Righteous Warrior

I had planned to sit down and write about something altogether different this Thursday morning. But, first thing, I heard of the death of a friend, Alan Vera. I have written about him frequently. He was the go-to guy on election integrity in the state of Texas, and particularly here in Harris County. I had his number in my phone and called him personally when I had election day questions. (If everybody did that, it’s no wonder HCRP finally got a help line for those issues.)

Alan Vera, speaking at the Cypress Texas Tea Party, November 21, 2022
screenshot from here

Alan passed away this morning, in the state capitol building, just before he was scheduled to testify on several election integrity bills. He was a fixture there during the legislative session. His knowledge and understanding on these matters is unparalleled. People across the state and the nation have been trained and educated by him. He is likely the main reason Texas didn’t allow Dominion voting machines; he showed them to be unreliable. And any good election integrity legislation on the books in Texas likely saw his hand in writing it and getting it passed.

All who knew him are stunned. They had a moment of silence in his honor in today’s hearing.

I have a number of his speeches, long and short, on my phone. I would record him, in case I wanted to quote him later, which I have often done. (See the list of times I’ve written about him below.)

Alan Vera was one of the original founders of True the Vote, along with Catherine Engelbrecht. The first time I met him was when I attended a True the Vote poll watcher training class, and he was my teacher. Hundreds, maybe thousands (I may be vastly underestimating the number), have received poll watcher training from Alan. He stayed with True the Vote until 2014, when he became the Ballot Security committee chair for the Harris County Republican Party. True the Vote is a 501(c)3, which means nonpartisan. He saw that the party needed his particular help more, and he has given that help tirelessly.

There’s a quote that I think fits Alan:

“My life is like my shoes—to be worn out in service.”[i]

I’ve worked with Alan Vera for years on the Senatorial District 7 and Texas platform committees. We didn’t hang out at each other’s houses, but I considered him, along with his wife, Colleen, to be friends. I’ve sat with them at various meetings and candidate forums, and always enjoyed our conversations. I know them to be true righteous warriors.

I will personally miss him. I have followed him on Facebook where it is not all political. He was an Army Ranger, and, as he put it, once you take the oath to protect and defend, you never stop. Almost daily he would put up a quote from Winston Churchill: "We sleep safely because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us," and below that a meme about soldiers doing their work. Here’s one he posted Tuesday.

a post on Alan Vera's Facebook page, Tuesday, May 2, 2023

One of the Vera's foster puppies
from Alan's FB page

Another main feature of his social media was letting us know the progress on their puppy rescue. He and Colleen would foster puppies who would otherwise likely be euthanized. They got them healthy and groomed and somewhat socialized, and then they would see them off on their journeys to be adopted by their “furever families.” He would post photos of them in the process, and about to leave—and on their way and at their new homes when photos got sent to him. We had a dog problem in our neighborhood a few months back; two dogs got loose and attacked our dog. This had happened multiple times recently to other families. We talked to the owner later, and they needed advice on what to do with these dogs. I called Alan, expert on dog rescues as well as election integrity. He gave advice on rescues and who to contact, which I was able to pass along.

This is something he posted last Friday, which seems so appropriate now.

a post passed along on Alan Vera's Facebook page a week ago

He also had a great, and slightly warped, sense of humor. And some of his social media posts showed that side, which was always good for a daily laugh. 

Whenever he had an important talk or training to give, he would ask for our prayers. I would stop what I was doing and pray for him.

The last time he spoke at our Cypress Texas Tea Party meeting, he said something that has stuck with me, and has maybe more meaning now. The words in quotes are his, as I quoted them here: 

“Plan A for election integrity in Texas is that 99% of all adult Texans live their lives according to traditional Judeo-Christian principles.” But the reality is, “Thousands of people across the state have consented to being human agents of powers and principalities of darkness, and are working to undermine the state and this country, which God himself founded.” So his Plan B continues to be: Deterrence, Prevention, and Real-time Intervention.

He was a warrior against those powers and principalities of darkness; he has been doing yeoman’s work here on earth in the fight. The grand story is reaching a climax. We know from scripture how the story turns out. Still, there are battles yet to be waged. Here on earth we will somehow have to continue without him, which feels daunting. But this life here is not the only place where a spiritual battle is waged. I can only assume that, at such a time as this, he was tagged for fighting in the spiritual realm, where such a man as he can be even more effective. After our eventual victory, I look forward to hearing his battle stories of how he helped us win.

 Some of My Posts that Include Wisdom from Alan Vera

·        “Election Debacle Report”—November 21, 2022 

·        “Deterrence, Prevention, and Real-Time Intervention”—July 28, 2022 

·        “Chain-of-Custody Issues"—May 12, 2022” 

·        “When Does Incompetence Become Cover for Intentional Wrongdoing?”—March 7, 2022

·        “Boring Is Good”—November 1, 2011 

·        “Being There”—September 29, 2011 

 

Videos

·        Alan Vera at Cypress Texas Tea Party November 19, 2022 

·        Alan Vera at Cypress Texas Tea Party July 23, 2022 

 

Media Stories Today

·        Harris County GOP Statement on the Passing of Longtime Activist and Ballot Security Chairman Alan Vera—May 4, 2023 

·        “Well Done, Soldier: Remembering Alan Vera” by Erin Anderson for Texas Scorecard, May 4, 2023. 

·        “Longtime Harris County GOP activist Alan Veradies before testifying at Texas Capitol” by Taylor Goldenstein for the Houston Chronicle, May 4, 2023. 

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[i] The quote is from Spencer W. Kimball, former Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as recounted by Gordon B. Hinckley, “He Is at Peace,” Ensign, December 1985, p. 41.