do with gusto. Ask City Commissioner Melissa Zamora.

Here, in the sloping back of the Rio Grande Valley, the game is a bit different, but it is just as low-down and vicious. Woman elected officials get roasted right and left, for things that their male counterparts generally get away with, adultery especially.

City Commissioner Kori Marra is being shown the door today following her conviction in district court Monday on a charge of violating state ethics rules regarding governmental action. That conviction came yesterday afternoon; the blows arrived minutes later. It is a barbaric way to live, but there it is, splashed in all its raw, ripped-skin gore for all to see and enjoy.

Commissioner Marra has herself to blame for some of it. She is a single woman and, from all accounts, she partied hard. A glass of booze in her hand became the quintessential Marra photograph (see photo atop this story). They forever made the local blogging circles, where residents and other commenters quickly let her have it. She was now a loser and, in a land of losers, well, who wants losing exposed so dramatically, so publicly. Now, they want her gone, not only from the City Commission, but out of town.

What is it about the Mexican bordertowns and women? The region needs them, but it also uses and abuses them. Brownsville City Commissioner Zamora's image has segued from a string of photographs depicting her with different men to what now appears to be a settled elected official finally interested in aiding her community. Zamora's ride, however, was one of those stagecoach rolls over the bumpiest of roads. Nicknames bloggers used to characterize her never were kind, most obscene and vulgar. Ms. Marra met a similar fate after reports circulated showing her to be an oaf of sorts while performing her duties, at times declaring she would arm herself while attending city commission meetings at City hall, at others cursing at her colleagues, sometimes ignoring payroll taxes at her real estate business and finally then falling victim to the ethics violation related to a zoning proposal that saw her fail to recuse herself on a matter too close to home.

What becomes of Commissioner Marra?

Some say she was never a Harlingenite, amateur historians noting that she only moved to town to accompany her then-husband, a U.S. Border Patrol agent. Little about her past ever surfaced, with many residents not able to even name her hometown or speak about her accomplishments in school. Those who loathed her said she was a carpetbagger. Marra was attractive and she rousted the votes in her district to win election. In the end, however, she offered little in the way of a governmental vision, never really posturing ideas for the city's progress. Critics still argue she enjoyed being a city commissioner more than she worked at being one, although she would never be alone in the Valley on that count.

Still, Harlingen is left with one more blackeye to soothe.

It remains as goofy a town as it was before Kori Marra arrived. Nothing has changed. High school kids keep drinking before and after football games, gunfire flashes across gang-infested neighborhoods, the unemployed find refuge in Mexican music at the downtown bars and those colleagues of Marra's at City Hall stay their low-flying course. Not one said one word about Kori Marra's fall. It was the Ol' look-the-other-way move for the mayor.

Life is funny here. They stare at the dead carcass of yet another drug-pusher sprawled on the street curbs, but they amble on. In a town where there is no up, looking down on your troubled neighbor is the community sport...

- 30 -

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Olivia L.Richardson is alright, well centered, good looking, she can speak her mind.

Anonymous said...

Good post, Mr. Editor, the newsmedia should have vetted Korry closely. Her innability to pay the taxes, like everyone else was brewing way before the election, what can we expect from the VMS.

Anonymous said...

Korry should have resigned and taken a plea deal. See mr.editor, long, long ago, the old guard did as they wished.
No one cared, and they would threatened you with your job. In 1963 or 65, a twirler had to drop from the race, because the daughter of an old guard wanted the position and was losing on the votes.
The father of the winner, worked in a part house and was put on noticed.
Yes, that is how the old guard oppressed people.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone noticed, in today's Valley Morning Star, two women are in the front page.
25 year old Amanda Suetkamp, who attacked her boyfriend and child with a kitchen knife, and Korry being sentence to Jai, on a conflict of interest charge.
The VMS, wow, I bet whoever, did the layout is in PROBLEMS, in Harlingen, anglo-saxons do no wrong. LOL

Anonymous said...

HOW good looking is Olivia. How about a photo, Mr. Editor.

El De Los Fresnos said...

Best article on Marra. Thankz

Maria Elena said...

YOU hit the nail onthe head. It is the valley's dirty secret. abuse of women, I mean.

El Buttinskiii said...

An abused woman allows herself to be abused. There are laws that protect women, there are shelters, let me assure you, the former city commissioner is not an abused victim. She is a convicted criminal judged by her peers. In Brownsville, where no one knew her, by a district attorney from Browsnville, in a courtroom in Brownsville. Lets quit making excuses and get our facts straight.

Anonymous said...

Side Bar: Michelle Backman is one good looking woman, to bad her accent is horrible.
Sorry Mich, I am voting for Obama, everybodies momma.

Anonymous said...

Hey, what's with Jerry's blog?? The myleadernews is skyrocketting with comments.
Chapa can't seem to generate more than 5 to 12 comments on 20 news releases.

Anonymous said...

Deal is closing the blog for the holidays, let everyone take a break. Good deal, Olivia, Daisy, Letty, and Dora, how about a drink at Baloos, say about 10 pm.

Anonymous said...

Poor Korry, she landed under the old school bus, after the old guard determined she was no more than used merchandised. Asi es, the old guard, use you and get rid of you. Yes sir, nutting but chawing tabakku, dukes of hazards.

Anonymous said...

I want to see a picture of Junior Bonner, is it true he plays in some bordello in Brownsville.
Sylantra, Junior is looking for luv in cheap bars.

Anonymous said...

Anon, becareful, Junior Bonner might show up and bum some drinks from the women. Well Baloo's is to fancy for him, he like the former city commissioner patrionize El cizne, maybe five-o. LOL

Anonymous said...

Kori Marra needs to fight back. It is well known that the Old Guard crucifying her epitomize conflict of interest. It doesn't take much research to know that. Connect the dots, Marra.

Claire