# It Behooves Texas Rep. Betty Brown To Shut Up **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 11, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708 "2009-04-11T01:23:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/1 "2009-04-11T01:23:29Z")
Texans, honestly, you cannot be as dumb as your state representative Betty Brown (R-Tarrell) thinks that you are. You can’t. (However, you might be if you let this woman get re-elected to office.) In a hearing about voting difficulties and a potential law requiring ID to be shown at polling places, Brown addressed a representative of the Chinese-American community. Check out what this insufficiently oxygenated bint said to the man. _Remember, we’re talking about people who are coming into a polling place to vote._ > [@Texas State Rep. Betty Brown](#): > > Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese, do you think that it would **behoove you and your citizens** to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here? Emphasis mine. “Your citizens?” Lady, these are _your_ citizens! And you don’t have to learn Chinese to read the transliteration of a Chinese name that would appear on a document (like voter rolls) that is in English. No Chinese-American is registering to vote as 李锣 instead of Li Gong (just as an example). And if Li Gong is so damned confounding for a poll worker, maybe it _behooves_ Texas to hire actually _literate_ people to work at their damn polling places! But that wasn’t enough. > [@More From Betty Brown](#): > > Can’t you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for you and the people who are poll workers if you could adopt a name just for identification purposes that’s easier for **Americans** to deal with? This woman has clearly blown out her brains with all the Aqua Net she’s using to hold her football helmet hairdo in place. Chinese-Americans who are voting in Texas **are Americans** , you stupid cow. If they weren’t Americans, they wouldn’t be voting to begin with. Now of course, she’s fallen all over herself to apologize and say that she misspoke and that she’s trying to make things better for Chinese-Americans and that it’s the big bad Democrats who are trying to make this a race issue. Uh-huh. Because it was Democrats who stated, for the record, in an open hearing in the Texas State House that citizens naturalized from China or of Chinese descent aren’t Americans, Betty. Blame them, they’re the ones who said it behooved a minority to throw away their personal identities for the ease of other people. Here, Betty. Have a nice, steaming cup of shut the fuck up. Recuse yourself from voting on this issue and take your racist self back to the hole you crawled from. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/2 "2009-04-11T01:35:59Z")
Yup. That’s a stupid thing to say. Could you link to the article you read this from so we can all enjoy it? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/3 "2009-04-11T01:41:37Z")
[Miami Herald.](http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F0_0_s_0_0_t&usg=AFQjCNGaV2IRQZ3J94AjEerijb2Kpf0M0Q&cid=1329629238&ei=7PTfScLYFM6PmAfhlf9o&rt=STORY&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.miamiherald.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FAP%2Fstory%2F994140.html) Results at [Google News](http://news.google.com/news?um=1&ned=us&cf=all&ncl=1329629238). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/4 "2009-04-11T01:45:50Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > Texans, honestly, you cannot be as dumb as your state representative Save this title and it can serve for an ongoing thread on the stupidity, greed and craziness of Texas state legislators. Note: someone keeps electing crazy-ass Texas state reps. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/5 "2009-04-11T01:54:35Z")
I’d seen an article on that a day or so ago, but couldn’t bring myself to post about it. First, I’m starting to feel sorry for our Texas Dopers who are regularly dragged through the mud because of some yahoo, second, because it was too close to April Fool’s day to be sure it wasn’t a joke, and third, because her picture on [Think Progress](http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/09/brown-asian-names/) kind of reminds me of Madeline from Burn notice. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/6 "2009-04-11T01:58:06Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > Texans, honestly, you cannot be as dumb as your state representative Betty Brown (R-Tarrell) thinks that you are. For the benefit of Chinese citizens reading this, that’s 贝蒂布朗 he’s talking about. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/7 "2009-04-11T02:07:48Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > I’d seen an article on that a day or so ago, but couldn’t bring myself to post about it. First, I’m starting to feel sorry for our Texas Dopers who are regularly dragged through the mud because of some yahoo, second, because it was too close to April Fool’s day to be sure it wasn’t a joke, and third, because her picture on [Think Progress](http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/09/brown-asian-names/) kind of reminds me of Madeline from Burn notice. I’m an ex-Texan, which is why I made it a point to note that Texans cannot be as dumb as this woman wants to suggest. I know and love many Texans. I feel badly for the ones I know and love that the dipshits around them keep electing fools. But I’m afraid you and I might have to come to fisticuffs for your wildly insulting association of this woman and the awesome Madeline from BN. Not on, Rhythmdvl, not on! > [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > For the benefit of Chinese citizens reading this, that’s 贝蒂布朗 he’s talking about. Is that a transliteration of Betty Brown? (And for the record, I’m a she-type person.) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/8 "2009-04-11T02:15:24Z")
贝蒂布朗 Searches the water chestnut ticket manifesto ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/9 "2009-04-11T02:18:43Z")
That’s a Texas-sized helping of stupid right there. Boy howdy! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/10 "2009-04-11T02:32:25Z")
“Hello, I’m an elected offical and you’re a registered voter. So I’d like to take a minute to insult you, your family, and your culture as well as those of a number of other people who represent a sizable portion of the voters in my district.” Well, if nothing else, I’ll guess we’ll get to see what what happens to somebody who’s too dumb to be a politician. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/11 "2009-04-11T03:21:26Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > \Well, if nothing else, I’ll guess we’ll get to see what what happens to somebody who’s too dumb to be a politician. They have to be watered twice a day ? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/12 "2009-04-11T03:37:47Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Well, if nothing else, I’ll guess we’ll get to see what what happens to somebody who’s too dumb to be a politician. They get reelected for 25 years because their constituents won’t vote for a damn commie/fascist? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/13 "2009-04-11T03:43:43Z")
I thought I regretted that the crazies of Texas politics rarely entered the national spotlight until I remembered its most recent contribution. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/14 "2009-04-11T04:18:28Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Save this title and it can serve for an ongoing thread on the stupidity, greed and craziness of Texas state legislators. > > Note: someone keeps electing crazy-ass Texas state reps. The problem is, Texas is basically a one party state. If you don’t have an (R) after your name, and your opponent does, then don’t plan on winning any race that’s bigger than citywide. Most of the people I vote for don’t have an (R) after their names, and sometimes I wonder why I BOTHER voting at all. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/15 "2009-04-11T04:26:04Z")
Texas is the Saudi Arabia of America, its the bastion and home of the \*wahabbist \*capitalist sect, where the ®icky ®etardo party has burrowed deep and hard, where money talks and everything else listens. But the grip is weakening. Take heart, **Lynn**. Change will come to Texas, as Shirley it must. And the pillars of Heaven will shake, rattle, and roll! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/16 "2009-04-11T05:44:13Z")
I never realized Peggy Hill was based on a real-life person. Tune in next week, when Betty Brown proposes legislation requiring all Texas municipalities to adopt three-character alphanumeric codes instead of names, because “names like Corpus Christi are way complicated for us real Americans”. That’s State Representative Betty Brown (R-A5G). ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/17 "2009-04-11T13:44:38Z")
> [@](#): > > I never realized Peggy Hill was based on a real-life person. I’ve only watched a few episodes of King of the Hill, but yeah, the characters are based on aggregates of real life people. Not all of us are like that, though. For instance, I hate football, and all sports, really. This causes a severe conflict when I want to go out to eat, because many of the places that have wonderful food also tend to have several large, loud TVs, which are all tuned in to The Game. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/18 "2009-04-11T14:04:47Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I never realized Peggy Hill was based on a real-life person. Peggy Hill is based on _many_ real people. Not all of them live in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/19 "2009-04-11T15:48:42Z")
Oh come on, be tolerant here. I know y’all are so smart and stuff, but it’s not easy for \*everyone \*to keep in mind at all times that one can be American AND not a WASP. It’s like that square/rectangle deal, which is so, like, confusing, y’know ? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708/20 "2009-04-11T15:49:11Z")
Peggy Hill means well. Or she thinks she does. I can’t say the same about Texas Republicans. They are mean spirited trogs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-behooves-texas-rep-betty-brown-to-shut-up/492708.md?page=2)