A Last Dance with Ann

[TomInTib]

These are the last few paragraphs of a wonderful write. The whole thing made me a bit weepy.


Richards was always acutely aware of the influence she had on girls and younger women. She was fond of telling a story about a friend of hers whose own seven year old daughter was having a vocal disagreement with a neighbor boy of the same age. This was during Richards' time in office and the girl had begun to regularly watch the governor on the news. Her dispute with the boy next door, it turned out, was about who can become a governor. The little girl had not been aware when there was a man in the office. Deciding to settle her argument with her friend, she grabbed him by the hand and led him into her house to ask a profound question of her mother, which had been prompted by the little boy's insistence.

Defiantly, she put her hands on her hips and asked, "Momma, is it true that boys can be governors, too?"

Yes, they can, but Ann Richards made us wonder if men can do the job as well as a woman. She had her detractors, of course, and her enemies and they were glad to defeat her in the race for reelection. They will not miss her.

But there are fathers of little girls grown and gone who'd love to have one last dance with Ann.

read the rest here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-moore/a-last-dance-with-ann_b_29658.html

[babylonsister]

1. One last dance with Ann. If only. Who will be the next Ann Richards?

We could use another plain speaking, no-nonsense woman.

[TomInTib]

2. Unfortunately, 'sister...

there ain't a whole lotta room in today's politik for women such as Ann.

But the world is a much better place due to Ann's passage through this coil.

[StellaBlue]

8. Though not running for office (yet) my friends and I are the next Anns

:D

Seriously. She's our hero. Now let's go kick some ass!

[Rowdyboy]

10. My friend, you are sadly wrong if you think there will ever be another

Ann Richards. That America is gone. My America is gone. I so wish I could believe there would someday be another woman like her but its not gonna happen.

I think Ann will probably be the last hero I ever believe in. Thats very appropriate.

[ninkasi]

13. Rowdyboy, I know there will never be another Ann Richards

I hope with all my heart, though, that there will be another who is fit to carry the torch Ann lit. I'm a native Texan, and the three Texas women I have admired most in my life have been Ann Richards, Barbara Jordan, and Molly Ivins. I think that Sheila Jackson-Lee is very good as a representative, too, and I may come to include her with the others.

[Rowdyboy]

15. Now thats a real trifecta for you...Ann Richards, Molly Ivins and Barbara

Jordan....3 Texas women that made me proud to be an American. Now two of them are gone.

[midnight]

17. Those are three of my favorite women, and they came

from Texas. Funny, I use to think of Bush whenever I thought of Texas. Bush and brush and moving things around on his compound.....

[TomInTib]

3. kicking..

this deserves to be read.

[bigbrother05]

4. k&r

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

5. Wow! Thanks for the link!

K&R

[Bozita]

6. perfect email for my daughter

K&R

[NanceGreggs]

7. Thanks, TomInTib ...

... for sharing yet another Annie moment with all of us.

It seems I've been weepy-eyed all weekend as I read the tributes, the humourous anecdotes, the posting of photographs, the remembrances of those who knew her up-close-and-personal or admired her from a distance.

Until now, I've wondered why this passing of a public figure has hit home like never before. But I've just realized what it is: In the past, when we lost someone of what can only be described as American nobility, I was comforted by the fact that there were many more like her -- probably many who had been inspired by her in the first instance -- who would step up and fill her shoes.

But that is the true tragedy; knowing that people like our Annie are, it would seem these days, in such short supply.


Godspeed, my Sweet Sister. Godspeed.

[EFerrari]

9. "There's a great spirit gone." Antony & Cleopatra.

[TomInTib]

11. Did you see this?..

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=21364

I was hanging out at the bar at the Hilton, Manhatten, one night some years ago.

Molly walked in all by herself. I went up to her and re-introduced myself (we had previously met in a lesbian pasta place in Dallas during some poetry thing ) and become atrociously intoxicated.

I asked her if she wanted to go to dinner and she said that she had a friend with her and I told her I did, too.

My friend was/is a well-known musician and her friend was/is Linda Ellerbee.

We went to the Quilted Giraffe (a hot place back then, but our names got us in).

Sitting around drinking and talking much too loud.

Waiter came over and asked if Molly, Linda, and I were from Texas.

We asked him how did he know?

He said it was because we were eating off of each other's plates.

God bless Ann and Molly and Linda and my Mother and all them grand Tejana Dames.

Tom

[NanceGreggs]

16. What a GREAT story!!!

Thing is, over the years so many people have identified me as a native New Yorker -- because I can't resist 'having a pick' off everyone else's plate when I'm out to dinner!

Just goes to show you how much alike we all really are, from NYC to Texas -- a concept that is quickly being forgotten thanks to the divisiveness of this administration.

But that, too, was part of Annie's charm. No one ever heard her speak, or saw her laugh, who didn't think, "Oh, my God, she reminds me so much of ..." She was a constant reminder that a good punch-line was not only universally understood, but universally shared.

[TomInTib]

12. one more time.... Jeez, I hate to do this, but..

this oughta be read (rhymes with 'red').

[XOKCowboy]

14. One of the best Texans is gone now...

We still have Jim Hightower and Molly Ivins though to carry on the tradition of straight talking, no nonsense Dems with a drawl.

RIP Ms. Richards

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

18. A great video of Gov. Richards during the last presidential election.

http://www.leftandrightfight.com/discussion.html