This Week's Story
subscribe to podcast [click here] or play audio below
Henry B. González was one of the extraordinary leaders of the Mexican-American generation who, as a TX State and U.S. Congressman, battled segregation.
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Henry B. González - No Conflict of Interest, part one
Although Henry B. González died in 2000, it was easy for me to imagine interviewing him. Many issues he cared deeply about were issues being discussed by people around me. Henry B. brought change, because he was a U.S. politician with integrity, concern for his constituents, intelligence, and tremendous grit!
“Henry B., you live in a ‘catch-22,’ but you are a straight-shooter. You are surrounded by members of Congress with conflicting views. You are a Democrat. You are in the United States House of Representatives finding ways to work together to improve this country, and help the people you represent. Does that work?”
“It does not always happen. I can get angry when someone twists my motives. In 1986 in a restaurant in San Antonio, Texas I overheard a guy call me a communist. I asked him, “Did you call me a communist?”
“The guy replied, ‘I sure did. You’re a communist.’”
“I punched him in the left eye. He had attacked my integrity with fighting words. I was 70 years old and a federal congressman. The man pressed misdemeanor assault charges against me. Later we reached an
agreement and I apologized to my constituents, but not directly to the guy I hit.”
“Henry B., I read an article that Michael King wrote in the Capitol Chronicle newspaper that you did not always employ beautiful manners. He wasn’t talking about punches. He was writing about when you refused to be polite about injustice, when you refused to go along to get along.”
“Gwen, give us a famous example of when Henry was a state senator and stood against segregation.”
“You stood against segregation and led a filibuster in the Texas State Senate against its defiance of the civil rights movement. You and your colleague led a marathon 36-hour filibuster to block a group of bills that were designed to block the Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka decision by the United States Supreme Court.”
“You realize, Barbara and Gwen, that if the bills had passed, they would have maintained racial segregation. The Supreme Court decision established the principle that separate educational facilities are ‘inherently unequal.’ Also, segregating children based on race violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.”
“I know that, as I attended a racially integrated school in Chicago, Illinois. Integration was an important subject discussed at home.”
“Barbara, Gwen, have you ever seen a filibuster on the floor in Congress or in a state capitol?”
“Yes, my first strong impression of one was when I saw James Stewart in a filibuster in the movie Mr. Smith goes to Washington. He spoke for hours through exhaustion to block a vote.”
“I spoke 21 hours without sitting or taking a break. My colleague spoke 15 hours. The result was that eight of ten pro-segregation bills were prevented from passing.”
As Andy Hernandez, a political theorist declares, “Henry B. was one of the very first, extraordinary leaders of the Mexican-American generation who battled segregation.”
Next week we visit Henry B.’s growing years. Please join us. Also, visit thisweeksstory.com.
<< previous story]
We invite your comments! [click here to comment]
Join the conversation.
This Week's Story is a non-profit supported by listeners. [click here to make a donation]