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We've Got to Try: How the Fight for Voting Rights Makes Everything Else Possible
In We’ve Got To Try, O’Rourke shines a spotlight on the heroic life and work of Dr. Lawrence Aaron Nixon and the west Texas town where he made his stand. The son of an enslaved man, Nixon grew up in the Confederate stronghold of Marshall, Texas before moving to El Paso, becoming a civil rights leader, and helping to win one of the most significant civil and voting rights victories in American history: the defeat of the all-white primary. His fight for the ballot spanned 20 years and twice took him to the U.S. Supreme Court.
With heart, eloquence, and powerful storytelling, O’Rourke weaves together Nixon’s story with those of other great Texans who changed the course of voting rights and improved America’s democracy. While connecting voting rights and democracy to the major issues of our time, O’Rourke also shares what he saw, heard, and learned while on his own journey throughout the 254 counties of his home state. By telling the stories of those he met along the way and bringing us into the epicenter of the current fight against voter suppression, the former El Paso Congressman shows just how essential it is that the sacred right to vote is protected and that we each do our part to save our democracy for generations to come.
With heart, eloquence, and powerful storytelling, O’Rourke weaves together Nixon’s story with those of other great Texans who changed the course of voting rights and improved America’s democracy. While connecting voting rights and democracy to the major issues of our time, O’Rourke also shares what he saw, heard, and learned while on his own journey throughout the 254 counties of his home state. By telling the stories of those he met along the way and bringing us into the epicenter of the current fight against voter suppression, the former El Paso Congressman shows just how essential it is that the sacred right to vote is protected and that we each do our part to save our democracy for generations to come.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 23, 2022
58 people are currently reading
5715 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
October 22, 2023
A sort of history lesson and politicians policy platform in one. Texas centric and would be a good book for high schoolers learning state and/or voting history. Nothing special.
August 29, 2022
2.5ish. It does pain me to give a two on goodreads because I do like Beto’s campaign and I support much of what he is doing on the ground in Texas. But this book just doesn’t strike me as worthwhile.
First, it’s $30 for 185 pages in hardback with a larger font size and thus less content. I’d rather just spend the money by donating directly to the campaign, because all this feels like is a story to tell Texas voters so they might hear his platform and encourage their participation. Second, the writing, though incredibly passionate and accurate, feels numb and impersonal. That might be because I’m not Texan, which I understand is who he is writing to, but regardless, it felt like jotted down thoughts rather than a personal outreach to the reader. Third, it’s becoming a repetitive argument amongst Democratic politicians who are writing and publishing over and over and over again about what we can do and coming to the same intangible conclusion. Elizabeth Warren, Stacey Abrams, Adam Schiff, Jamie Raskin, and many more (though in my opinion have done a better job with their works by making them more autobiographical, and Abrams particularly by actually being on the ground and organizing in Georgia) have also argued about protecting our rights to vote and the fragile state of democracy in the U.S. Yet they all really only come to one conclusion - pass some massive national voting rights act and elect more Democrats. While they MIGHT write about different approaches and other potential solutions (again, Abrams being the shining example to follow) it hasn’t done us much good if we can’t actually get there and then find ways to implement it, even while in the majority. And Beto falls into this category. Voter roll purging, voter site closures, and rigged gerrymandering still hurt us everyday.
Look, I really do understand the vital importance behind this publication, and maybe I am being too harsh. Because Beto is 110% correct that these issues are pertinent and worthy of our attention, time, resources, and continued struggle. And the stories of the individuals - from Lawrence Nixon to the local baseball team - are absolutely inspiring and worthy of sharing. But this book felt like just another politician publishing another book with no real consequences. I think more could have been and should have been done. I hope Beto’s work in activism and politics persists well into the future, but I believe there are better ways of supporting his causes.
First, it’s $30 for 185 pages in hardback with a larger font size and thus less content. I’d rather just spend the money by donating directly to the campaign, because all this feels like is a story to tell Texas voters so they might hear his platform and encourage their participation. Second, the writing, though incredibly passionate and accurate, feels numb and impersonal. That might be because I’m not Texan, which I understand is who he is writing to, but regardless, it felt like jotted down thoughts rather than a personal outreach to the reader. Third, it’s becoming a repetitive argument amongst Democratic politicians who are writing and publishing over and over and over again about what we can do and coming to the same intangible conclusion. Elizabeth Warren, Stacey Abrams, Adam Schiff, Jamie Raskin, and many more (though in my opinion have done a better job with their works by making them more autobiographical, and Abrams particularly by actually being on the ground and organizing in Georgia) have also argued about protecting our rights to vote and the fragile state of democracy in the U.S. Yet they all really only come to one conclusion - pass some massive national voting rights act and elect more Democrats. While they MIGHT write about different approaches and other potential solutions (again, Abrams being the shining example to follow) it hasn’t done us much good if we can’t actually get there and then find ways to implement it, even while in the majority. And Beto falls into this category. Voter roll purging, voter site closures, and rigged gerrymandering still hurt us everyday.
Look, I really do understand the vital importance behind this publication, and maybe I am being too harsh. Because Beto is 110% correct that these issues are pertinent and worthy of our attention, time, resources, and continued struggle. And the stories of the individuals - from Lawrence Nixon to the local baseball team - are absolutely inspiring and worthy of sharing. But this book felt like just another politician publishing another book with no real consequences. I think more could have been and should have been done. I hope Beto’s work in activism and politics persists well into the future, but I believe there are better ways of supporting his causes.
physical_to-read_stack
June 29, 2022I received my copy free through Goodreads Giveaways
August 10, 2022
This was a very interesting and informative book. Having lived in Calif for most of my life I did no9t know much about the history of Texas. The book talks about Dr Lawrence Aaron Nixon and he grew up in west Texas. He was the son of a slave. He later moved to El Paso and became an civil rights leader, he fought against the all white primary and advocated for voting rights for all. He fought for 20 years to give voters the right to vote. I feel the right to vote will a struggle for years to come because someone will try to change the rules to exclude people from voting. I cannot believe this is still the case in 2022. This books also talks about the Rio Grande border issues, and overcoming obstacles and encourages people in their community to run for office and make a difference. I learned a lot form this book.
September 10, 2022
Despite growing up in Texas, I knew embarrassingly little about the fight for voting rights there. Beto's book does an excellent job at outlining this history and tying it into the current struggles to fight disenfranchisement.
August 25, 2023
wow. Beto talks about voting rights and voter suppression through the lens of Texas and El Paso specifically which was incredibly interesting and moving. the book's discussion of voting rights history in the US really puts into perspective the current struggles with democracy
i wish he'd made more clear the link between voting rights and organizing/activism. admittedly the history is somewhat repetitive, but the message is there. i think this book focuses more on organizing through its historical lens whereas Stacey Abrams' Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America focuses more on the systemic barriers to voting that exist today that Beto touches on briefly in discussing the Shelby decision (though Abrams is very involved with organizing out in the field). definitely recommend reading both
i wish he'd made more clear the link between voting rights and organizing/activism. admittedly the history is somewhat repetitive, but the message is there. i think this book focuses more on organizing through its historical lens whereas Stacey Abrams' Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America focuses more on the systemic barriers to voting that exist today that Beto touches on briefly in discussing the Shelby decision (though Abrams is very involved with organizing out in the field). definitely recommend reading both
March 14, 2024
I truly hope that Beto is still as hopeful about the world as he purports to be.
I honestly wanted to read this because I find a lot of comfort in people a lot smarter than me still having hope in the world. But even with his motivational thread running through this... it still felt BLEAK.
from a writing perspective, I also just don't think this was particularly well-organized. While he had the common threads (voter suppression, saving democracy), each chapter felt like its own speech and followed similar beats.
I heard him talk about this book and I think that covered all of the essentials in the book. Will of course still support him on every platform but Goodreads.
I honestly wanted to read this because I find a lot of comfort in people a lot smarter than me still having hope in the world. But even with his motivational thread running through this... it still felt BLEAK.
from a writing perspective, I also just don't think this was particularly well-organized. While he had the common threads (voter suppression, saving democracy), each chapter felt like its own speech and followed similar beats.
I heard him talk about this book and I think that covered all of the essentials in the book. Will of course still support him on every platform but Goodreads.
July 19, 2022
Starting this book, I honestly did not have high hopes. It exceeded all my expectations. O'Rourke does an excellent job of illustrating points through stories from many periods in US history. Through those stories, the book points out the ongoing threat to democracy in a way that gives hope. This is an excellent book.
Unfortunately, for some reason, none of the endnotes are placed correctly. Rather than at the end of sentences, they are primarily after the first word, that got annoying.
Unfortunately, for some reason, none of the endnotes are placed correctly. Rather than at the end of sentences, they are primarily after the first word, that got annoying.
May 3, 2023
Not an easy book to sit down and read. Beto uses multiple stories and anecdotes to teach the reader about the challenges Texans have faced to gain voting rights. It hasn’t always been an easy fight, and what makes the book hard to pick up is knowing that the fight has only gotten more difficult. It’s up to us to make Texas the place we want it to be.
April 22, 2023
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. Voting rights is such a hot topic with so many states restricting access to voting. With Beto running for office, I was interested in learning more. His passion for voting rights and his state really shine through. He provides a history of voting rights in general and more specifically in his state and El Paso.
September 18, 2022
4.5 stars - only taking 0.5 star off for my general distaste for the "campaign biography," though this does the best job I've encountered from the genre thus far at not really being a campaign biography. If anything, it's a biography of voter disenfranchisement in Texas specifically, and its connection to healthcare, immigration, public schools, and other political issues.
There is one chapter that feels a little more campaign biography-ish than the rest (Pecos County), but overall, Beto does an excellent job weaving historical accounts of Texas organizers and activists and local Texas history.
For me the strongest part of this book is the telling of lesser known Texas history I'd not heard of before (with a couple of exceptions in a vague familiarity sense). Examples being the Porvenir massacre, the '49 Bowie Bears baseball triumph, the 1917 bath riots of migrant workers led by Carmelita Torres, the Sugar Land prison camp opening in 1909 as part of the "Black Codes" that replaced legalized slavery with prison labor, and the many examples of times (white, conservative) Texas officials overturned election results that weren't in their favor, claiming nonexistent voter fraud.
He then connects those stories to present day Texas figures and themes we see still playing out, like the recycled narratives of xenophobia that are trotted out during every era of large immigration movements, all the way back to the German/Irish of the 19th century being met with anti-Catholic anxiety and, subsequently, the KKK, and its similarity to the language surrounding the "stochastic terrorism" leading up to the El Paso Walmart massacre in 2019. He also heralds the plethora of heroes Texas has produced, in irony or perhaps to be expected along with the plethora of villains - and makes sure to spend time on the remarkable courage of Black women like Barbara Jordan, the fearless first Black woman elected to Congress from the South, and Opal Lee, the "grandmother of Juneteenth," and organizations like LULAC.
Some of it reads like a classic rally speech on the importance of voting rights, democracy, access to healthcare, etc, but what sets these sections apart are the connections that circle back to a present day Texan and a Texan of yesteryear who represents that fight.
I got straight up chills at times, like during the story of former state representative Jose Tomas Canales, the lone member of the Texas legislature who, in 1918, to the vitriol of most of his colleagues and death threats from the public, actually fought for a real investigation of the Porvenir massacre (which uncovered 1500 pages of evidence that rather than "a shootout" as law enforcement originally claimed, it was in fact a targeted act of racial terrorism by the Texas Rangers on unarmed Mexican Americans). The understated reveal that one of his few colleagues on the legislature acting as his bodyguard during the hearings was the literal father of future Voting Rights Act president LBJ was ::chef's kiss:: so well done.
So, I would definitely recommend, if not for the politics, then for the fascinating history of a place that is both very reflective of American culture and also entirely its own all at once.
There is one chapter that feels a little more campaign biography-ish than the rest (Pecos County), but overall, Beto does an excellent job weaving historical accounts of Texas organizers and activists and local Texas history.
For me the strongest part of this book is the telling of lesser known Texas history I'd not heard of before (with a couple of exceptions in a vague familiarity sense). Examples being the Porvenir massacre, the '49 Bowie Bears baseball triumph, the 1917 bath riots of migrant workers led by Carmelita Torres, the Sugar Land prison camp opening in 1909 as part of the "Black Codes" that replaced legalized slavery with prison labor, and the many examples of times (white, conservative) Texas officials overturned election results that weren't in their favor, claiming nonexistent voter fraud.
He then connects those stories to present day Texas figures and themes we see still playing out, like the recycled narratives of xenophobia that are trotted out during every era of large immigration movements, all the way back to the German/Irish of the 19th century being met with anti-Catholic anxiety and, subsequently, the KKK, and its similarity to the language surrounding the "stochastic terrorism" leading up to the El Paso Walmart massacre in 2019. He also heralds the plethora of heroes Texas has produced, in irony or perhaps to be expected along with the plethora of villains - and makes sure to spend time on the remarkable courage of Black women like Barbara Jordan, the fearless first Black woman elected to Congress from the South, and Opal Lee, the "grandmother of Juneteenth," and organizations like LULAC.
Some of it reads like a classic rally speech on the importance of voting rights, democracy, access to healthcare, etc, but what sets these sections apart are the connections that circle back to a present day Texan and a Texan of yesteryear who represents that fight.
I got straight up chills at times, like during the story of former state representative Jose Tomas Canales, the lone member of the Texas legislature who, in 1918, to the vitriol of most of his colleagues and death threats from the public, actually fought for a real investigation of the Porvenir massacre (which uncovered 1500 pages of evidence that rather than "a shootout" as law enforcement originally claimed, it was in fact a targeted act of racial terrorism by the Texas Rangers on unarmed Mexican Americans). The understated reveal that one of his few colleagues on the legislature acting as his bodyguard during the hearings was the literal father of future Voting Rights Act president LBJ was ::chef's kiss:: so well done.
So, I would definitely recommend, if not for the politics, then for the fascinating history of a place that is both very reflective of American culture and also entirely its own all at once.
February 6, 2023
Sometimes when you go in blind to a book, you get something way different than expected. Such was the case with Beto O’Rouke’s newest book, We’ve Got to Try.
I went into this book thinking it would be more of a memoir. I expected to hear behind the scenes details about his runs for senate and president. Instead, the book focuses on flaws in Texas government and how we can fix them.
I’ve been a Texan for 12 years now and I’ve supported Beto in each run. I share the same concerns and outrage Beto discusses in this book, but what I didn’t have prior to hearing more about the initiatives he’s taken, is hope.
One of my favorite parts of the way this book is structured is how he references specific cases, such as that of Lawrence Nixon, to show the effects these laws had on real Texans. Making that personal connection is, I think, what drives most of us into action and made me even more motivated to help the cause.
Whatever your political affiliation, understanding the flaws and history of our state political system, particularly its voting laws, can help us to avoid making those same mistakes. We need clear action to make voting more accessible for everyone.
I hope Beto stays in this fight. He always has my vote.
I went into this book thinking it would be more of a memoir. I expected to hear behind the scenes details about his runs for senate and president. Instead, the book focuses on flaws in Texas government and how we can fix them.
I’ve been a Texan for 12 years now and I’ve supported Beto in each run. I share the same concerns and outrage Beto discusses in this book, but what I didn’t have prior to hearing more about the initiatives he’s taken, is hope.
One of my favorite parts of the way this book is structured is how he references specific cases, such as that of Lawrence Nixon, to show the effects these laws had on real Texans. Making that personal connection is, I think, what drives most of us into action and made me even more motivated to help the cause.
Whatever your political affiliation, understanding the flaws and history of our state political system, particularly its voting laws, can help us to avoid making those same mistakes. We need clear action to make voting more accessible for everyone.
I hope Beto stays in this fight. He always has my vote.
October 14, 2022
Do I love the guy? No. Is he the best option for Texas right now? Absolutely. And because of that, I gave his book a chance.
It’s very weirdly structured and has some real genre issues. The beginning was a lot of history of Texas and voter rights and how oppressed people in Texas overcame suppression. Then there was a bunch of Me Me Vote For Me kind of messages being sent which made me worry it was going to just be like a campaign type book. But then the last part was all about issues in Texas recently and how of happened but there were no real solutions presented or examples of people fighting back. So like is this a book about people who have overcome or is it a campaign message about all of his plans to fix current problems? It was very unclear throughout the book and even less clear at the end.
Ultimately, it did not give me hope nor convince me to try in hard times. Not the inspirational story I’m sure he was going for, but it had some pretty decent history of Texas as the GOP that I liked a lot! Don’t really recommend tbh.
It’s very weirdly structured and has some real genre issues. The beginning was a lot of history of Texas and voter rights and how oppressed people in Texas overcame suppression. Then there was a bunch of Me Me Vote For Me kind of messages being sent which made me worry it was going to just be like a campaign type book. But then the last part was all about issues in Texas recently and how of happened but there were no real solutions presented or examples of people fighting back. So like is this a book about people who have overcome or is it a campaign message about all of his plans to fix current problems? It was very unclear throughout the book and even less clear at the end.
Ultimately, it did not give me hope nor convince me to try in hard times. Not the inspirational story I’m sure he was going for, but it had some pretty decent history of Texas as the GOP that I liked a lot! Don’t really recommend tbh.
November 2, 2022
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I started reading with a critical interest, expecting the book to be a big “vote for me!” statement. To my delight, he barely even mentioned his own political career. This book was a informative, challenging, and insightful history and commentary on voter suppression, specifically but not exclusively in Texas. As a native Texas, I was deeply saddened to learn more of our unjust past of oppression, and encouraged to hear stories of triumph of those who have fought to continue the progress of voting rights for all Americas. I highly recommend for anyone interested in history, Texas, and the discussion around voting rights, regardless of your political affiliation or thoughts on Beto as a politician.
October 17, 2022
I tend to think political memoirs or biographies to be a waste of time…they either always feel ingenious or don’t necessarily teach me anything new (what can I say…I’m a political nerd). This book, however, is not either of those things. This book tells so many important stories about the ways voting rights have been repressed for POC in the state of Texas. Beto weaves his own campaigning experience throughout the book, but his political career and agenda never takes center stage. As someone born and raised in Texas, I did not know ANY of the historical stories in this book. I highly recommend this book.
March 10, 2024
3.5! Saw Beto on book tour in Decatur last week and he was ~dreamy~ for sure. Also a really impressive public speaker. His short, but jam-packed book, followed this act quite nicely— he weaved together lots of personal and historical stories into a narrative about the urgency of protecting/promoting voting rights (and he is spot on). I enjoyed the structure and delivery and would recommend.
July 13, 2024
I also love you, Mr Beto o rourke and I think the country would be so much better if people thought like you
May 19, 2023
It is scary some of the things that were done in the past to keep minorities from voting and things like that are still happning today! Look at our own Harris County. ONE drop box in the entire county?? For 5 million people???And our legislature is trying to make it so that if they do not agree with an election they can change it. I hope Beto continues to fight for voter's rights.
August 21, 2022
When I saw the title of Beto O’Rourke’s new book, We’ve Got to Try, I thought, “yes, exactly! What are we trying?” We are trying to save democracy by rescuing voting rights from people who want to suppress it. That’s important, right? I think it’s important. I think it’s important to try and keep trying especially when success isn’t guaranteed. In We’ve Got to Try: How the Fight for Voting Rights Makes Everything Else Possible, O’Rourke is telling the stories of the people who fought for voting rights in Texas since the end of the Civil War. The people whose stories he is telling are regular citizens who should not have had to fight in order to exercise their Constitutional right to vote.
I was born, raised and educated through high school in Texas. I thought I had a good education. Of the history that Beto talks about, I learned almost none of it in school. I probably learned more about Reconstruction from yearly viewings of Gone With the Wind, than I did from my public schools. Without context, those viewings of GWtW certainly gave me the idea that the Civil War and Reconstruction happened somewhere else in a time disconnected from my life. I am appalled by the history I did not learn, but also heartened by the long tradition of fighting for the right to vote. Without all citizens having the right to vote, none of our rights are safe.
We’ve Got to Try is focused on Texans and Texas history, but what happens here impacts the nation. I suspect Texas isn’t alone in glossing over the struggles of Black and Brown communities in public school history lessons. I hope that readers inside and outside of Texas will read this and commit to working to regain or protect voting rights in their area. This is a local, State, and Federal issue, but there won’t be Federal action without local movements. Even if you feel secure where you are, please support voting rights organizations that are doing the work in places where our right to vote is being suppressed.
I was born, raised and educated through high school in Texas. I thought I had a good education. Of the history that Beto talks about, I learned almost none of it in school. I probably learned more about Reconstruction from yearly viewings of Gone With the Wind, than I did from my public schools. Without context, those viewings of GWtW certainly gave me the idea that the Civil War and Reconstruction happened somewhere else in a time disconnected from my life. I am appalled by the history I did not learn, but also heartened by the long tradition of fighting for the right to vote. Without all citizens having the right to vote, none of our rights are safe.
We’ve Got to Try is focused on Texans and Texas history, but what happens here impacts the nation. I suspect Texas isn’t alone in glossing over the struggles of Black and Brown communities in public school history lessons. I hope that readers inside and outside of Texas will read this and commit to working to regain or protect voting rights in their area. This is a local, State, and Federal issue, but there won’t be Federal action without local movements. Even if you feel secure where you are, please support voting rights organizations that are doing the work in places where our right to vote is being suppressed.
We must embrace the challenges before us. Because our democracy, which makes everything that is essential to this country possible, is on the line. And while the outcome of the fight before us might be uncertain, we know one thing for sure. We’ve got to try.
January 7, 2023
I love Beto O Rourke. I commend him trying to influence a challenging state like Texas. This book was informative and insightful. I Won this as a Goodreads GIveaway in exchange for an honest review.
December 25, 2023
“The challenge we must accept is not only to go out and vote, but to make sure every eligible American can do the same. If our history has taught us anything, it is that democracy is never guaranteed. The fight is never fully won. And while progress is always possible, backsliding, suppression, and even violence are inevitable unless we consciously commit ourselves to the work before us. We are always becoming a democracy; it never ends. It can be exhausting, daunting, even brutal work. But compared to the alternative? We don’t have a choice.”
Excerpt From
We've Got to Try
Beto O'Rourke
We’ve Got to Try by Beto O’Rourke / illustrates how fucking murderous and crazy white people are in terms of killing, murdering, torturing and intimidating black and brown folks as a means of repressing their vote.
Infinitely readable. Depressing. Necessary. He’s trying to build an army especially of those in his community of El Paso to fight back against these situations.
He talks about how that disgusting Cheeto-coloured maniac used dog whistles and outright racism and discrimination to malign Black and Brown folks, and others, causing trauma and death in those communities from whites hellbent on not being “replaced”.
70% - “In a manifesto the shooter posted just before entering the Walmart, he wrote that he was responding to the “Hispanic invasion of Texas.” This, of course, was a key part of then-president Donald Trump’s message of resentment and fear, which began the day he launched his campaign.
“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” he declared. “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”
An investigation by USA Today after the El Paso shooting found that the president used words like “invasion,” “alien,” “killer,” “predator,” “criminal,” and “animal” at his rallies to describe immigrants more than five hundred times.
At another rally, in Florida in May 2019, just three months before the El Paso shooting, the president rhetorically asked the assembled crowd how they were going to stop people from coming into the United States.
“Shoot them!” someone yelled in response.””
* Excerpt From: We've Got to Try by Beto O'Rourke
This book has a lot of important things to say about the USA. I find the man interesting and passionate and this book title drew me in, so here we are.
I learned the term for an important concept: stochastic terrorism
71% - “Social scientists use the term “stochastic terrorism” to describe the public vilification of a group or community resulting in the incitement of a violent act. The stochastic terrorist does not say, “Kill this specific person in this place at this time”; instead he says, “We are being invaded and we must take matters into our own hands.”
Excerpt From: We've Got to Try by Beto O'Rourke
A whole heap of white saviorism, and definitely Texas-centric. As I said before, the man has got passion and seemingly got his head screwed on straight, in this day and age and in these perilous times, that’s gotta count for something.
Excerpt From
We've Got to Try
Beto O'Rourke
We’ve Got to Try by Beto O’Rourke / illustrates how fucking murderous and crazy white people are in terms of killing, murdering, torturing and intimidating black and brown folks as a means of repressing their vote.
Infinitely readable. Depressing. Necessary. He’s trying to build an army especially of those in his community of El Paso to fight back against these situations.
He talks about how that disgusting Cheeto-coloured maniac used dog whistles and outright racism and discrimination to malign Black and Brown folks, and others, causing trauma and death in those communities from whites hellbent on not being “replaced”.
70% - “In a manifesto the shooter posted just before entering the Walmart, he wrote that he was responding to the “Hispanic invasion of Texas.” This, of course, was a key part of then-president Donald Trump’s message of resentment and fear, which began the day he launched his campaign.
“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” he declared. “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”
An investigation by USA Today after the El Paso shooting found that the president used words like “invasion,” “alien,” “killer,” “predator,” “criminal,” and “animal” at his rallies to describe immigrants more than five hundred times.
At another rally, in Florida in May 2019, just three months before the El Paso shooting, the president rhetorically asked the assembled crowd how they were going to stop people from coming into the United States.
“Shoot them!” someone yelled in response.””
* Excerpt From: We've Got to Try by Beto O'Rourke
This book has a lot of important things to say about the USA. I find the man interesting and passionate and this book title drew me in, so here we are.
I learned the term for an important concept: stochastic terrorism
71% - “Social scientists use the term “stochastic terrorism” to describe the public vilification of a group or community resulting in the incitement of a violent act. The stochastic terrorist does not say, “Kill this specific person in this place at this time”; instead he says, “We are being invaded and we must take matters into our own hands.”
Excerpt From: We've Got to Try by Beto O'Rourke
A whole heap of white saviorism, and definitely Texas-centric. As I said before, the man has got passion and seemingly got his head screwed on straight, in this day and age and in these perilous times, that’s gotta count for something.
July 24, 2025
In 1924, Dr. Lawrence Nixon attempted to vote in the Democratic Presidential Primary, knowing that Texas state law forbade a black man like himself from voting in the election. When election officials turned him away, Nixon responded: "I've got to try.'
Beto O'Rourke grew up in the south Texas border town of El Paso, TX, where he witnessed firsthand attempts to prevent African Americans, Mexican Americans, and other minorities from participating in the democratic process. In his 2022 book "We've Got to Try," O'Rourke documents the history of Texas voter suppression, beginning in the days following the Civil War.
Racist politicians, the Ku Klux Klan, and other proponents of white supremacy instituted poll taxes, closed polling places, limited voting hours in selected neighborhoods, and redrew districts to make it harder for some citizens to vote. The aggressors enhanced their efforts through intimidation, assault, and murder. These tactics were effective in limiting voter turnout among some segments of the population.
Laws were often ineffective in fighting institutional racism. When the Fifteenth Amendment banned slavery, it contained a loophole allowing forced labor of prisoners. Texans increased the arrest rate of young black men, which continued to provide free labor to former slaveholders. President Lyndon Johnson (a Texas native) signed the Voting Rights Act into law in 1965, which should have ended these policies, but those in power frequently ignored or skirted this law.
Although O'Rourke focused this book on Texas, the lessons are applicable across the United States. Worse, people continue to use these methods today. He includes two chapters on proposed integration reform, pointing out how xenophobia and stoking the fear of "others" is a powerful way to convince voters to maintain the status quo.
Despite publishing this during his campaign for Governor, this is far from a "Campaign Biography." Instead, O'Rourke focuses on educating the reader about an essential part of Texan and American history.
"We've Got to Try" remains relevant today. A failed presidential candidate recently inspired his supporters to attempt a violent coup on the US Capitol following his election loss, and some states are passing laws to punish teachers who point out racist activities in our country's history. Our first step in combatting discrimination is to recognize when and where it has occurred in the past.
Beto O'Rourke grew up in the south Texas border town of El Paso, TX, where he witnessed firsthand attempts to prevent African Americans, Mexican Americans, and other minorities from participating in the democratic process. In his 2022 book "We've Got to Try," O'Rourke documents the history of Texas voter suppression, beginning in the days following the Civil War.
Racist politicians, the Ku Klux Klan, and other proponents of white supremacy instituted poll taxes, closed polling places, limited voting hours in selected neighborhoods, and redrew districts to make it harder for some citizens to vote. The aggressors enhanced their efforts through intimidation, assault, and murder. These tactics were effective in limiting voter turnout among some segments of the population.
Laws were often ineffective in fighting institutional racism. When the Fifteenth Amendment banned slavery, it contained a loophole allowing forced labor of prisoners. Texans increased the arrest rate of young black men, which continued to provide free labor to former slaveholders. President Lyndon Johnson (a Texas native) signed the Voting Rights Act into law in 1965, which should have ended these policies, but those in power frequently ignored or skirted this law.
Although O'Rourke focused this book on Texas, the lessons are applicable across the United States. Worse, people continue to use these methods today. He includes two chapters on proposed integration reform, pointing out how xenophobia and stoking the fear of "others" is a powerful way to convince voters to maintain the status quo.
Despite publishing this during his campaign for Governor, this is far from a "Campaign Biography." Instead, O'Rourke focuses on educating the reader about an essential part of Texan and American history.
"We've Got to Try" remains relevant today. A failed presidential candidate recently inspired his supporters to attempt a violent coup on the US Capitol following his election loss, and some states are passing laws to punish teachers who point out racist activities in our country's history. Our first step in combatting discrimination is to recognize when and where it has occurred in the past.
March 1, 2025
One More off the Fanciers’ Shelf
We’ve Got to Try isn’t just a history book—it’s a gut-check on democracy, told with the kind of fire that doesn’t fizzle out. Beto O’Rourke lays it all out plain, showing how everyday folks, not just big names in history, fought to make sure everybody gets a say at the ballot box. This book doesn’t tiptoe around anything—it pulls you straight into the hard-fought battles, from Texas sharecroppers standing up against Jim Crow to Latinos and Black activists refusing to be shut out of their own future. It’s about grit, comunidad, and the idea that democracy isn’t just a right—it’s a fight.
The whole thing’s packed with struggle and hope, like a good corrido passed down so folks don’t forget where they come from. Beto doesn’t write like some professor talking over your head—his voice is straight-up, like he’s sitting on a front porch telling you why this all matters. You feel the push and pull of history in every page—the patróns trying to hold power, the gente refusing to let go of their dignity, the old cycle of gains and losses that still echoes today.
At its heart, this book is about resilience—that never-quit spirit that runs deep. It’s about justice—how it isn’t just given, but earned with sweat and sacrifice. And it’s about legacy—how the ones who came before us built the road, and it’s on us to keep walking it. We’ve Got to Try doesn’t just make you think—it makes you feel, makes you want to stand a little taller, fight a little harder, and remember that history isn’t just behind us—it’s still being written, and we’re the ones holding the pen.
We’ve Got to Try isn’t just a history book—it’s a gut-check on democracy, told with the kind of fire that doesn’t fizzle out. Beto O’Rourke lays it all out plain, showing how everyday folks, not just big names in history, fought to make sure everybody gets a say at the ballot box. This book doesn’t tiptoe around anything—it pulls you straight into the hard-fought battles, from Texas sharecroppers standing up against Jim Crow to Latinos and Black activists refusing to be shut out of their own future. It’s about grit, comunidad, and the idea that democracy isn’t just a right—it’s a fight.
The whole thing’s packed with struggle and hope, like a good corrido passed down so folks don’t forget where they come from. Beto doesn’t write like some professor talking over your head—his voice is straight-up, like he’s sitting on a front porch telling you why this all matters. You feel the push and pull of history in every page—the patróns trying to hold power, the gente refusing to let go of their dignity, the old cycle of gains and losses that still echoes today.
At its heart, this book is about resilience—that never-quit spirit that runs deep. It’s about justice—how it isn’t just given, but earned with sweat and sacrifice. And it’s about legacy—how the ones who came before us built the road, and it’s on us to keep walking it. We’ve Got to Try doesn’t just make you think—it makes you feel, makes you want to stand a little taller, fight a little harder, and remember that history isn’t just behind us—it’s still being written, and we’re the ones holding the pen.
October 11, 2022
I thought I would like this book and learn a fair bit about Texas, but I was very surprised by how engaged and invested I became throughout the text. I don't live in Texas and didn't care to learn much about it, but I am a fan of Beto and thought it would be interesting to read his book. I have to say that Texas became such a fully realized place for me. The history that has been suppressed and rewritten was so fascinating to learn about. I learned so much about voting rights in the United States and how it is currently being stripped from Americans. Beto's writing is very easy to follow, and he breaks down every topic in great care and detail. I listened to the audiobook, and I think everyone should listen to this novel before the midterms. It is only 5 hours long, and Beto narrates it himself. He is so engaging by mixing history to current day examples. This book gave me the needed boost to continue the fight for democracy. I felt inspired and hopeful (but still realistic) for this first time in awhile. I've got to keep trying, and we've got to try. An easy to start anyone's journey is to pick this book up. Highly recommend!
July 16, 2023
I think this book's main strength (besides the specific examples, which were really good and interesting) is how convincingly it argues that progress can be made even during periods of huge setbacks. To me that was the most striking part of the "we've got to try" message: that although it is tempting to think we have to wait for optimal conditions and then throw everything we have behind a cause, that's not actually feasible or helpful. The ebb and flow of history and justice is infuriating with the many set-backs, but hopeful with the victories (often, as O'Rourke mentions, in the face of even worse odds.)
I do agree with other reviewers that the book is a little light on specific ways for regular people to take action - even a few basics or helpful links would have made this a more well-rounded book.
That said, still very interesting and informative even when I was already completely on-board with the whole premise of the book. And I thought O'Rourke did an excellent job narrating his own book as well.
CW: Racism, lynching, violence, murder, mass shooting, references to COVID-19
I do agree with other reviewers that the book is a little light on specific ways for regular people to take action - even a few basics or helpful links would have made this a more well-rounded book.
That said, still very interesting and informative even when I was already completely on-board with the whole premise of the book. And I thought O'Rourke did an excellent job narrating his own book as well.
CW: Racism, lynching, violence, murder, mass shooting, references to COVID-19
November 11, 2022
Ironically enough, I finished this book the day Beto O’Rourke lost the governor election. So far, he’s 0/3 in running for major office.
Beto is obsessed with Dr. Lawrence Nixon, an El Paso physician that struggled through most of his life to obtain the right to vote. Nixon’s story, along with the deeply segregated and oppressive Texas political history, makes the book interesting.
It’s when Beto pushes politics, and blames the recent El Paso shooting massacre directly on the Republicans, that the read veers into leftist propaganda.
Also of note: Beto claims San Antonio changing the school Lee High School name was a triumph for the state, and the country as a whole. This is completely inaccurate. Texans on both sides of the party line absolutely condemned what cost local SA taxpayers millions of dollars.
The result?
L.E.E.
I’m not even joking. Google it.
I’m a democrat, but I’m pretty sure everyone is getting a little tired of the optimistic (albeit misguided) political hopeful.
Beto is obsessed with Dr. Lawrence Nixon, an El Paso physician that struggled through most of his life to obtain the right to vote. Nixon’s story, along with the deeply segregated and oppressive Texas political history, makes the book interesting.
It’s when Beto pushes politics, and blames the recent El Paso shooting massacre directly on the Republicans, that the read veers into leftist propaganda.
Also of note: Beto claims San Antonio changing the school Lee High School name was a triumph for the state, and the country as a whole. This is completely inaccurate. Texans on both sides of the party line absolutely condemned what cost local SA taxpayers millions of dollars.
The result?
L.E.E.
I’m not even joking. Google it.
I’m a democrat, but I’m pretty sure everyone is getting a little tired of the optimistic (albeit misguided) political hopeful.
October 16, 2023
For a book by a politician this is excellent. For a book in general it is still excellent. I usually don't like political books; they are usually extremely self absorbed or try and be so intelligent the book becomes unreadable word jumbles. This is neither of those things
Yes, Beto does talk about growing up in El Paso and his time on the campaign trail. However most of the book chronicles the history of voting rights in Texas. If the book was just his memoir I don't think I would have liked it. Beto, u seem cool no diss, Im just not trying to read that kinda book.
The stories are compelling and easy to read. This book is not complicated or technical for the sake of being "smart". This book is smart while still being easily digestible. I appreciate that.
You will like this book even if you aren't from Texas. I've never even been to Texas but the story of brave Texans standing up for what's right moved me. I cried several times while reading this book. (Of inspiration, sadness, and hope mainly)
P. S. El Paso seems like a cool place, I hope to go someday.
Yes, Beto does talk about growing up in El Paso and his time on the campaign trail. However most of the book chronicles the history of voting rights in Texas. If the book was just his memoir I don't think I would have liked it. Beto, u seem cool no diss, Im just not trying to read that kinda book.
The stories are compelling and easy to read. This book is not complicated or technical for the sake of being "smart". This book is smart while still being easily digestible. I appreciate that.
You will like this book even if you aren't from Texas. I've never even been to Texas but the story of brave Texans standing up for what's right moved me. I cried several times while reading this book. (Of inspiration, sadness, and hope mainly)
P. S. El Paso seems like a cool place, I hope to go someday.
October 7, 2023
I am not someone who is into politics or professes to be supporter of any party because I believe in looking at each issue and proposed approach separately. I appreciate that this book does not overtly push you towards agreeing with everything said. It is more persuasive than pushy. This book looks at history, politics, and proposes multiple solutions to widely acknowledged problems. It does this in an informative and helpful way. I am not a Texan, but I truly enjoyed reading this book. I loved learning about the history of various activists! The highlight on voter suppression and the ways it still exists today was very needed and appreciated. I loved many things about this book. I learned a ton. It is easy to follow so I would recommend it to anyone who isn't sure about reading political books without hesitation. I promise it is not filled with so much lingo and unexplained references that you get lost. It is a wonderful book!
January 28, 2025
I originally chose to read this because I really like Beto’s approach to politics so it was a surprise when like the first half he barely talked about himself. I’m not a Texas resident so I had no idea about the history of the fight for voting rights and everything that happened in the 19th and 20th century. Was a very eye opening book.. especially since all I did know is the horrific act of terror at a Walmart in 2019 and how hard it is to vote there currently. I really enjoyed the read and found myself tearing up a few times.
I’m from a reliably red state (Florida) and moved to a blue area a year ago. I have sometimes thought that I abandoned Florida (I’m very into politics) and that I should’ve stayed and become more involved. So in a way this made me feel a little guilty too. I guess sometimes you have to make the best choice for yourself.
I’m from a reliably red state (Florida) and moved to a blue area a year ago. I have sometimes thought that I abandoned Florida (I’m very into politics) and that I should’ve stayed and become more involved. So in a way this made me feel a little guilty too. I guess sometimes you have to make the best choice for yourself.
September 9, 2022
Powerful, Sobering Raw Truth that inspires. I love the title "We've Got to Try" because it applies to every aspect of our lives. I appreciate this book so much because it gives a straight forward history lesson for Texans that impacts the lives of all Americans in every state. I love the author's passion for tenacity and perseverance, it is truly infectious and inspiring. I am a "simple, everyday nobody" that can see that powerful changes come from people just like me. It is the will and determination to make America live up to its ideals of justice and equality that eventually win the day over long periods of time; sometimes our life times. I especially recommend this book for young people from High School to young adulthood.
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