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A Native Texan on The New Texas Marriage Ban
[Editors Note: DCP regular Native Texan sends us this report on the what happened in Texas yesterday. Many thanks go to Native for the time and effort spent so that we may gain a beter understanding and greater insight into Texas politics.]
I teach at a small, secular private high school in Texas. The faculty is almost all liberal, with a few painful exceptions. Since it is Texas, after all, the majority of the students hold the conservative views of their parents. However, there are many smart, dedicated liberal students as well. Yesterday they made us all proud.
For the first time yesterday, our school was being used as a polling place. Texans were voting on a ban on gay marriage.
On Monday, thinking it would be an educational experience, a few other teachers and I took our morning classes to the room where the voting was to take place to hear from the Republican head of the precinct. I honestly do not remember ever being so mad in my life.
This man passed out propaganda from the Free Market Organization and referred to Democrats as “black hats” and Republicans as “white hats.” When a student asked a simple question regarding technicalities of how the precincts are determined, this man opened up a pocket constitution, read the first amendment, declared that “separation between church and state should not exist,” and THREW the constitution at another teacher! Then he passed out an article which he himself had written in support of the ban on gay marriage, which said *DIRECT QUOTE* “Nothing good came out of the 1960s...Everything that was good in the 60s turned bad.” It was disgusting.
The good news is that the students who were there to hear him, excepting just one, recognized how hateful and unjust this was.
The next day, election day, three seniors bought poster board and markers and began making signs in support of equal rights and against Proposition Two, the ban on gay marriage. Others joined in and made more and more signs. During lunch, which happened to be when the most people came by to vote, around 30 students held their own signs outside the school and chanted “Prop. Two will not do!” Some of the best signs said:
All men are created equal. When we say ALL, we mean ALL!
Keep CHURCH and STATE separate!
Marriage = *heart* + *heart*
Love Thy Neighbor
How would you feel if it was you?
Land of The Free: VOTE NO ON PROP. 2
...and there were many others. People took pictures and I will send them here as soon as I get them!
The best part was, the Republican head of the precinct came back. He got out his own sign which said “Marriage = man + woman,” and some students walked right over to him with their “Marriage = *heart* + *heart*” signs. He started talking to them about his church and its values, and the students calmly and respectfully, but forcefully shot back that we don’t live in his church, we live in the United States, which promises equal rights for all.
The man then told them that separation of church and state was invented in the 1960s, and one girl yelled “That’s not true! Read Thomas Jefferson!” which made me think of [DCP commentor] Indy and how he used to always post Jefferson’s remarks on religious freedom.
Anyway, the man went on to say that nothing good came out of the 60s, and the students all at once yelled “the civil rights movement!” and the man stormed off. Later I heard him tell another teacher “all homosexuals should be shipped out of the country.” I know that’s sickening, and of course the proposition passed (one other reason why I’m glad I’ll be moving to Massachusetts soon) but the story is actually uplifting in that the students came up with the idea, organized, and carried this out themselves.
This is really the activism that the DCP is all about, peaceful and forceful. Moreover, the students educated their peers and felt good about themselves afterwards. They stayed outside the entire lunch period. Many of the students can vote already, but all will be able to within four years. The future is in good hands.
On the actual amendment itself...
Yes, it is a ban on gay marriage. But just to show you how ridiculous and fear-driven this whole thing is.... if you read the text of the amendment, it actually bans MARRIAGE. All marriage. First it defines marriage as a union of one man and one woman, saying “Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman.” Then, it says what Texas WILL NOT recognize: “This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.” They mean to say that they will not recognize anything similar or identical to this THAT IS NOT BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN. But this part is not in there, and the only thing identical to the union of one man and one woman is... well... the union between one man and one woman! So literally, the amendment defines marriage.... and then declares that the state will not recognize it.
That’s right, yesterday the state of Texas voted to ban marriage.
Don't mess with Texas... they are doing a fine job of that on their own.
good for the students!!!
What a great story, NT! Yes, the kids do get it. When they have exposure to a range of ideas, they generally choose the one that makes the most sense--logically and experientially.
I really do not understand men like the Republican you saw yesterday. Is it possible he was educated in this country? Did he miss "Yellow Submarine" and the Blue Meanies?
Sometimes when these guys are yapping at me about what Jesus wants us to do, I picture the Blue Meanies with their high heels and squeaky voices and imperious air--and the resemblance is quite startling.
The kids saw the movie too...
Thanks guys!
I need some help... does anyone know sites or information about the tactics/propaganda that military recruiters are using in our public schools?
I especially love the part about the homeless abortion providers...
THE SPECIAL ELECTION
CALIFORNIANS SAY NO TO SCHWARZENEGGER
ANALYSIS: His next challenge is to rebuild bipartisan support
Carla Marinucci and John Wildermuth, Chronicle Political Writers
Wednesday, November 9, 2005
Los Angeles -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger found his box office appeal and rhetoric as a reformer couldn't convince California voters that his special election initiatives were critical to the state's future.
With about three-quarters of the ballots counted, all four of the Republican governor's measures were headed for defeat.
The resounding defeat of the governor's self-styled reform effort leaves him weakened as he heads into his 2006 re-election campaign and forced to deal with a Democratic majority in the Legislature pumped up by Tuesday's victories.
"He's now carried out his thermonuclear threat to go to the ballot box,'' said Garry South, a veteran Democratic strategist. "Guess who's going to get nuked -- and it's not the Democratic Legislature.''
With a pair of Democrats -- state Controller Steve Westly and state Treasurer Phil Angelides -- angling to run against Schwarzenegger next year, the Legislature won't be eager to hand the governor any victories he can tout in his re-election campaign.
And the election results -- defeats for teacher tenure (Proposition 74), union dues (Prop. 75), Schwarzenegger's signature budget reform measure (Prop. 76) and redistricting (Prop. 77) -- showed Democrats they have little to fear from opposing a governor who's increasingly seen as just another Republican in a state dominated by Democrats.
"That could be his huge loss -- his ability to work with the Legislature,'' said Bruce Cain, a political science professor at UC Berkeley.
While the governor refused to concede his losses when he stepped out in front of supporters in Beverly Hills Tuesday, his aides were already trying to make the best of a bad night.
"Maybe the voters didn't buy what we were selling tonight, but that doesn't mean they don't want reform,'' said Todd Harris, a spokesman for the governor. "This governor will focus not on looking back, but on looking forward.''
[SNIP]
"This must be the worst defeat the governor has ever had,'' said Kevin Spillane, a GOP consultant. "It's not like having a movie that underperforms. This is going to be page one in every paper in California.
"Now, we have to see how he deals with defeat.''
Schwarzenegger must confront a challenging political landscape: his image and clout seriously diminished, the voters weary and cynical, and the state mired deep in political gridlock. It's almost a rerun of the climate that prompted voters to kick Democratic Gov. Gray Davis from office in the historic recall election of October 2003 that swept Schwarzenegger to power.
[snip]
"The promise of Schwarzenegger was as a bipartisan, centrist leader who would speak for constituencies north and south, left and right, black, brown, yellow and white,'' Trounstine said. "But when he made the decision to set himself against teachers, firefighters, nurses and cops, he created a hornet's nest of opposition that didn't have to be there. Now, the question is: Once the hornets are out of the nest, how do you get them back?"
[SNIP]
"If you want to fix the broken system, let us do it together, Democrats and Republicans,'' Schwarzenegger told reporters aboard his "Rebuild to Reform Express'' bus this past weekend. "I'm looking much more at the next step, bringing both parties together.''
But "bipartisanship is like virginity,'' warned Cain. "Once lost, it's never recovered.''
Many of the problems were of Schwarzenegger's own making, from talking about "kicking the butts" of California nurses to letting his opponents make the election a referendum on the governor, rather than on the ideas embodied in his ballot initiatives.
"Schwarzenegger was made to seem strident and partisan when he didn't need to be,'' said Spillane. "He should have reached out more to Democrats to come up with a bipartisan reform agenda.''
[SNIP]
"There's a real concern about overcompensation,'' said Spillane. "Many Republicans fear that Schwarzenegger will swing 180 degrees to the left and go out hugging homeless abortion providers.''
Tuesday's debacle is likely to bring other changes, including a post-election overhaul of Schwarzenegger's inner circle and political team.
[SNIP]
"It's entirely possible he will turn 180 degrees and go back to ... being the bipartisan deal maker,'' he said. "Voters could forgive and forget.''
But first, the governor has to get past the immediate fallout from the election.
[SNIP]
FOR THE COMPLETE ARTICLE: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/11/09/MNG6IFLAMD1.DTL
Posted by: NativeTexan4Kerry at November 9, 2005 12:00 PM
Hey NT - the Mainstream Moms Operation Blue (formerly known as Mainstream Moms Opposing Bush) are on top of this via Leam My Child Alone. Here's the link:
http://www.leavemychildalone.org/?mktcode=mmob
You might want to check out MMOB's site too - they focus on an education-in-action project committed to progress on issues critical to our children's futures. http://www.themmob.org/
Also, NT, try the American Friends' Service Committee--they do a lot of good work on this issue:
http://www.afsc.org
Iraq's bloody insurgency was inevitable following the U.S.-led invasion of 2003, said UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who also tried to calm regional fears over possible military action against Syria.
In Iraq, gunmen killed a second defense lawyer acting in Saddam Hussein's trial on Tuesday, renewing questions over whether the former president can get a fair trial amid Iraq's daily violence.
In a speech at the American University in Cairo, Annan said: "Opinions among Iraqis differed widely, as they still do, about the reasons for the foreign military presence in their country." He added: "It was foreseeable that some would choose to resist by force of arms."
Annan, who arrived in Cairo on Monday to kickoff a Mideast tour, earlier met Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu al-Gheit and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa for talks on Iraq, Syria and the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
He cast doubt that Syria could face an Iraq-style invasion over claims it was not cooperating with a UN probe into the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hairi and not doing enough to stop militants entering Iraq.
"I hope nobody is thinking of going in that direction. No-one in the Security Council is thinking in those terms and as I have indicated," he said.
"And I think we have enough problems in the region not to open other fronts," Annan added.
"We must resolve, as United Nations resolutions have repeatedly urged, to make the Middle East a region where all nations, including Israelis and Palestinians, can live side by side in peace and justice," Annan said in his university speech.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=19898
When the nurses watched unionbusting Prop 75 fall from 50% support to 49.9% we finally tore into the roasted suckling pig with the face of Arnold's corporate donors on it that had been layed out all night under the "Aloha Arnold" banner in anticipation of Arnold's sendoff. The nurses in their aloha scrubs and money leis celebrated after walking precincts that day. And after kicking the butt of the Governor who publicly called them special interests about a year ago and said then he was giving them a butt kicking. As California Nurses leader Rose Ann Demoro told her troops, "The shoe's now on the other foot."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-court/schwarzenegger-is-shrimp-_b_10353.html
Those nurses out there sound like a great group Fe!!
Well, Minnesota handed victories yesterday to Progressives at every level of office.
Randy Kelly, incumbent mayor of St. Paul, lost to Chris Coleman by 40 percentage points (unofficial, almost all precincts in). That's right. 40 points.
From the Kare11 website:
"In St. Paul, voters punished Mayor Randy Kelly on Tuesday for standing with President Bush a year ago, denying the Democrat a second term in Minnesota's capital city.
Former City Council member Chris Coleman, also a Democrat, routed Kelly 70 percent to 30 percent in unofficial returns with all but a few precincts reporting. Ahead of the election, independent polls showed voters were primed to fire Kelly, and most cited his 2004 endorsement of the Republican president as the reason."
In other Minnesota races for City Council, School Board, and county offices, the people chose progressive candidates over conservatives in huge numbers.
When you put that together with Arnie's major tank in CA, Corzine's win in NJ, Kaine in VA... It's a pretty clear message.
Can you hear that? It's the sound of the political winds changing.
Dover voters oust intelligent design supporters
As federal trial continues, 8 school board members lose their seats
DOVER, Pa. - Voters came down hard Tuesday on school board members who backed a statement on intelligent design being read in biology class, ousting eight Republicans and replacing them with Democrats who want the concept stripped from the science curriculum.
The election unfolded amid a landmark federal trial involving the Dover public schools and the question of whether intelligent design promotes the Bible’s view of creation. Eight Dover families sued, saying it violates the constitutional separation of church and state.
Dover’s school board adopted a policy in October 2004 that requires ninth-graders to hear a prepared statement about intelligent design before learning about evolution in biology class.
Eight of the nine school board members were up for election Tuesday. They were challenged by a slate of Democrats who argued that science class was not the appropriate forum for teaching intelligent design.
“My kids believe in God. I believe in God. But I don’t think it belongs in the science curriculum the way the school district is presenting it,” said Jill Reiter, 41, a bank teller who joined a group of high school students waving signs supporting the challengers Tuesday.
I love Minnesotta
mkh:
Rumor has it that at the victory party, the nurses formed a conga lina line chanting: "Nurses are mighty!! Nurses are mighty!!!
Money Becomes King
by Tom Petty
If you reach back in your memory
A little bell might ring
About a time that once existed
When money wasn't king
If you stretch your imagination
I'll tell you all a tale
About a time when everything
Wasn't up for sale
There was this cat named Johnny
Who loved to play and sing
When money wasn't king.
We'd all get so excited
When John would give a show
We'd raise the cash between us
And down the road we'd go
To hear him play that music
It spoke right to my soul
Every verse a diamond
And every chorus gold
The sound was my salvation
It was only everything
Before money became king.
Well I ain't sure how it happened
And I don't know exactly when
But everything got bigger
And the rules began to bend
And the TV taught the people
How to get their hair to shine
And how sweet life can be
If you keep a tight behind
And they raised the cost of living
And how could we have known
They'd double the price of tickets
To go see Johnny's show?
So we hocked all our possessions
And we sold a little dope
And went off to rock 'n' roll.
We arrived there early
In time to see rehearsal
And John came out and lip-synched
His new lite-beer commercial
And as the crowd arrived
As far as I could see
The faces were all different
There was no one there like me
They sat in golden circles
And waiters served them wine
And talked through all the music
And to John paid little mind
And way up in the nosebleeds
We watched upon the screen
They hung between the billboards
So cheaper seats could see
Johnny, rock that golden circle
And all those VIPs
And that music that had freed us
Became a tired routine
And I saw his face in close-up
Tryin' to give it all he had
And sometimes his eyes betrayed him
You could see that he was sad
And I tried to rock on with him
But I slowly became bored
Could that man on stage with everything
Somehow need some more?
There was no use in pretending
No magic left to hear
All the music gave me
Was a craving for lite-beer
As I walked out of the arena
My ears began to ring
And money became king.
nikko
Ok favorite quote for this morning:
from LA times re Cal no votes accrss the board
Dogging the governor, as it has for months, was the California Nurses Assn., which organized a luau at the Trader Vic's in the same hotel. As Schwarzenegger's defeats mounted, giddy nurses formed a conga line and danced around the room, singing, "We're the mighty, mighty nurses."
don't they sound like a great bunch of folks?
Test
Hey NativeTexan:
Good work! Sorry I missed the whole ballot, but in spirit I'm with you!
Ira:
Thank you for getting involved in Virginia! Go commonwealth! My mom's folks are from North and West Virginia -- in fact my great great granddad was named Andrew Jackson Hopkins by his dad Caleb (or maybe by his mom). Anyhow, thank you for getting involved in that. I take it as a small measure of ancestral pride that Virginia, the commonwealth, the Old Dominion, sometimes rises to the occasion.
GOTV 2006!
Chuck in Doha
from cnn:
snip
LONDON, England (CNN) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair has suffered his first major parliamentary defeat, losing a key vote on new anti-terror laws.
The House of Commons voted 322 to 291 against a measure to allow authorities to hold terror suspects for up to 90 days without charge -- an increase from the current 14 days.
It was the first major vote against the government since Blair and his Labour Party came to power in May 1997.
CNN's European Political Editor Robin Oakley said Blair had invested his full political weight in getting the law passed, adding to the political drama.
A tense Blair was in the chamber to hear the result, shaking his head as the numbers were revealed.
Blair was uncontrite following the defeat, saying he brought the bill to the Commons because police had said they needed the longer detention period. "It was better to lose doing the right thing, than to win doing the wrong thing," he added.
The prime minister had earlier made an impassioned plea for a "yes" vote.
"We are not living in a police state ... but we are living in a country that faces a real and serious threat of terrorism," he told the Commons.
At least 41 members of his own party joined the opposition in Britain's lower house of parliament to reject the measure.
The Commons later approved an amended measure to allow suspects to be held for up to 28 days without charge, but that may yet face a challenge.
Defeat was a humiliating blow to the prime minister, and CNN's Oakley said it raised serious questions about his grip on power.
Opposition leader Michael Howard said Blair, who has said he will not fight another general election, should now consider resigning as prime minister.
Howard, leader of the Conservative Party, said Blair's authority was "diminished almost to vanishing point. This vote shows he is no longer able to carry his own party with him. He must now consider his position."
The terrorism bill was drafted following the July 7 suicide bombings on London's transport system that killed 52 commuters and the four suspected bombers, and failed attacks two weeks later.
Designed to tackle Islamic extremism, the bill aimed to outlaw training in terrorist camps, encouraging acts of violence and glorifying terrorism.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/11/09/security.britain.law/index.html
maybe that wind is blowing a long ways
Another catch... this time from John at Americablog
Top GOP Web site shows pic of dead elephant
by John in DC - 11/09/2005 01:08:00 PM
How bad was last night's election disaster for the Republicans? Townhall.com, THE portal for all things Republican, has this image on its home page:
go here to see image...
http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/11/top-gop-web-site-shows-pic-of-dead.html
"When I was a little bitty baby
"My Momma she would rock me in the cradle..."
Darn I feel good tonight (Doha time).
God Bless and GOTV 2006!
Chuck in Doha
More on the VP of Torture from former Senator Bob Graham who was chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the fall of 2002 when the administration made its case for war against Iraq, via the Miami Herald
Posted on Mon, Nov. 07, 2005
INTELLIGENCE
Graham says Libby didn't act alone in CIA leak case
Vice President Dick Cheney must explain what he knew about the activities of his top aide, who was indicted in the CIA leak case, former Sen. Bob Graham said.
BY FRANK DAVIES
WASHINGTON - Former Sen. Bob Graham of Florida said Friday that he thinks Vice President Dick Cheney was a ''conspirator'' in a Bush administration campaign to discredit former ambassador Joe Wilson and expose Wilson's wife, CIA operative Valerie Plame.
''This was one of the most reprehensible and damaging breaches of American security in modern times,'' said Graham, who was chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the fall of 2002, when the administration made its case for war against Iraq.
Graham called on Cheney to ''defend and explain himself'' in the wake of the indictment of Cheney's top aide, Lewis Libby, on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice in the CIA leak case.
~snip~
''It's impossible to believe that Scooter Libby would have done this on his own, but rather this was part of a larger conspiracy to attempt to discredit Joseph Wilson,'' Graham said.
Bush and Cheney have said they will not discuss the CIA leak case because of Fitzgerald's ongoing investigation.
Asked directly if White House officials lied to the public about Iraq intelligence, Graham said ``yes.''
He said the administration suppressed ''all the nuance'' and internal disagreement among intelligence agencies over whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, then exaggerated the threat and covered up their activities.
Graham, who is teaching at Harvard after retiring from the Senate last year, spoke in a conference call with reporters arranged by Senate Democrats.
They are pushing for a ''thorough, credible'' Intelligence Committee investigation into how prewar intelligence was used to sell the war.
Graham said Friday he was ''suspicious'' about the intelligence reports on the Iraqi threat he saw during the fall of 2002.
VOTED NO
He voted against the war resolution, saying Iraq would drain resources from the war on terrorism.
''The administration did not want the best judgment of the intelligence community,'' Graham said.
``This was an administration that wanted to be blind going into this war. They did not want to have the most credible assessment of what was the reality of the case for war and the consequences of war.''
~snip~
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13105312.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
chuck there is absolutely nothing stopping any of us from helping campaigns across the country. I was able to make GOTV cell calls these last 2 weeks for Tim Kaine and as Suz well knows this is a valuable resource for any campaign. Glad I was able to help in a very small any way but let's start planning what each of us will be doing across the country to help take back our country as volunteers next summer defeating Tom DeLay, Dewine, Lincoln Chaffee or helping Bob Casey. Its never too early to start planning!
Fe, why is California not starting a recall election of Anold now and not waiting until next Nov. He just blew over $50 million of valuable California resources for a vote no one in California ever wanted.
Go Bullworth.
"You stated Fe: It's almost a rerun of the climate that prompted voters to kick Democratic Gov. Gray Davis from office in the historic recall election of October 2003 that swept Schwarzenegger to power."
Just got a call from Karen...
She and Dick are out in front of the American Enterprise Institute gathering where Chalabi is speaking. There was a very loud protester speaking in the background. Dick's taking lots of pictures and they'll be uploading them with the complete story soon.
Go here to write a message to Mr. Chalabi about what you think of his role in the fabrication of evidence for war.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/chalabi
Go here to read the letter sent to Mr. Chalabi by members of Congress in response to his appearance in Washington, DC today.
http://www.democracycellproject.net
Ira:
I'm sort of committed through February but after that I should be able to help. Big world long story. GO VIRGINIA! THANKS! Did my heart a lot of good.
Chuck in Doha
Chalabi -- thought he could run Iraq with a little backing -- some from DC and some from Teheran. Just cruise in and call the shots (sounds familiar). Life ain't that simple.
Chuck in Doha
The Richmond Times-Dispatch has Kaine media consultant David Eichenbaum saying: "We're trying to show here that God isn't a Republican
Ira:
To paraphrase Gertrude Stein (I think): "a God is a God is a God." As a contracts guy I hate it when text gets so ... ambiguous. Just my bad I guess.
Chuck in Doha
Well, goodnight all! And thanks for a good day's work!
Chuck n Doha signing off
Fe, why is California not starting a recall election of Anold now and not waiting until next Nov. He just blew over $50 million of valuable California resources for a vote no one in California ever wanted. Go Bullworth.
Ira:
Actually the REAL figure is more than DOUBLE that. He has actually blown a bigger hole in the state's deficit and it will cost cities like mine MORE to stage yet another recall before the actual normal election, which will be 2006.
The little musclehead has to now come back and actually WORK with the state legislature, like he should have to begin with, and they can parade his sorry ass all over the state capitol and beyond, in every town where there are schools and libraries and emergency services being cut because he ALREADY CUT them to begin with BEFORE he blew THIS wad to pay for this special referendum.
He also has to pay obeisance to the nurses, firefighters and policepeople whose budgets he cut, and trying to castrate their union's ability to organize and fundraise for political action through Prop 75.
Believe me, the Democratic majority in the state Assembly and Senate will remind him and the rest of the state that they will all need to stand together and fix the worsening state of the budget that the meathead PROMISED he would fix when he was ushered in the first recall. With moneys he has already taken from schools, an estimated 2 billion dollars, he needs to fill in more gaps in essential services. And just where is the money going to come from?
So Ira, the short answer to your question is why bother with a recall. The look of the once great bodybuilder who called the State Assembly Democrats a bunch of "girly men" has just gotten his ass kicked and handed back to him by a bunch of nurses. A few chunks of flesh were missing too. There's no meme better than that to deflate an over-inflated ego or a once promising political career.
In other words, what a beautiful flameout.
chuck you are gone again and its evening where you are? We, and I am sure your family need you to get your a** back home to straighten up this still screwed up political mess here. Hope all is well its great to hear from you, be safe brother. We are in a much better mood today but politics move so fast, today's victory, tomorrow's sorrow.
But truly Chuck, Kaine was able to speak God, yes it is a language, something our '08 candidate will need.
Fe haven't read anything about the San Diego mayor's race and the Dukster's seat or our chances of dumping Hunter,Cox, Rohrbacher or Drier. How are our candidates in those districts looking for Nov Fe?
I worked the polls in a small town in North Texas this week. I haven't been this angry since .... oh, well, the last time "W" opened his mouth. That's beside the point. What infuriated me the most about election day: (1) the majority of the voters brought their "talking points" from their churches, Free Market, etc. with them to the polls. They (the churches and right-wing radicals) put fear into the voters ... vote for Proposition 2 or the gays will ruin your life, your marriage, your family, etc. Guess the voters took it to heart, because they turned out like never before at the polls this past election day.(2) high voter turnout. Yes, I know we welcome high voter turnout. However, I prefer educated voters. These masses of sheep were driven to the polls by their preachers.
The churches are too deeply involved in the political process. This election proved it. We've got to work harder in Texas to educate our voters and not let these churches misguide their flocks in the future.