I was about to write a memorial piece about 9/11 when my roommate walked in and observed, "why don't you write something risque? Like about sex and erotica?" So I decided to write instead about Kinky Friedman. The truth is, I don't and can't write about 9/11 objectively or sensitively. As an American, I deeply mourn the loss of lives. As a girl from Texas, I can't be as outraged as people from New York. (And as I learned yesterday from watching PBS, its possible that less lives could have been lost if the WTC towers had been more architectually sound). But fundamentally, I cry foul at the symbolism people attach to 9/11. Lets do some comparisons - real quick before I move into Kinky Friedman.

The estimates of people that died during the attack runs close to 4000. Now after Hurricane Katrina, there are some reports that more than 1300 were dead. I can't confirm that number (I couldn't find it anyway). So the fact is that as Americans, we are more pissed off that Islamic extremists came into our country and attacked us and we allowed our government to invest heavily in a war overseas against Iraq (not Osama bin Laden - didn't Bush pass the analogy part of his SAT? Muslim terrorists: dictator?). But when a natural disaster struck the coast and left New Orleans devastated and thousands without homes, without water, without anything, not that many people cared. We saw the feel good stories of athletes and Brad Pitt going to New Orleans and donating, but what is being done about the havoc wreaked upon NO? That city is still falling apart. And nobody offered to build a memorial to them.

It took Bush about 5 or 6 days before he flew down there to New Orleans. The former director of FEMA was writing joke emails about the disaster. And you know what the difference is? That in New York, they were firemen, police, and wealthy people that were killed. And in Katrina? Poor homeless blacks and whites and Hispanics. Death is the only thing truly colorblind. All those Americans are dead, in New York and in New Orleans. We have to recognize the symbolism of their death. Does what I just said make me a racist?

Here in Texas, the governor's race is about Rick Perry losing his seat. That's probably not going to happen (too many conservatives in Texas). But somebody asked Texas gubernatorial hopeful Kinky Friedman about rising crime rates in Houston, and Friedman, with his usual dose of Texas honesty, said, in response to a rise in Houston's crime rate, that the spike was partly due to "crackheads and thugs" who evacuated New Orleans. So people cried racist. Friedman fired back at the criticism with this gem: "I don't eat tamales in the barrio, I don't eat fried chicken in the ghetto, I don't eat bagels with the Jews for breakfast," said Friedman, who is Jewish. "That to me is true racism."

I don't think what he said is racist (first because if you know anything about Friedman, you know he likes to stir the pot and second, because sometimes you just can't take him too seriously, i.e. see his campaign stance on dividing the Texas borders and giving them to Mexican generals). I also happen to think he's being honest - even if what he said isn't true - he's adding a little bit of gasoline onto a sensitive fire. And at least you know where you stand with him. He's a cowboy, an old school kind of guy. Maybe I agree with his political incorrectness because I grew up in the Panhandle, with cowboys who say what they think (and not in that Brokeback Mountain kind of way) when they need to say it. It's homespun honesty. And before anybody gets all upset about Kinky's remarks, they ought to look up his record. He's a political pundit, a commentator, a writer, a Willie Nelson kind of guy. He ain't no fool from a woodshed. The man is smart and he gives good soundbites. He supports alternative fuel resources and gay marriage. He comes up with campaign slogans like, "how hard can it be?" and "why the hell not?" Well? I would rather have somebody who levels with me, who wants to be honest about the problem, than some slick haired suit wearing politician who claims to like my abuelita's chile but ain't gonna do s*** about the high rate of hispanics dropping out of high school. Friedman wants to raise teacher's pay and work on the TAKS test, which teaches kids to pass the test but doesn't teach them nothing else. How do I know? Because I'm teaching the products of these high schools. I see that they're not learning s*** (at least from a literary and writing and grammatical standpoint). So, yes let us give a moment of silence to those that died five years ago. But let's not forget that there are other folks that need our help and that we could help them if we spent less time looking good and more time getting dirty. So I will leave you with two Kinky quotes, less imflammatory than his earlier remarks, but just as honest in their intentions.

"Musicians can run this state better than politicians. We won't get a lot done in the mornings, but we'll work late and be honest."

"I just want Texas to be number one in something other than executions, toll roads and property taxes." [23]