tick tock, ya don’t stop

I’ve said that change is measured in very small increments. Changes so small, you don’t even notice. But once in a while, something happens that makes you clearly see that progress being made. Like catching an old clock as it advances its hour, minute, and second hand simultaneously, you sometimes get a glimpse of the action.

For the past 30 years, Dallas County, home to the superbly named city of Duncanville (the city of Dallas is there too), has had a Republican Sheriff. On Tuesday, the residents there elected a Democrat. But not just any Democrat, the Democrat they elected is a female – a first for Dallas County. But it’s not just any female Democrat; the female Democrat they elected is Hispanic – another first for Dallas County. And it’s not just any Hispanic female democrat; the citizens of Dallas County elected a gay Hispanic female Democrat.

Yeah, it’s just a county sheriff. But she beat a white male Republican. In W’s conservative home state of Texas. I don’t think it means that discrimination has been beaten or even that inclusion is the norm. But I do view it as one of the incremental steps toward that. Congratulations to Lupe Valdez, the first democrat in thirty years, the first female ever, the first Hispanic ever, and I would imagine the first openly gay sheriff of Dallas County. Take note of this. It’s not often you glance at the clock, and happen to catch the exact changing of the times.