A silent auction on April 5 might offer an unusual collection of propaganda material, including the comical portrait of former mayor Mike Moncrief with his beloved gas wells protruding from his noggin like Molly the longhorn.
The League of Women Voters of Tarrant County defended itself last week after taking money from Fort Worth-based natural gas driller Quicksilver Resources.
The $500 donation was going to help pay for the April 5 Fools Rule, an event to raise money for nonpartisan voter education initiatives.
Environmental activist Don Young decided the group needed a not-so-subtle reminder that if you sleep with dogs you might get fleas.
“Instead of a nice glass bowl or something I donated a set of vintage propaganda material from the early days of FWCANDO,” Young wrote in an email. “This is stuff that I’m very proud of and that I devoted my life to for several years. Some of it might have made a small difference.
“Included is a signed copy (by me) of ’24 Questions for Mike Moncrief,’ the FWCANDO Manifesto from 2005, a signed political cartoon by Debora Young, a ‘Just Say NO to Urban Gas Drilling’ bumper sticker, a DVD copy of Dirty Ol’ Town, and the nameplate I used to wear to City Council meetings picturing Molly Moncrief. The whole package has a priceless value to me but I set the starting bid at $50.”
Young isn’t sure his stuff will make the auction, however.
“When I delivered the material, a nice lady eying the badge with a raised eyebrow said she would have to run it by the League of Women Voters board, which surprised me since the event announcement reads: ‘April Fools Rule! A casual evening of political satire, street food and beer.’ Satire is certainly one of the main tools I have used in this debate over the years. I can’t imagine why they would worry about offending anyone except their major sponsor, Quicksilver. Maybe the [former] mayor,” Young said.
Want to find out if the propaganda lot makes it into the auction? Head to Fools Rule on April 5 and find out.
He’s not the mayor any more. Unlike Mike, our new mayor is not in the pocket of the gas drillers, she’s. . .oh, nevermind.
I was just informed that the LWV board has rejected my donation.
You can always count on Mr. Young to impugn the good work of others. Lends one to believe, those that have attempted to provide assistance to him from “the establishment” will forego that option in the very near future.