Artemisia Gentileschi, Penitent Mary Magdalene (detail), 1625–26.
Kimbell Art Museum
Ridin’ with Beto?
The former U.S. rep stopped by Ridglea Theater to rally the troops for the big push to midterms.
BY ANTHONY MARIANI
METROPOLIS
For president, you have to admit that Gavin Newsom is looking pretty good right about now. California’s governor isn’t afraid to take on Republican politicians and bloviators in their mud (a sad tactic, but apparently those highly coveted independent voters understand only power plays and mean tweets). A guy who would make one fantastic Secretary of State in the next Democratic administration was in town recently as part of his seemingly nonstop cross-country voter-registration campaign. And we rational, non-bigoted Texans know — and love him — well.
Last Saturday, Ridglea Theater was filled to capacity (1,200-plus) for a fiery fireside chat with Beto O’Rourke. The former U.S. rep is touring the country right now registering voters and packing houses even in deep-red districts. Apparently, voters for the Face-Eating-Leopard Party are shocked — absolutely gobsmacked — that their faces are now being eaten by leopards and would like a word with the manager. Enter: Beto. Politicians working for people instead of special interests and the 1% is apparently a pretty popular notion, one that the left, right, and center can agree on. Along with the release of the Epstein files, it’s probably our country’s only other unifying idea.
As O’Rourke stepped onto the stage at the Ridglea, he was greeted with immense applause — and by one well-coiffed white woman, who forced herself up front.
“Hey, Beto,” she yelped as she ripped one of his campaign signs in half. “That’s what I think of your politics!”
She continued on unintelligibly as organizers and security bounced her fancy ass. Tough questions are encouraged. Just wait until the speaker opens the floor. Everyone came to see Beto, not you, lady. Play by the rules or get lost.
Along with registering voters, the occasion for the rally was to show support for the 54 Texas Democrats who broke quorum (“Unfair Fight,” Aug. 6) and to raise awareness of Republicans’ efforts to redistrict Tarrant County in their favor. O’Rourke was joined at the Ridglea by U.S. Congressmen Joaquin Castro and Marc Veasey and Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons. Headliner O’Rourke was easily the most electric. Like Newsom, he’s not afraid to meet Republican politicians and talking heads at their low level.
“If you think about what has happened in the first six or seven months since Donald Trump has been sworn into office,” O’Rourke seethed, “he has defied the co-equal federal courts, absolutely disregarding their decisions. He’s dismantled congressionally chartered and mandated agencies and departments. He has colluded with corrupt public officials, and he has covered up the bribe that he is paying right now to Ghislaine Maxwell
to move her to Camp Fed to reduce her sentence, though she is a convicted sex trafficker of little girls and children in this country, and he seeks to dispense with every constitutional safeguard and protection that has kept us a nation of laws and not of kings for these last 249 years. But that’s not the worst. This is the worst. So many of our fellow Americans right now bend the knee to this would-be tyrant. They assume that he already has
the power to be a king, and it’s the most powerful among us. The big East Coast law firms will no longer defend his political opponents [and] will contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to his chosen causes. The big universities, whether it’s Columbia or Brown or maybe Harvard as well, with endowments that cumulatively measure in the tens of billions of dollars, are bending the knee. The big media companies like Paramount, which owns CBS — not only are they paying the fine. They’re canceling Stephen Colbert because he speaks the truth to Donald Trump. They’re bending the knee. Mark Zuckerberg bent the knee. Jeff Bezos bent the knee. They’re all bending the knee. And so this guy thinks that he’s absolutely unstoppable. He really believes that he’s the king that these knee-benders tell him that he is, and so he comes to our state to grab even more power in the form of these five congressional districts … . … He thinks that we are going to take it right here, but he doesn’t understand. In Texas, our knees do not bend.”
O’Rourke has lots of momentum, which he’s going to need for the battle ahead. A judge just ruled that O’Rourke’s PAC, Powered by People, can no longer help fund the quorum-blocking Dems’ stays in other states. The order came at the request of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is now crying to jail O’Rourke for supporting the far-flung Dems.
Gov. Greg Abbott and the rest of the Texas Republican apparatus are doing all they can to create a quorum to pass their illegal, undoubtedly racially gerrymandered voting maps. Abbott is trying to remove a top Dem from office, while Paxton filed complaints in Illinois and California to enforce arrest warrants against the missing Dems. In response, California’s Newsom and some other Democratic governors in other blue-leaning states are thinking about gerrymandering their own maps to create more Dem seats, effectively neutering or even overtaking Republican efforts here.
“That is why Greg Abbott is trying to remove these House Democrats from the caucus,” O’Rourke said Saturday at the Ridglea. “That’s why he’s threatening to charge them with second-degree felonies. That’s why he’s threatening to hunt them down with state troopers now with [FBI Director] Kash Patel, who was busy covering up for Donald Trump’s involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, to go try to find these folks in Illinois or wherever they may be. … [Trump] cannot steal these five seats. His policies are so deeply unpopular in America,” which is reflected in the president’s sagging poll numbers and the massive percentages of voters across the political spectrum who want what Trump promised on the campaign trail: the release of the Epstein files. (And Vice President J.D. Vance is not helping the coverup. On a Sunday talk show, he said Democrats’ names litter the files — so now he and Trump and all their cronies are protecting Democrats? Make it make sense.)
“For the 249 years of America,” O’Rourke said Saturday, “we have come up against some mighty odds, and we’ve overcome them at each
The Ridglea Theater was packed to capacity for a rally hosted by Beto O’Rourke on Saturday.
Jadon Chesnutt
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke: Republicans “realize that if they don’t win these five congressional seats that they want to redraw [the maps], if they don’t steal these five seats in Texas, their grip on power is over. It means that Democrats are very likely to win control of the House of Representatives. You know, there’s a check on Trump’s lawlessness, but there’s also going to be accountability for his crimes and his corruption and these coverups, and it means that we’ll have free and fair elections once more.”
Jadon Chesnutt
Metro
continued from page 5
and every turn. We defeated the British Empire, the most powerful force on the planet at the time, to secure our independence and freedom, so that we would never be ruled by kings. And we’re not about to start now, right? We defeated the armies of the Confederacy. 300,000 young Union men sacrificed their lives — they’re 17, 18, 19 years old — to establish that never again could one American own
another, and it wasn’t even 80 years later that men from this very community landed on those beaches in Normandy in June of 1944, willing to give their lives to defeat fascism halfway across the world, to protect this democracy here at home, and then the generation that followed them — right here in Fort Worth and cities throughout the country — peacefully and nonviolently went up against the elected and armed thugs of Jim Crow, and they won full civil rights and political rights for every single one of us regardless of the color of our skin, of our gender, of our country, of national origin, of
any other difference between us. We are the lucky heirs of all that service, all of that struggle, all of that sacrifice that has come before, and what we do with this great inheritance is going to define us in the eyes of history, and it is going to determine what is possible for this country going forward. We cannot be found wanting at this moment of truth, and we must not allow the moment to pass without a fight, so I ask you to do all you can with what you have, wherever you are today and every single day going forward. I promise you, if we do that, we will overcome this challenge as well. We
will win this country back, and we will make it one worth saving going forward. Thank you, Tarrant County. We love you guys.” l
Fort Worth Weekly photographer Jadon Chesnutt contributed reporting to this story.
This column reflects the opinions of the editorial board and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@FWWeekly.com. He will gently edit it for clarity and concision.
A well-coiffed woman yelled at O’Rourke and tore up one of his signs as he took the stage.
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro was one of several guest speakers Saturday afternoon at the Ridglea Theater.
BACK TO SCHOOL
Dance Your Way Back to School This Fall
Promotional Feature
With back-to-school season here, it’s time to contemplate extracurricular activities like dance lessons. You and your kids are invited to come discover, experience, and express yourselves at Arts Fifth Avenue (1628 5th Av, Fort Worth, 817-923-9500), an eclectic neighborhood visual and performing arts center where you’ll find that “the arts are alive!”
A5A is proud to offer a wide range and variety of classes, workshops, and private lessons to students of all ages. The primary focus of our dance education is the celebrated American art form of Tap Dance, but they are also proud to offer classes and workshops in Art, Intro to Dance, Instrumental Music, Swing Dance, Voice, and Yoga, with options for Homeschoolers as well. Fall classes in the performing and visual arts for ages 4 to adult begin the week of Monday, September 8th.
Fall Class Schedule
Classes run September 8 through December 20, 2025, with the exception of Thanksgiving Break . The annual $20 registration fee is $20 per student and is non-refundable. (Note: All classes must have a minimum of five students to run.) For details about the various courses, go to ArtsFifthAvenue.org/ Classes.html and click the name of the class you’re interested in.
Take Us For a FREE Spin!
If you’ve ever wanted to try tap dancing, here’s your chance! You’re invited to join us for a complimentary Beginner Tap Class available on four dates this fall. From 1pm to 2pm on Saturday, September 6, October 4, November 1, or December 6, people ages 8 to adult can enjoy a FREE lesson. No tap shoes, no problem! We have shoes to loan for the class. To attend, reserve a space at ArtsFifthAvenue.org or call 817-923-9500.
Have you always wanted to try tap dancing?
CLASSIFIEDS
Free Will Astrology
By Rob Brezsny
ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19)
Everything may seem almost too vivid, too raw, too marvelous, and altogether too much. I advise you to welcome these surges and allow them to enhance your perceptions. Laugh hard. Cry freely. Invite goosebumps.
TAURUS (Apr 20-May 20)
Something fragile and fine is ready to emerge, but it needs your gentle touch and natural methods. You are often grounded in the adept manipulation of raw material—what works, what holds, what can be relied on.
GEMINI (May 21-Jun 20)
Use your natural gifts and stylish flair to serve the greater good. Look for opportunities to mentor, encourage, and advocate for those lacking your advantages.
CANCERIAN (Jun 21-Jul 22)
A slow, relentless, and ultimately magnificent process is afoot in your life. Others may not yet see the forward momentum. Even you may doubt it. But the shift is real and permanent. Trust the deep, inexorable push.
LEO (Jul 23-Aug 22)
Be wisely discerning with your energy. Don’t mistake illumination for invincibility. Bask in the light, yes, but protect your rhythms.
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sep 22)
Release your unconscious mind from old fixations that subtly drain your power to fulfill your dreams. Please surrender trivial obsessions that distract you from your life’s key goals.
LIBRA (Sep 23-Oct 22)
Your ability to enhance and nurture your network
is at a peak. You have extra power to weave together threads that have become frayed or unraveled. Given your potential potency as a social glue, I advise you to avoid gossip and instead favor wise, kind words that foster connection.
SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21)
Allow yourself the sweet satisfaction of having just the right amount. What you have created may be more organically whole than you realize.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21)
Jettison your inessential desires and cherish the precious yearnings that are crucial. Dispose of outmoded goals so you can make expansive space for robust goals that steer you away from the past and guide you toward the future. The coming weeks can be a turning point in your quest to claim this birthright.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19)
Bow toward the mysteries from which your blessings flow. Honor the quiet sources that keep you fertile. Praise the treasures in the dark that fuel your intense activities.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20- Feb 18)
Shed the armor around your heart. Strip off your defense mechanisms and discard pride-spawned obstacles that impede your communions with those you love.
PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20)
Be persistent. Tap into reserves of strength that have previously been unavailable. You will activate potentials that have been half-dormant.
EXPANDED HOROSCOPES
For unabridged versions of the horoscopes above by Rob Brezsny, go to FreeWillAstrology.com.
BULLETIN BOARD
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CELEBRATION
Located at 908 Pennsylvania Av (817-335-3222), Celebration Community Church has services on Sundays at 10am. Want to check out a nonjudgmental, inclusive church at home before attending in person? All services can also be viewed on YouTube! (@CelebrationCommunityChurch130)
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EMPLOYMENT
Computer Professionals for TX based Firm: “Sr.
Software Developer to Plan, dsgn, dvlp, test and modify computer software applications & specialized utility programs in complex computing environment on different O/S using latest tools & technologies. IT Manager to Dvlp, update & manage project plans for IT. Dvlp & direct software system testing & validation procedures, programming & documentation to ensure specifications are met. Provide technical dsgn assistance to ensure applications are integrated & adhere to stated design principles & standards. Software Developer to Dsgn, dvlp, test & modify software applications & specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs & dvlp software solutions. Travel and/or reloc to various unanticipated worksite loc’ns with frequency dependent on Project and/or Client requirement throughout the U.S. may be required.” Apply w/ 2 copies of resume to Galaxy3 Corp Inc, 3575 Lone Star Cir, Ste 309, Fort Worth, TX 76177.
EMPLOYMENT
Geospatial Analyst (Fort Worth, TX)
Utilizes technlgy to determine precise measurements & boundaries. Prepare detailed maps, reports, & legal descriptions of surveyed areas. Analyze survey data & perform calculations to ensure accuracy & reliability. Conduct research & gather relevant data about land records, existing surveys, & property ownership. Prepare boundary, tree, topographical & imprvmnt surveys, prepare easement documents, prvd support for engg prjcts, review survey scope of services, fulfill survey work requests. Reqs a master’s degree in Geospatial Systems Engineering Please mail resumes Gorrondona & Associates, Inc. Hr, 2800 NE Loop 820, Ste 660, Fort Worth, TX, 76137
EMPLOYMENT
Kindergarten Teacher (Fort Worth, TX). Teach core content; manage classrm of approx. 30 students; implemt formal & informal assessmts; commun student progress to families on weekly basis. Bach, any field. Some solid exp in early childhood educ, incl a solid backgrnd with: RMSEK; SIGSK; Khan Academy for elem students; classroom mgmt. Excel commun skills. Must send CV & cvr ltr to maria.avila2@ideapublicschools. org or Illiana Avila, IDEA Public Schools, 7035 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio, TX 78216 w/in 30 days, ref Job #19569.
EMPLOYMENT
Long Haul Fiber Engineer needed at Rockwell Technology, Inc. (Fort Worth, TX): Conduct fiber optic detailed net des for middle mile & last mile fiber-based networks or Fiber to Home projs. Req: Bach Comp Sys Eng, Electronics Eng, Comp Sci or closely rel field; 1 yr exp in the job offered or rel occ.; valid US drivers’ license; & ability to work in all weather conds; lift/carry 50-75 lbs as needed; and work at 3 feet above ground level & in enclosed/tight spaces. Travel: At least 50% travel to var unanticip worksite locs, both dom & int’l. Apply at https://rockwell.tech/job_engineer/#contact-us.
EMPLOYMENT
Vice President – positions offered by Crestline Investors, Inc. (Fort Worth, TX). Originate across multiple asset classes inc., but not limited to, multifamily, industrial, & single family residential. Position reports to Fort Worth, TX office. Telecommuting permitted in accordance w/ company policy, but must live w/i commuting distance of stated office. Must be willing to travel up to 20% domestically & 5% internationally. If interested, please submit resume to recruitment@crestlineinc.com. Reference Job ID: 8911670.
HISTORIC RIDGLEA THEATER
THE RIDGLEA is three great venues within one historic Fort Worth landmark. RIDGLEA THEATER has been restored to its authentic allure, recovering unique Spanish-Mediterranean elements. It is ideal for large audiences and special events. RIDGLEA ROOM and RIDGLEA LOUNGE have been making some of their own history, as connected adjuncts to RIDGLEA THEATER, or hosting their own smaller shows and gatherings. More at theRidglea.com
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POTTER’S HOUSE
Join the Potter’s House of Fort Worth (1270 Woodhaven Blvd, 817-446-1999) for Sunday Service at 8am and Wednesday Bible Study at 7pm. For more info, visit us online at www.TPHFW.org.
PREPARED for OUTAGES?
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