UPDATED: It is important to note that opposition to this resolution was bipartisan. Three Democrats (Rick Agosto, Lawrence Allen, Mavis Knight) and three Republicans (Bob Craig, Pat Hardy, Geraldine “Tincy” Miller) voted to reject the resolution. But the board’s far-right members voted, as they almost always do, as a bloc to pass it. With two Democrats absent, the board approved the resolution 7-6. You can read more about the resolution here, here and here.
The Texas Freedom Network just released the following statement:
Today the Texas State Board of Education voted 7-6 to adopt a resolution attacking Islam and calling on publishers to stop writing what the resolution falsely claims are social studies textbooks with an anti-Christan/pro-Islamic bias. Texas Freedom Network President Kathy Miller is releasing the following statement:
“Board members rejected numerous opportunities today to pass a resolution that called on publishers to treat all religions with balance and accuracy in their textbooks. It is hard not to conclude that the members who voted for this resolution were solely interested in playing on fear and bigotry in order to pit Christians against Muslims.
This is the 21st century. Education is more important than ever for the future success of our children. Yet board members continue to ignore sound scholarship and mire themselves in every hot button political issue they can find. They simply refuse to put the education of Texas schoolchildren ahead of personal and political agendas.”
Is the SBOE majority trying to make a laughing stock of itself? That would seem to be the case.
Trying?
They are waaaay past doing that.
why were the 2 Democrats absent?
This post could talk about my favorite Christmas dessert in anthropomorphic terms, but I will be more thoughtful than that while tying together diverse things.
As some of you know, I make my living as an environmental scientist. Sometimes we have occasion to deal with chemicals that are referred to as “shock sensitive.” Some examples are crystalline picric acid, crystalline ether compounds, and nitroglycerin. Jar them just a little bit, and they will explode like dynamite, which leads me to one of my famous true stories.
My brother-in-law is a really nice person who loves guns—has a nice little collection—keeps one handy. He was a criminology major in college. Over many years, we have had numerous large family gatherings at the house of my wife’s mother. On some occasions a member of our family has brought a black friend to one of these gatherings, which are characterized by great conversation, food, and drink. While everyone else is yakking, chomping, and sipping, my brother-in-law stakes out a strategic position in the large room where all are assembled. You might call it his “take action position.” Then he proceeds to become a seated statue, focuses his eyes on the black person, and keeps them fixed there all evening—essentially ignoring his other surroundings. Why does he do this? He appears to believe that black people are like picric acid, some ether compounds, and nitroglycerin. They are inherently dangerous, cannot be trusted, and could erupt into a violent and devastating explosion at any second. Therefore, he must keep his eyes fixed on a black person at all times and be prepared to leap into immediate action to save his kin.
It occurs to me that the far right extremist faction on the Texas SBOE is a lot like my brother-in-law. They appear to believe all Islamic people hold within them an inherently dangerous religious belief system that renders them insane and makes them capable of erupting in an explosion of violence, mayhem, and murder—really at any second. You just never know which jar of crystalline Islamic chemical might detonate first. Therefore, you have to stake out a strategic position in Texas (which the Texas SBOE did today), focus your eyes on any Islamic person and what they believe, and be ready to spring into protective action in a split second to save your kin.
Today, I think the Texas SBOE and its resolution sent a chilling message out to every Islamic person and family in Texas. The unwritten message it carried was as follows:
“We do not like you. We do not like your religion. We do not trust you. You are not one of us. We think you are shock-sensitive chemicals that could detonate at any second. We wish you would go back to the Middle East, Indonesia, or wherever else you belong (other than here) and stay there. We think you and your awful religion are a danger to our children, and we intend to protect them from the dreadful influence of people like you. And by the way, our eyes are fixed on you constantly, and we are prepared to swing into action against you at a moment’s notice.”
Well, allow me to take it a step further. We Episcopalians don’t like any of you other “kinds.” That includes, and especially includes, Baptists, which we hate in particular, but also Methodists, Presbyterians, and any kind of Church of Christ, and Catholics and Jews and Hindus and Unitarians (especially Unitarians) and Quakers and if I missed somebody please add them to the list because we hate you, too.
Basically, and this is a fact, if y0u aren’t an Episcopalian, we don’t care whether you live or die, although, seriously, we’d prefer that you die.
This is where resolutions like this go. I’m sorry, but as an Episcopalian if you are a Baptist or a Muslim I hate you. By definition.
I hope you are HORRIFIED by what I just wrote. Of course, I don’t believe a word of it, but this is where the SBOE is going. They are setting the stage for hate and divisiveness. It is not just shocking for Texas, it’s shocking for humanity.
We need some honest French here. Agosto was reported to have said:
“Agosto speak”s against the resolution, noting that because Ms. Berlanga and Nunez are not present, it will likely pass.”
Well, here’s my French. **** you Rick Agosto and the ******* horse you rode on. You’re going to vote AGAINST the measure because it will likely pass? You, Rick, are a ******* P**** and a disgrace to the people you represent. My god how you got elected is a miracle.
Second, I would like to express my EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT that Berlanga and Nunez were not present for the vote, which could have gone the other way (assuming the eunuch Agosto didn’t wimp out). Please, Berlanga and Nunez, don’t talk to the press about how disappointed you were with the vote because you failed in your duty. Sorry.
Ironic, isn’t it that the only SBOE members who have actual convictions are the nutters! Je parle Francais, maybe I should move there!
Doc,
We probably didn’t do a good job of putting Agosto’s quote in context. He actually spoke very strongly against the resolution and simply noted that it might be futile to vote against it simply because the absence of the two board members made it likely it would pass anyway. We have had strong disagreements with Agosto in the past, but yesterday he really did stand up for what is right.
Once again, the stupid SBOE plays right into the terrorist’s hands. Despite all of Pres. Bush’s speeches, the so-called GWOT (global war on terrorism) has, as we’ve seen lately, morphed into the War On Islam. This is EXACTLY what terrorists want folks like the SBOE to do and is exactly what they are telling Muslims in Muslim lands.
One has to wonder: On whose side IS the TX SBOE? Hmmm?? My guess is that they may be secret-celled terrorists themselves, taking orders direct from Al-Queda. They should be visited by the CIA and thoroughly vetted.
Funny but I went to dinner tonight with friends. In that restaurant was a Muslim woman, properly donned in head scarf and modest clothing. I wonder how EVER did we got out of there alive. Sheesh!!!
Uh Doc Bill,
I didn’t say that I approved of the message the Texas SBOE sent out. I do not. I was just nothing that their Freudian slip was showing.
I’d like to introduce a resolution to do away with all discussions and explanations of all religions in all Texas textbooks. There’s a really good place to learn about religion. It’s called a church. And there are plenty of them in Texas.
1. Yes, this is why we need to follow the basics of the founding fathers and enforce separation of church and state. (Despite the lack of acceptance of this fact by certain willfully ignorant, yet vocal groups.)
2. I am sick of these uniformed, vocal people being called “conservatives.” I’m sorry, but I see nothing moderate or traditional about these people. We must start using the correct adjectives such as fanatic, extremist, and radical.
Why were those two democrats absent? It was they who passed this! All evil needs to succeed is for good people to do nothing. Shame on them – they could have stopped this.
Well, if not the “Malfeasant Seven” to keep fear alive, who else? Steven Colbert?
“The French hate the Germans. The Germans hate the Poles. Italians hate Yugoslavs. South Africans hate the Dutch, and I don’t like
anybody very much!”
-with apologies to the Kingston Trio
The far right group can’t stand just doing their jobs. They relish the national attention. There are a couple of more meetings where the clowns will have the stage. Then they can thankfully fade into obscurity.You can pretty much count on them pulling some more stunts between now and then. They don’t care about the kids of Texas; they care only about themselves and their abilities to make headlines. They don’t care if they embarrass Texas.They have nothing to lose. This was meant to create headlines and hate. To all of our Muslim friends, I am so sorry. I am so ashamed.
Yesterday I was possessed by a demon, but I hired an exorcist and I’m all better. Film at 11.
Doc Bill, any chance you wouldn’t mind putting up with a travel companion when you depart for France? I may need to get out of here too!!
I’m thinking New Zealand or Norway.