Beer and politics have quite a long and intertwined history together. The link between them in U.S. history harks back to the American Revolution, when Samuel Adams brought his own beer into the spotlight while fighting the English for independence. Actually, he did not brew beer at all but allegedly just sold malt for beer. And so, unironically, I made my way to Division Brewing in Arlington on Wednesday to check out Beto O’Rourke’s most recent town hall. It was an energetic evening outdoors with more than 200 guests and several local bands closing out the night while Beto graciously met and took pictures with the locals.
While not currently holding office or running himself for election, O’Rourke is focused on Powered by People, the Texas-based organization he founded that focuses on voter registration and organizing. As of early 2026, the former U.S. representative has been heavily involved in Democratic organizing and voter mobilization efforts aimed at the 2026 midterm elections. We all know how important they are, and, as expected, so does Beto.
Not that anyone is asking, but I need to mention my current lack of enthusiasm for and confidence in the Democratic Party and, most certainly, in the Republicans. Personally, I am disenchanted with the two-party system, and I actively seek out progressives for my own political pint, but it is from this perspective that I say with confidence that although he and I disagree on a couple of issues, O’Rourke still delivers a message of unity and compassion which continues to inspire and motivate me.
During the Q&A part of the evening, an audience member asked O’Rourke how to find common ground with each other no matter who we voted for.
“We’ve got to be the answer to that,” he said. “Many of us have people in our lives that voted for Trump and [like] even perhaps that MAGA uncle,” to which the crowd equal parts groaned and laughed.
Photo by Jeff Dazey
His advice?
“Show them some grace. Be generous with them and listen to where they are coming from. They may have had what they believed was a valid reason, and maybe it was. But if they feel like they have been painted into a corner, like there is no recourse, they are going to return to that tribe that has its arms open to them. So, let’s be good to one another. Let’s show compassion in the face of cruelty. It is not weakness. I think it is the greatest strength that we could possibly display right now.”
Best known for playing saxophone for international recording artists such as Leon Bridges and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Fort Worth native Jeff Dazey has always taken photos during his extensive world touring. Over the past year, he has begun pursuing photojournalism with a specific concentration on social activism. You can see more of his photography @jeffdazey and @owlmedi4.
This column reflects the opinions and fact-gathering of the author(s) and only the author(s) and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@FWWeekly.com. He will gently edit it for clarity and concision.
Photo by Jeff Dazey
