Texans, Here's Your Chance to Not Be Dale Hansen. Snap It Up.

Tonight's blog is mostly for my fellow Texans.

Honestly, I can't call myself a Texan
without LOLing, but you know what I mean.

Precocious Daughter and I voted today. Early voting for the midterms only started yesterday, but already turnout has been insane. It's the same all over the country. Almost as if there's a sense of urgency about what's happening in the USA and what will happen over the next two years.

I can't quite put my finger on it.

PDaughter and I proudly, happily voted straight-ticket Democrat. Secret ballot, shmecret shmallot. No one who knows either of us has any doubt how we voted. And we are Team Beto 352%

Ohhhhh Rourke.

I don't want to turn this into an ugly political post. My views are my views, your views may be different. This is no time to talk about how awful I think most of the Republican candidates are. Instead I'd like to point out how much I admire the Democrats who are running for various national, state and local offices.

You see the difference, don't you?

Fellow living-in-Texas people: I urge you to vote, passionately. Don't sit this one out. You know where I stand, and if you were to ask me, I would dance the Beto/Lupe/Collier dance all up in here. But the important thing is that. You. Vote.

One other note: Even if you don't live in Texas, you may know who Dale Hansen is.

The largest sportscaster in Texas.

Over the past couple of years, he's become nationally known for his Dale Hansen: Unplugged segments on WFAA-TV. He's expounded on all kinds of subjects, from the First Amendment to "taking a knee." Those videos have received a lot of play, and a lot of respect, for their practical, straight-talk approach to hot-button issues.

Well, Dale's latest segment aired yesterday. His topic was the same as mine: The importance of voting. But unlike me, Dale's lead was that he'd just voted...for the first time in 46 years.

WTAF.

For someone who makes his living expounding, pontificating, and just plain loudly proclaiming his opinion, the revelation that he hasn't bothered to express himself at the polls since 1972 is astounding. And infuriating.

Here's my message for Dale: How dare you.

How dare you not set an example for your kids to participate in democracy?

How dare you huff and puff and not lift a finger to effect change in your state and your country?

You, sir, are a hypocrite, even as you smugly declare that "everyone has a voice" while literally not using yours in the only place that matters.

Texans: Vote. Not because some local hack journalist in a loud sportscoat says it's OK, but because despite what he says, it IS your civic obligation. It IS your voice. And it IS important.

I would prefer you vote Democrat. But I would definitely prefer you vote for whoever you believe in than not vote at all.

As Colin Kaepernick would say...Just Do It.