Make it a Race War

Kudos to Jaime Abeytia for having this subject on his blog two years ago.

I noticed that Lyda Ness is now Lyda Ness-Garcia.  When the front runner is white, I guess it pays to be brown.  That's if you can pull it off.  I'm not sure if a whisper campaign containing the truth about Ness' browness would be effective or not.

I have no ill will towards Ness who is a lawyer and most likely only interested in this race for the gay benefit issue.  I do think it's odd that's she is "Ness-Garcia" now.  I can't blame her, though.  People want to win and you got do whatever it takes in your mind to say at the end, "I did everything I could to win that race."  If that means painting yourself Brown (figuratively), so be it.

Let's be honest - Dee Margo had a two loses before he discovered his Latino roots and won his first race.  Maybe there's something to this brown tihng with voters.  I'd hate to think people would vote on that line, but they just might.

I do remember a very elderly lady asking me once during my campaign - well I guess "asking" isn't the right way to describe it... she said "your name is something out of German, but you look like a Jew."  Maybe if I had been a Garcia she would have thought differently and voted for me. 

There's something that makes it okay to brown yourself when you're a liberal in this town and  it's frowned upon if you're conservative.  I wonder why that is. 

Comments

[Jim]

This is old news and a really boring attack. I am an attorney who has known Lyda since she moved here. She has been Lyda Ness-Garcia since 2006. Her office has been the Law Offices of Lyda Ness-Garcia P.C. for that long. Just because the media doesn't know how to decipher what a hyphen means isn't Lyda's fault. She has been known as Ness-Garcia for years in the Courthouse long before she ran for office. Let us focus on some real news!

[david k]

Jim,

She's been quoted in the paper, introduced her self on the record at council and conducted life in general as "Lyda Ness" since she got on my radar in the past six or seven months. I'm just pointing out what I see as something new.

It is not an attack, just an observation of her campaign tactics. I can't attack someone for wanting to label themself "latino," that would be like saying something negative about teachers publicly!

[Jim]

SHE herself as not introduced herself as such. She can not control the paper and what name they use. They also call her just Garcia in other articles. This was the same old stuff they brought up back in 2008 when she was ALSO STILL Ness-Garcia.

I think her name makes it fairly obvious that she took her husband's last name like a million other women when they marry. That is hardly playing the "latino" card. Its fairly obvious since it is tacked onto her maiden name. Her kid has the same hyphenated last name. When you look at stuff she files in Court, her Texas bar card and the same business card she has had for 5 years all have had Ness-Garcia. Call out El Paso Times for shoddy reporting and being unable to get her name right! Lets focus on some real issues!

[Lupe]

No one should vote for a person just because of their color or ethnicity. I can remember a few people that are black and have gotten into city council and other places in politics. What voters should be concerned about is what this people can bring into place. What kind of education, experiences, morals, etc. I know of a few that have used their Spanish names to be able to get voted on. But, I find that very ludicrous. People need to use their heads when going out to vote.

[tired of hyphens]

Know what's funny about "hyphenated" names - I believe the IRS only recognizes the married name - no hyphens. So - let's be honest and require every candidate to use the name they put on their tax return or their social security card - not their business card.

[Jim]

I ran into her heading to lunch and told her about this stream. She smiled and said she is used to this and most people understand how hyphenated names work and that for the record she does file her taxes with Lyda Ness-Garcia. She then pulled out her drivers license and every single credit card and showed them to me. It is Lyda Ness-Garcia. Maybe you should talk to her about it instead of baseless innuendo.

[tired of people tired of hypens (obama)]

Ever since I heard about her a couple of years ago, she has always been Ness-Garcia.

You not only make crap up, you also have terrible memory since I'm sure you read the paper during her last campaign.

[david k]

Jim, tired of peop,e of hyphens,

Come on guys, don't get so hurt over this. We know you are connected to her campaign and think it is your duty to protect her in the comments section of blogs and the newspaper.

You're trying too hard here. She's not latina, she married one. She is gaming voters on her ethnicity. Just admit that it's a good strategy that just might work.

[DJ]

When will someone tell these women that sticking a hyphen between your maiden and married name is neither correct form nor a solution to indecisiveness?
As far as I know there's no European nobility living around here, so hyphenating your name with your mother's titled family name is out. If you want to enjoy both your family name and that of your husband, you do so separately, not connected with an inappropriate grammar symbol.

[dist 1 voter]

I always wonder why women just insist on using their maiden name and married name (hyphenated). It's just stupid. If you want your own identity then you shouldn't get married legally - just live together and keep your maiden name if it means so much to you. Statistically, we all know in El Paso if a Hispanic female runs, she wins - regardless of whether she has a clue about the office she is running for. Now - has she confirmed that her name will appear on the ballot exactly how she has it on her tax return, her credit cards, her Blockbuster card, etc. Really lady - grow up. Just because you hypenate your name already pisses me off and I won't vote for you. Lots of other single last name people to choose from on the ballot.

[obama (formerly tired of people tired of hypens)]

Damn DK,

You got caught making crap up and got called out on it and all you can do is just repeat your original nonsense.

Part of me wants to accuse you of being guilty of "making it a race war" yourself but that would be giving you way too much credit.

This post of yours is typical DaveK- make shit up or post as true something you for some ridiculous reason believe is true (like your incincerator conspiracy theory)..without bothering to find out the truth.

Then your fox-news trained dittoheads believe it.

[Jim]

You are such a baby. For the record I don't work for her campaign although that appears to be your sophomoric way of trying to dismiss any statement in her favor. Why not call all the anti-Lyda rants as being put there by Mark Smith. The reality is that I am an attorney who has known her for years and having lived through the Courthouse sagas for so many candidates I am tired of irresponsible reporting.
Let me understand this - first you are angry because you claim she "added Garcia" for the purpose of election to gain some "latina" edge. First, that is plain racist if you think that we are not savvy enough to realize that hyphenated names mean you married. Secondly, your baseless accusations are clearly full of it. If you want to blog do your research.
On the CAD the house she bought in 2008 is under Ness-Garcia.
The incorporation papers for her business - Lyda Ness-Garcia P.C.
And yes, filing income tax returns and having a drivers license does make a difference because your first accusation being made is that she is using it for political purposes.
Once all that innuendo has been disproved then we turn it into a whole sexist discourse on hyphenated names. Are you people for real? Lets think logically. You open a business under your maiden name. You get married. Do you want to lose the reputation and name recognition that you have created under your maiden name. Of course not. Almost every single attorney who opened their practice before they got married have hyphenated names. This isn't the 1950's where you get married and lose your identity and because you have no career you decide to take your husbands name. No its the 21st century where women get married and continue to maintain their own identities.
Then some idiot wont vote for her because she doesn't have a single name and that somehow your choice is to maintain your identity and not get married or live together and somehow maintain your identity. That is such an outdated sexist notion. Were you living in a 50's time capsule?
I dont know how long you have lived here DK but there is a Mexican cultural tradition (that has nothing to do with titled people) where children take their father's name first and their mother's name as their second name. Ness-Garcia's daughter has just that. So you are going to criticize her for wanting to take her husbands name and I guess for giving her daughter a hyphenated name as well? If she was Ness Garcia then everything would be ok but Ness-Garcia isnt. You all have to be kidding me. Berating and dismissing a very intelligent candidate who is fiscally conservative (David if you actually checked) because she should or shouldnt have a hyphen.
Why not look at her grasp of the issues rather then hurling innuendo and epithets? This is so ridiculous that this is all you can find. I say, invite her to appear on your show or respond and get to the real issues... oh wait but then no one would buy your BS anymore.

[mike]

My favorite name changer is George Stoltz, former candidate for Sheriff. Everyone knew him as Stoltz for 40 years, that is, until a month or so before election day. He then became Stoltz-Rodriguez.

At least his son kept his name on the famous Bulldog HS baseball team and didn't become "G-Rod" to help the campaign.

[Tim Collins]

Maybe I should have run as Tim Collins-Reyes (my wife's maiden name). Then we really could have had name confusion in the voter booth.

TIM Besco
Bill COLLINS
Silvestre REYES
TIM COLLINS REYES

I may have picked up another 10 votes, or perhaps lost as many due to real voter confusion.

Maybe next time.

(I am joking here, please don't attack me)

[david k]

Jim,

Settle down there little buddy. You are obviously involved with the Ness campaign and it's clouding your judgement.

I am responsible for the content above the comments section. I never argued about hyphens, other commentors like yourself did. Shake your fist at them.

I am not angry about anything to do with Lyda's name change. I was just pointing out her strategy.

If you haven't read the next post yet, don't! It may cause you to go insane.

Also, can you change your name to "Lyda's Superfan?"

[dist 1 voter]

Gossip says Ness is divorced - any truth to that?

[Scott S.]

Gossip says Manny Hinojosa is divorced too - any truth to that?

Wait it's public record! He is divorced twice; didn't pay child support to the first wife (she took him to court for it) and then assaulted the second wife (right before she divorced him too)! All of that is public record and can be readily found on the County Website.

He's worried about the cost of gay benefits? He should be more concerned about: alimony, child support, attorney fees, and bail bondsmen! Manny has a whole host of issues. Viva la Hinojosa – Un Hombre de Dios!

How's that for "Traditional Values" you fascist Republicans!

[B. Jones]

David K,

You have stirred up a hornet's nest!

Since it has been started ... I wonder if Becky Hermosillo from the Greater Republican Women would be so friendly with Hinojosa and McGregor if she knew the truth about them?

Hinojosa obviously (from the previously blog) has anger and control issues. No man (Republican or God fearing) should ever hit a woman. Shame on Manny! I looked it up and it's true, he did have two divorces. A divorced man might be careful about how close he cozies up with the religious folk. Matthew 19:9 "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." This passage makes me wonder why if he truly is so Godly, that two women divorced him? He admitted at City Hall (the tape still exists) that he is a sexual deviant. Either way, my God doesn't allow me to judge nor does he allow me to support a man that assaulted his wife -- "husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." -Ephesians 5:28

McGregor is another issue. Malcolm McGregor is a self-hating homosexual. I have known the family (including their well respected deceased father) for years. Malcolm become fanatical to fit in. He has always been a loner, never had many friends and is the complete opposite of his openly homosexual bother Robert. Malcolm needs to tone done his message because he is just a berry short of a fruit cake. He has alienated everyone. This all in addition to his residency problem. Knowing the McGregors, I know very well that he doesn't live at his office on Mesa Street. He has lived (and continues to life) at his home in Anthony; the one his dad left for him. That's blatant fraud!

Malcolm also has a hard time convincing me of anything fiscal since he inherited every dime he owns. He was a washed up airplane mechanic until his dad died; he (and his gay brother) run the inheritance ... mainly property management!

[Maria Ness Bradshaw, MD MPH FACOEM]

I would like to point out that my daughter, Lyda has probably used me as a role model. I have been married twice. Lyda is from my first marriage to Robert Ness. When I married my second husband, Peter Bradshaw, I hyphenated my name for 2 reasons:
1) to keep the same name as my daughter (there is nothing wrong with that). Lyda's daughter is registered as Garcia on her birth certificate so I can see why my daughter would want to keep her prior husband's name to identify her daughter as hers.
2) another reason is that I got my medical credentials under Ness and that is what my diplomas and certificates have, so for professional reasons I kept Ness (not necessarily my primary reason as reason #1 was what was important to me.
If I have given the my daughter a role model all of you do not agree with - too bad.
Also those who object to hyphenated names obviously are not highly credentialed professionals (nor women for that matter). Your sexists views do not understand that most professional women hyphenate their names because we live in a sexist society where women take there husband's names so we are forced to hyphenate our names to keep our own identity.
I went by Maria Ness-Bradshaw, Md MPH (google this name) and only went to Maria Ness Bradshaw once Lyda was grown (but I still keep Ness to link my family connection to my daughter.
Look in the yellow pages and you will see how many professional women hyphenate their name. When I was doing my Residency in Medicine in the 1980's when the profession was dominated by male chauvinist the we all had hyphenated names. Things have not changed in our society today.
By the way, in Spain males and females have multiple surnames identifying their family heritage.
So you idiots that cannot find anything better to do than argue about the merits of a hyphenated name ... go get a life.