Nathan Mazzapica, son and campaign staffer, emceed the rally, which started off with a couple of songs, God Bless America and the National Anthem, complete with live music. And then the Boy Scout Color Guard from Troop 93 of the Sam Houston Area Council brought in the flag and led in the Pledge of Allegiance. After the plege, Nathan introduced the first speaker, Apostle Claver T. Kamau-Imani.
Claver talked about the need for the country to return to its Biblical foundation and for good men to return to politics. He also gave a strong endorsement of Frank. His talk is in the video below.
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After Claver’s endorsement, Nathan talked for a bit about why his dad is the right guy for the job. He actually gave a pretty good speech and his rendition of Frank’s life story played well. And when he introduced his dad, it was a heartwarming moment, seeing a son truly appreciate the life work of his father.
I’ve met Frank several times and he is always upbeat and positive. But not in the used car salesman type of way that I see in most politicians. He seems to have truly found that joy in life that so many seek. So why would this man of humble upbringing who is now pastor of a thriving church and seemingly on top of the world toss his entire life upside down to run for Congress? I think his son said it best: his desire to be a humble civil servant.
I like that term: humble civil servant. I like it because it is far different than the reason most people run for office: pure political power for personal gain. Yes, I have become jaded towards politicians. Obviously not all are like that but certainly most. Especially the rhetorical conservatives that use Christianity in a cynical ploy to get votes. Time will tell but I think that Frank is different. Judge for yourself by watching him talk about his reasons for running:
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No, he did not give a polished political speech, which surprised me after hearing other preachers in the past when running for office. If there is one thing a preacher can do, it is give a speech, right? Well, not exactly. We are probably just used to that now with the growth of mega-churches and cultural Christianity, where everyone is a Christian but few live like it. Preachers entertain these days, not talk from the heart. What you saw in that speech from Frank was from the heart.
Can he win? I don’t know but I do know that if he is going to, he will need to transform his campaign from a Beat Gene Green theme to a Vote for Frank theme. Sure, there are some negatives that he can use to get a few votes, such as Rep. Green’s Cap/Trade vote and perhaps his support for abortion. But in this district, a straight up furor over the healthcare reform debacle isn’t a sure thing for him because of the number of people that do not have health insurance.
His website lists five “Initiatives” that he thinks will help people take a look at his candidacy.
- Faith based organizations working with the government.
- Reducing the drop out rate, especially among Hispanics.
- A “Buy Houston” campaign that stems from the fact that over 95{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} of Rep. Green’s political contributions come from outside the district.
- Increasing the penalties for selling drugs, including enhancing the confiscation laws.
- Removing the limitations on gun ownership.
Will any of these initiatives separate him from the other two contenders and give him the opportunity to run against Rep. Green? That remains to be seen. Hopefully by the time the March primaries arrive, the voters will have enough information to make the right choice. Can a “humble civil servant” win in this very un-civil political climate? Stranger things have happened.
