Thoughts on Dame La Mano Losing City Funding

I'll make this one quick. I watched the city council meeting yesterday. I feel like I've done my penance for any sins I might have committed because sitting through those meetings is freakin' painful.

I don't know who gets on my nerves worse, the same speakers that go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on about all the stuff they hate about El Paso, or the members of city council who think its their job to bore the hell out of us with their explanation of their vote.

Just freakin' vote. We don't care why or why not. You can go tell your story to the press gaggle later.

And my buddy City Rep Eddie Holguin...surprise me will ya? Just vote yes on something. Anything for God's sake! Yesterday when he wasn't voting no he was abstaining from a vote. What the hell? If you're there you might as well vote. We all know its going to be a no anyway.

Except the Rio Bosque issue. Its in his district so it got a yes.

Anyway, sorry for the rant.

Back to Dame La Mano. By their own admission (watch the video), there is an on-going investigation. City Council and the Mayor went out of their way to clarify that when and if they are cleared of any wrong-doing, then City Council will revisit their funding.

What's the big deal here?

They really rely on the funding from the city, which in my opinion indicates that they need to do a better job fundraising and grant-writing.

Everyone was very polite about Dame La Mano and apparently they are all pretty scared because they have a lawyer. So they have to be tactful in what they say or do.

So before we all get carried away building statues to how great Dame La Mano is, let me tell you my personal OPINION, as a private citizen, that I am free to express about why I have an issue with Dame La Mano.

I hate to see women have to pan-handle in the middle of the road in order to fund the organization. I think its degrading to those in need to have to do so. I'm not sure what the arrangement is for that, but the women I have interviewed told me that they were required to do so. I've seen them out in the hottest part of the day, in the hottest part of the year in areas that in my opinion are detrimental to their health and public safety.

Those are my personal issues with the organization. I'd like to see them come up with a better fund-raising plan. Look to grants. I just don't feel making women pan-handle is a solid fundraising plan.