What Molly Ivins might have thought -

Molly Ivins would probably forgive that I made a mistake in my last post about her. I labeled her column, "Bubba, we -- yes, we --have to stop the war now," as her last. It turns out that I had shorted her one, which I reference *below. Her editor's tribute, also referenced **there, noted that she dictated, rather than wrote these last two columns because she was too weak to write.

As I read her last published works I was amazed by how very typical they were - authentically Molly to the end. I am not the only one to pay tribute to this famous Texan. A Google search of her name produced 6,640,000 citations. One referred to Sunday's Austin American-Statesman story about the gathering Molly would have truly enjoyed, "Friends, family remember Ivins' humor, relentlessness," from which I quote:

Texas journalist Molly Ivins was relentless in pursuing justice and defending the powerless, yet never lost her optimism and sense of fun, family and friends said as they celebrated her life Sunday.
In a lively, laughter-filled church memorial service that featured gospel singers and finished with Austin blues musician Marcia Ball performing "Great Balls of Fire," hundreds of admirers clapped and cheered Ivins' words and spirit.
Ivins, who died Wednesday at age 62 after a long battle with breast cancer, smiled down on the crowd from a portrait at the front of First United Methodist Church as numerous friends read from her writings and told funny stories of their adventures with her.

Ivins would almost certainly have voted with the historians on this one. Surely our current president's decision about holding presidential archives will never stand up in court. Todd Gillman of the Dallas Morning News reported (on 2/5/07) that "SMU is pressed to fight Bush's secrecy - Historians ask school to reject presidential library unless Bush voids privacy order." Quote,

Archivists and historians are urging Southern Methodist University to reject the Bush presidential library unless the administration reverses an executive order that gives former presidents and their heirs the right to keep White House papers secret in perpetuity.
. . . The policy triggered outrage and a still-pending lawsuit when President Bush issued it about seven weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Now, as SMU officials try to complete a deal for a Bush library, museum and policy institute, the Society of American Archivists plans a public relations offensive meant to pressure Congress and the university to force a change.
. . . President Bush signed an executive order Nov. 1, 2001, that limited the 1978 law. The order treats presidential privilege as a property right that legally can be bequeathed to heirs – a concept legal scholars deem extraordinary, since privilege attaches to the office, not the individual occupying it.

You can almost be sure that Molly Ivins would have given Governor Perry a round of applause for this. It was amazing to me also, and very atypical for this very Republican governor. In the Dallas Morning News - Christy Hoppe wrote an article on Saturday that was headlined, "Perry orders HPV vaccine. Surprise move mandates shots for schoolgirls to prevent sex virus that leads to cancer."

Gov. Rick Perry – usually a hero to social conservatives – surprised many of them Friday by making Texas the first state to mandate a vaccine for sixth-grade girls to prevent a sexually transmitted infection that leads to most kinds of cervical cancer.
In his executive order, Mr. Perry said girls must receive the human papillomavirus vaccine before school starts in September 2008. While noting that parents may opt out of the vaccine for conscience or religious reasons, he said it "provides us with an incredible opportunity to effectively target and prevent cervical cancer."
The move was applauded by many women's groups but harshly denounced by social conservatives for its intrusion into parents' control over their kids' health. Some also alleged that Merck – the pharmaceutical company with the only vaccine on the market – was responsible for the initiative.

For years Molly Ivins and her cohorts at The Texas Observer kept us abreast of the latest hijinks of the state legislature. She would almost certainly agree that Texans are in trouble again as the Legislature has begun another of its biennial funfests. Here is an excellent summary article, Texas Legislature news carried in the Dallas Morning News. I highlight the parts about which Molly would almost certainly chuckle. To quote,

Lawmakers will consider many weighty issues between now and the end of their session in May, including major changes to criminal justice policy, a massive state budget and initiatives on health care and education. But some bills stand out for their potential impact on ordinary Texans – affecting how they drive, what's in their mail and countless other aspects of daily life.
[A] cellphone measure is just one of more than 1,500 bills already filed in the House and Senate. Legislators can continue to file bills until March 9, although their chances for passage diminish as that deadline draws near and the session enters its final 2 ½ months.
Proposals include an effort to let Texans sign up for a no-junk-mail list – similar to the state's no-call list – and to create an inflation index for the state's gasoline tax that would cost the typical driver an extra $1 a month.
Other bills would establish a "bully hotline" to identify troublemakers in school and prohibit motorists from flicking their hot cigarette butts out the window. And one lawmaker wants to set up a "silver alert" system – similar to the Amber Alert network – that would help locate missing senior citizens.
Speaking of seniors, another bill would require those who reach age 90 to pass a driver's test and then renew their license every two years instead of the six years given to other motorists.

At the end of the article is a section called "BILLS THAT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE" These are "pure Texan." I quote,

• Castle doctrine: All Texans would be able to use any type of force – including deadly force – to protect themselves against people trying to unlawfully enter their home, occupied vehicle or place of business. Texans must try to retreat before using force under current law.


• Covenant marriages: Couples getting married could enter into a more binding marriage in which they agree to premarital counseling and to sharply limit the grounds for divorce. Only a handful of states now offer covenant marriages.


• Parent-teacher meetings: Parents who skip conferences with their child's teacher without a valid excuse would be subject to a Class C misdemeanor charge and a fine of up to $500. To be cited, parents would have to be offered three proposed dates for the meeting and then fail to show up.


• Loose cargo: Motorists who do not properly secure furniture, mattresses or other materials they are transporting would be subject to misdemeanor charges.

Molly, we will miss you!



References:

• *Molly Ivins' final column (1/11/07 - from Creators Syndicate): Stand Up Against the Surge
• **Molly Ivins tribute from her editor at Creators Syndicate: MOLLY IVINS BEGAN WRITING HER SYNDICATED COLUMN FOR CREATORS SYNDICATE IN 1992. ANTHONY ZURCHER IS A CREATORS SYNDICATE EDITOR BASED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND HE HAS BEEN MOLLY'S EDITOR AND FRIEND FOR MANY YEARS.
• The Texas Observer - Molly Ivins page: A beautiful photo began her 1976 farewell to her colleagues as she joined the NYT. Has other rich links and possibilities for participation by readers.

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