Hello, Denton County True Texans!

I'm really not one to keep details to myself because True Texas Project is not a top-down organization.  We're all in this together, right?  When someone attacks me or Fran or TTP, they are attacking YOU because you are the power behind it all.  You are who they fear.  So let me start at the beginning and fill you in.  [It's a long read.  If you're not interested, just scroll down to see what's going on this week, and we'll see you soon!]

The Drama

It started when the Texas Tribune (Texas Spittoon) sent this email:

Gee, didn't that sound like it would result in fair and balanced reporting?  LOL  Robert wasn't even trying to hide his slant, which was no surprise since he's a piece of trash reporter.  We ignored him but braced for the hit piece he was writing. 

Let me pause here to say that our conference topics are designed to educate.  The Left calls us a lot of words -- what do they even mean?  What is a Christian Nationalist, for example?  If someone is going to call us that, shouldn't we be able to talk about it and define it?  Not according to the Left.  If we dare repeat the words they themselves use on us, we are somehow evil.  [It's also worth noting that one of our keynote speakers is Paul Gottfried, a Jewish man whose family escaped from Germany! You can read his rebuttal to the Trib calling us anti-s3metic here.]

A few days later the venue for our party (Ft Worth Botanical Gardens) claimed they had double-booked and had to cancel us.  We took them at their word until a few hours later when we learned the Trib's hit piece had come out.  I won't link to it because I won't give them clicks, but suffice it to say it made up a lot of "facts" that just aren't so, twisted words, rearranged context, and shed our event in a negative light. Shocker, right?  It made us wonder if perhaps the Botanical Gardens, which is managed by an LGBT activist, had not actually double-booked us but was merely using that as an excuse to cancel us.  And of course it was no time after that when the gardens took to social media to let the world know they would never host a hate group like TTP.  So we had our answer.

Meanwhile, the hit piece (which was funded by the SPLC, an org that listed TTP as an anti-government hate group 3 years in a row now) got some of our speakers scared of being called bad words like r@cist and @nti-s3mite. Gasp! But hey, it worked last summer against Stickland, and they will keep using that tactic as long as folks react.  Sure enough, the first to cave was Don Huffines. I know I just shocked a bunch of you, and it shocked me too.  He called me personally to say he was dropping out, and I begged him to think that through for his own sake.  He'd just endorsed AGAINST the grassroots in a runoff election, and our people were still reeling from that.  To add canceling us on top of that?  Yikes.  I knew it wasn't gonna go well for Don.  Honestly, our conversation was just bizarre.  He'd make an excuse, I'd shoot holes in it, he'd desperately spew out another excuse, I'd knock it down, he'd agree with me and try another one.  In the end he simply said, "The truth is, Noah Betz told me to cancel."  (Well, that explained a lot, but that's a whole 'nother story.)  Unfortunately, Don did not stop there.  He took to social media to call us "dumb."  I'm assuming Betz wrote that juvenile statement as well, but Don confirmed he approved it.  I'm now getting a ton of questions about what happened to Don Huffines to make him such a sellout against the grassroots.  I have no answers, and it makes me sad.  He later asked how he can make it right, and I honestly don't know.

Unfortunately, Don's betrayal and weakness gave cover to another speaker cancelling.  Center For Immigration Studies said they take enough heat as it is, they can't take ours too, and after Don made his statement, it was just too much.  The Director assured me they would not make any public statements because we are allies.  I didn't like it, but I understood.  However, in no time at all their speaker Todd Bensman had tweeted, calling us "crazy sh__t."  What in the world?  I called the Director back and chewed him out.  He apologized and said there was nothing he could do.   

Next to cancel was Texas Public Policy Foundation.  This was no surprise at all, as they are hit or miss anyway, mostly miss.  Ammon Blair was supposed to speak, and while I don't think he would have canceled himself, it was out of his control.  Ammon is a TTP fave, so this is really disappointing.

At this point I was replaying in my mind how all of this went down last summer with Stickland.  It was a slow drip.  First one person, then another, then another, and then an avalanche of people disavowing my friend and throwing him under the bus.  Nobody would stand for him.  I was shocked at how quickly it all went down and how few had the courage to clear his name.  He took the fall for a large number of people, lost the incredible grassroots organization he'd built, and he's now essentially out of politics.  Would that be how it would go for True Texas Project?  Was this the end? 

I stepped back and realized, "I'm truly ok with that."  I've said for 15 years that I will serve the grassroots as long as God wants me here, and if He sees fit to remove me, ok.  I could honestly say in that moment that it was true in the core of my being:  I am not here for reputation, fame, or money.  I am here to do what God has called me to do, and I'm totally ok if that role is over and TTP goes away.  If the funding stops or if people turn on us, I get my life back! 

The only thing that really bothered me was that our staff would be effected.  I sent them a message to give them a heads up... they could be without jobs in no time.  Their response?  We're with you. We're here because we know you take a stand, and we will stand with you.  I cried.  I really hang with the best people.

I don't know... maybe God wanted me to have that moment of revelation and clarity, because then things started to change.  Our attorney beeped in: 

"Can I sue the City of Ft Worth on your behalf?" 

Heck yeah!  And that's when things started turning around.  Just as it takes one person to cave and then another follows suit, it also only takes ONE person to stand, and others are empowered.

We asked you guys to call the mayor to get the Botanical Gardens to reverse their cancellation... and within hours they did!  I received multiple messages from speakers offering to take the vacated speaking spots.  Ticket sales continued steady.  Folks were offering to donate or to help in other ways, like securing a new venue if it was still needed.  Tons of you sent encouraging messages letting me know how grateful you were that we chose to stand.  Everyone is just looking for someone they trust to lead us through this crazy world!  We are happy to be that for you!

As long as you stick with us, we will keep doing what we do!

We are not out of the woods yet. The gardens were ordered to reinstate us, but that doesn't mean they will.  Another speaker canceled today (Louie Gohmert... we assumed he would so it was no surprise).  And the hate mail is simply unbelievable.  Want a sampling?  It's pretty graphic sometimes:

• John Morgan <jrmorganinc@gmail.com>: you people are sick and anti american

• Tim Reese Timreese1515@outlook.com:  What a joke, you should be ashamed of yourselves. I'm a Texan and I'm ashamed.

• Jay Cliest <73245av@gmail.com>:  There is a blog mocking you.  It has your picture with no clothes on and a man in a Trump mask and you saying, "TRUMP"  grab my PXXXXX for Jesus.  I think it is you filthy Trump whore going to He'll with that Trump demon in you  you will be in Hell having Trump smear his orange shXX on your Satanic Trump face [redacted]

• feoy@fxxxxyou.com:  FXXX everyone of you [redacted]

Too graphic?  I get these messages all day, every day via email, Twitter, etc.  I'm a big girl and I can take it, and I know this is nothing new from the vile Left.  Sometimes I just like to remind folks who we're fighting.  When people we trust let us down, it can cause us to doubt.  "Wait a minute.  If Don and Louie are turning on us, maybe there's something to it."  Well, read those quotes again.  Is that the side you want to be on?  I don't care what "friends" join that evil... I'll be the one standing on the side of purity and righteousness all day long, even if I have to stand alone.  It really is that black and white.

You know what's interesting?  True Texas Project stood for both Don and Louie when they were falsely attacked.  I don't regret standing with them.  It was the right thing to do.  I just wish they'd learned something from it.

So that's the long saga.  Yeah, we get attacked.  It has happened before; it will happen again; some day it may be the end of us, who knows?  I just want to say a great big thank you to all those who have written an encouraging word, donated, prayed, offered help, contacted the city, stood up for us on social media, and refused to take the bait from the Left.  You are TRUE TEXANS and I'm oh-so-proud to work with you.

As we continue to revamp and rework our 15th Birthday Party, please go ahead and make plans to join us!  We will fill you in on all the new details soon, but you already know we will make it the biggest and best party yet!

And lastly... I have to be honest and say Huffines was a significant sponsor.  He bailed, so it would be great to have your support now if you can swing it.  I know our fundraising team has sent out some messages and many of you contributed.  In fact, many of you contributed without even being asked!  You clearly get it!  But I would be failing at my job as CEO if I didn't let you know now that we will need you to help make up the difference.  Please give if you can.  The conference is NOT a fundraiser.  We are only looking to break even.

Ok, let me end on a fun and positive note.  Today I thanked Chad Prather for not canceling, and I asked if he'd received backlash or pressure from the media.  He just laughed and said, "I'd never leave you!" 

That's why we love him.  See you (and Chad!) at the party!

If you haven't yet, make sure to watch our June podcast with 7 of our 21 new allied State Reps! Lots of options for where to view it:  

YouTube   Facebook   Rumble   Apple Podcast   Spotify   Twitter

Certified True Texan workshop - Wha???  Well, we really weren't planning to do another in-person workshop, but two of the classes had technical difficulties, so we are offering them one more time in order to get a good recording.  Come be a part of the audience!  This time we'll be in Leander on June 28/29.  We're offering all 5 of the required classes, so you can become a Certified True Texan by the end of the month!  Wow!  If you can't attend in person, we should have the videos up by mid-July.  Sign up here for Leander.

📆This week at True Texas Project Denton...

Tuesday, June 18th - Monthly Meeting

Make sure to check out our events calendar to see if there's another meeting or social activity you'd like to travel to!

Coming up!

It's our 15th birthday! We want you at the spectacular party and conference we're throwing, so we kept the ticket price crazy-low and packed a ton of great stuff into the weekend of July 12/13.  On Friday night we've got the party with heavy appetizers, cake, a toast, a group pic, and the comedy, music, and commentary of Chad Prather.  On Saturday it's an all-day conference with 15 different breakout speakers, a lunch-n-learn session (lunch included), and a meet-n-greet with some of our favorite electeds.  I told you we packed a lot in -- all for just $50!

We've also got fun shirts to help us brag about our milestone.  You can get them at the party for $15, or you can get them online with more options (like ladies cut or long sleeve) for just $22. 

Thanks for being part of the True Texas army!

For the love of Texas,
Julie McCarty, CEO
True Texas Project

PS.  Here are some links you may like: