The QueQue, June 29, 2011

Municipal Auditorium work cleared

State District Judge Victor Negrón on Tuesday shot down a request to block Bexar County from moving forward with its plan to gut Municipal Auditorium. Plans for the new Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, to be built atop the standing auditorium, would essentially demolish the landmark building, opponents contend. Sharyll Teneyuca, who has spearheaded the effort against the new building and filed for a temporary restraining order in court Tuesday, said she would appeal as quickly as possible.

Castro punks Perry

Fresh from his renewed push to dismantle so-called sanctuary cities at the Texas Lege, Governor Rick Perry addressed the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials to a subdued hostility last week. Harassed and derided by protesters on the street, Perry also took heat from none other than Mayor Julián Castro inside before reaching the podium. Referencing Perry’s effort to, not once but twice, push controversial immigration measures through the Lege, Castro said, “We’ve seen in the State of Texas the call for Arizona-type legislation. We have seen, in this legislative session, easily the most anti-Latino agenda in more than a generation, pursued without shame.” Castro left the stage without even introducing the governor. After an awkward five-minute pause, Republican convert and South Texas state Rep. Aaron Peña took to the mic, introducing Perry by praising him as a tax-cutting, experienced leader.

Protesters outside Perry’s speech scoffed at his presence at the NALEO luncheon, saying it was nothing more than a move to gauge support among Latinos while pondering a White House bid. “It’s insulting for us,” said Diana Lopez, an organizer with Southwest Workers Union. “He wants to run for president, that’s why he’s here. He wants to be seen with these people.” If Perry hopes to sway Hispanics, his San Antonio reception suggests he’s got a lot of work ahead of him. New projections from NALEO released last week estimate at least 12.2 million Latinos will turn out in the next presidential election, an increase of 26 percent from 2008. And Latinos in Texas, NALEO says, are likely to account for over 20 percent of the Latino vote.

Mea Gulpa?

Last Friday, New York state legalized gay marriage. The same day local coffee roaster/barrista/café owner Aaron Blanco of Brown Coffee Company shot his business in the face, posting on Twitter:

“No human law can ever legitimaze what natural law precludes #SorryFolks #NotEqual #WhyBoth #ChasingAfterTheWind #SelfEvident.”

It didn’t go unnoticed. Almost immediately, New York City-based distributor RBC NYC announced they will no longer buy from Brown and none other than Anthony Bourdain responded via Twitter: “Dear Brown Coffee: God called. He said you suck.”