<p>I have known Linda Chavez for many years, and have read her for even longer. Do you know I had a hard time introducing her? I really did. This is what I wound up saying:</p><p>... our guest is Linda Chavez—whose life has been so multifaceted, it takes a while to sum up.</p><p>She has held several governmental positions. She ran for the U.S. Senate. She is the founder and chairman of the <a target="_blank" href="https://ceousa.org/">Center for Equal Opportunity</a>. She is the vice-chairman of the <a target="_blank" href="https://rdi.org/">Renew Democracy Initiative</a>.</p><p>She is a policy analyst. A columnist. A book-author. Her autobiography, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Conservative-Transformation-Ex-liber-ebook/dp/B06XBXZ6KJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3UJ458J4MR0N&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.eppxv7BgWa4WZNgzXdljRpps5TlNPfZGrZfgj1bonUw.yCLy6d4ZEB7mLDw_QWap_3PDlHmUBW-qDxkStIHtbnE&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=an+unlikely+conservative+linda+chavez&#38;qid=1767924146&#38;sprefix=an+unlikely+conservative+linda+chave%2Caps%2C126&#38;sr=8-1"><em>An Unlikely Conservative</em></a>, is outstanding. She has now written a novel: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Candlesticks-Novel-Spanish-Inquisition/dp/B0DQ61B4RC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AADJ2Q78W4NL&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.npKzHIBBz_Fvqm8pPKXakA.izbUPoMYu_sowr1Ud3W2aJz2Ti6B5pxiEWAosAHS94w&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=the+silver+candlesticks+linda+chavez&#38;qid=1767924169&#38;sprefix=linda+chavez+silver%2Caps%2C140&#38;sr=8-1"><em>The Silver Candlesticks</em></a>. It has a subtitle: <em>A Novel of the Spanish Inquisition</em>.</p><p><em>The Silver Candlesticks</em> tells the story of the author’s family—her father’s side. A fascinating story it is.</p><p>That family has been in the United States—or what became the United States—for many, many years. How many? Well, Linda puts it this way: By the time the colonists got around to signing the Declaration of Independence, her family had been here for almost 200 years.</p><p>Beat <em>that</em>, as Bill Buckley would say.</p><p>So, is Linda Chavez a “Heritage American,” to use the new nativist jargon? She is an American, and she loves this country’s heritage: the principles and ideals embodied in our founding.</p><p>She has spent a lot of time on the issue of immigration, and we discuss it a bit in our <em>Q&A</em>. We also discuss the phrase “equal opportunity”—as in the name of her organization, the Center for Equal Opportunity. She is eloquent on that phrase, that concept, as on everything else.</p><p>At the end of our podcast, I ask her an embarrassing question—but not so embarrassing that I don’t ask it. It is a question that has been asked in every generation: “Are we losing America?”</p><p>We never have. But—is some worry in order? Linda is, again, darn eloquent.</p><p>Every time she talks, it’s like a civics lesson. I will now stop typing so you can listen to her.</p><p><p><em>Q&A</em> is the podcast of this site, <em>Onward and Upward</em>. The site is supported by readers and listeners. To receive new articles and episodes—and to support the work of the writer and podcaster—become a free or paid subscriber. Great thanks.</p></p><p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Onward and Upward at <a href="https://www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe</a>