HOUSTON — This summer, Whitney Hanzik got a startling notification on her phone. There’d been a stabbing near her home, and one person was injured. Then she looked outside and noticed a helicopter flying over her suburban Houston neighborhood.
Hanzik, a 35-year-old mom who home-schools her three children, wanted to know whether a dangerous person was on the loose. So she logged on to the Prestonwood Forest Neighbors & Friends Facebook group.
“Can anyone verify or does anyone have any further details?” she posted, along with a picture of the crime alert.
Hanzik, who’d grown up in Prestonwood Forest and moved back as an adult, didn’t expect the firestorm that followed.
One longtime resident, an older white woman, complained that it was yet more evidence that the area surrounding Prestonwood, a subdivision developed in the 1970s, was turning into “the ‘hood,” according to several residents who read the now-deleted comment.
That triggered accusations of racism from some residents, including a Black couple who said they never truly felt at home in the mostly white but slowly diversifying neighborhood. Those posts were followed by several from white residents who said they couldn’t understand why people were making it about race.
Fifty-three comments later, Hanzik scrolled through the replies, stunned.
“I just wanted to know what was going on,” she said of the stabbing, which turned out to be tied to a domestic dispute at a nearby apartment complex. “I’ve got three kids at home by myself. I just want to know that the area is secure, right? And then when somebody made one comment, everything took a turn for the worst.”
But it wasn’t the first time this year — or the last — that Prestonwood Forest’s community Facebook group has unraveled into a heated argument over crime, politics and race. And the incident was by no means unique to this one Texas subdivision.
Similar feuds have blown up in suburban communities across the country in recent months, fueled in part by changing demographics, the nation’s ongoing reckoning over racial injustice, an unusually contentious election season and Republican leaders who’ve been stoking unsubstantiated fears about growing lawlessness in the suburbs.
In response, Trump and other Republican leaders have made a direct appeal to the fears of some white suburban residents, claiming without evidence that former Vice President Joe Biden and other Democrats are seeking to “abolish the suburbs.” Last month, before Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis upended the presidential race, his campaign sent a text message warning millions of supporters that members of antifa, a far-left protest movement, would “attack your homes” if Biden is elected.
Texas GOP Chairman Allen West, a former Florida congressman, confirmed in an interview that fears about crime are central to his party’s strategy in the fast-growing suburbs around Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. West, who is Black, said promises by some Democrats to cut police funding are driving record numbers of “suburban white women” to buy guns, which he said bodes well for Republicans. (When asked for evidence to support the claim, a Texas GOP spokesman sent articles from 2017 and 2018, published well before the phrase “defund the police” was popularized this summer, showing that more women of all races and more Black people in particular had been applying for concealed handgun permits.)
“I believe that when you make the comparison and you look at what I call the rule of law versus the rule of the mob, folks are paying attention to that,” West said. “And so I believe that right now, the left, sure, they’re putting a lot of money in here. But that’s not going to make people vote for a message that is detrimental to the future of the great state of Texas.”
But in interviews with several Prestonwood Forest residents, none listed crime and safety as their top concern. These voters said they were more worried about health care, the economy and the fight over confirming a new Supreme Court justice.
Elizabeth Simas, a political science professor at the University of Houston who lives in the same congressional district as Prestonwood Forest, said Trump’s remarks about Democrats’ wanting to “destroy suburbia” amount to “very thinly veiled racism, quite frankly.”
“He’s making a very, very clear racial appeal,” said Simas, who is white. “I mean, he’s talking about suburbs in probably the most stereotypical, 1950s, 1960s sense of white, cookie-cutter homes with a bunch of stay-at-home moms in their nice dresses and aprons that have dinner and a cocktail waiting for their husbands to get home. And it’s just not the case. They’re very diverse communities.”
That’s especially true, Simas said, in the booming communities surrounding Houston, one of the fastest-growing and most diverse regions in the country.
New Brunswick voters have elected a Liberal majority government, tossing out the incumbent Progressive Conservatives after six years in power and handing the reins to the first woman ever to lead the province. Liberal Leader Susan Holt spent much of the campaign rolling out proposed fixes for a health-care system racked by a doctor shortage, overcrowded emergency rooms and long wait-times. She promised to open 30 community health clinics across the province by 2028. (Oct. 22, 2024)
Susan Holt has made history in New Brunswick by becoming the first woman to serve as the leader of the province’s Liberal Party, a significant milestone in the province’s political landscape. Holt’s leadership victory signals a new era of representation, gender equality, and change in the region, which has long been dominated by male politicians.
Holt’s journey to the top has been one of perseverance and dedication. Before entering politics, she built a distinguished career in the private sector, where she held numerous leadership positions. Her experience in business development and public policy has equipped her with the skills needed to navigate the complex world of politics.
In a province where women have historically been underrepresented in politics, Holt’s election represents a watershed moment. Women’s involvement in leadership roles has been steadily increasing nationwide, but New Brunswick, like many parts of Canada, has seen slower progress in achieving gender parity. Holt’s rise to the top of the Liberal Party not only shatters a glass ceiling but also serves as an inspiration for future generations of women aiming for political leadership.
As the leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, Holt has laid out a vision of inclusivity and progress. Her policies focus on economic development, healthcare reform, environmental sustainability, and addressing social issues that have plagued the province. She has also emphasized the importance of transparent governance and creating opportunities for underrepresented communities, making her platform both modern and forward-thinking.
Holt’s leadership arrives at a time when many voters are calling for change, especially in the face of challenges like economic uncertainty and the need for healthcare improvements. She aims to bring fresh ideas to tackle these issues while ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their background, have a voice in government decisions.
Susan Holt joins the ranks of other trailblazing women across Canada who have led provincial parties and governments. Women like former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Ontario’s Kathleen Wynne have paved the way, and now Holt is contributing to this growing legacy of female political leadership in Canada.
Her achievement highlights not only the growing number of women entering politics but also the demand for leaders who can bring diverse perspectives to the table. In a field often dominated by entrenched traditions, Holt’s election is a step toward a more inclusive and representative political landscape in New Brunswick.
Holt’s leadership signals a broader shift in Canadian politics, where more women and diverse voices are gaining prominence. For young women across the country, her rise serves as a powerful reminder that leadership roles are within reach, even in traditionally male-dominated spheres.
With her election, Susan Holt has proven that perseverance, skill, and a vision for change can break even the toughest barriers. Her leadership will not only reshape New Brunswick’s political future but also inspire others across Canada to pursue leadership positions and continue to challenge the status quo.
NDP Leader Carla Beck has two planned campaign events today, starting the day with an availability in Moose Jaw and then later this evening attending an event in the capital with the Regina Medical Staff Association.
Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe, meanwhile, will speak in Prince Albert at the start of Voting Week in the province.
Saskatchewan residents can vote for five days starting today in the lead-up to next week’s provincial election, although polls won’t be open Sunday.
The NDP and the Saskatchewan Party are urging voters to cast their ballots early.
Voters can find their polling stations on their information cards or by visiting the Elections Saskatchewan website.
Chief electoral officer Michael Boda says there are about 810,000 registered voters in Saskatchewan.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
