Here are some of the week’s most notable quotes culled from news reports from across Texas, and beyond.
House Speaker Joe Straus in a statement touching on freshman Representative Molly White’s instructions to staff to make Muslim visitors to the Capitol pledge allegiance to “America and our laws.”
The Texas Capitol belongs to all the people of this state, and legislators have a responsibility to treat all visitors just as we expect to be treated — with dignity and respect.
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Right wing standard-bearer David Barton, president of Wallbuilders, in an editorial painting his own picture of how “America can reclaim greatness.”
We need to fill our school boards, city councils, public utility districts and other city and county positions with common-sense, God-fearing, Constitution-heeding individuals. There are millions of such persons in America; and while it might be difficult to elect them to the U.S. Senate or House right now, it’s not difficult to elect them as mayors or school board presidents.
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Michael Williams, Commissioner of Education, on the possibility of Texas not extending the No Child Left Behind waiver, which would require the state to issue federal ratings to public schools – many of which would likely be “failing.”
We could get to the point where we’re like California and we say, ‘Keep your waiver.’ Our waiver has not been revoked at this moment. We’re having this conversation.
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Nancy Zirkin of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human rights, commenting on Sen. John Cornyn’s decision as chairman to drop the words “Civil Rights and Human Rights” from the name of what is now the “Subcommittee on the Constitution.”
The new Senate Republican Majority’s decision to expunge civil rights and human rights from this subcommittee’s name is a discouraging sign given the growing diversity of our nation and the complex civil and human rights challenges we face. Names matter. This, after all, is a subcommittee with jurisdiction over the implementation and enforcement of many of our most important civil rights laws.
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Cole Parke, a researcher for Political Research Associates, in a report on the Illinois-based organization that has worked in the US, Russia, Africa, and the U.N. to limit freedoms for LGBT citizens, reproductive health, and more.
The World Congress of Families’ influence at the U.N. relies heavily on its longstanding ties with Russia, one of the five permanent members on the U.N. Security Council. Carlson’s work on the ‘demographic winter’ — the idea that abortion, birth control, homosexuality, feminism and other ‘unnatural’ deviations have led to dangerous population decline and a crisis for the ‘natural family’ — has proven to be particularly effective in garnering favor with Russia’s conservative leadership.
Cornyn showed his true colors. He does not care to acknowledge Civil or Human rights.
So, what part of David Barton’s comment did you dislike? Can’t liberals have common sense, be God-fearing, and constitution heeding? Or is it that you’re against those three things? Sorry, I just don’t understand why you felt that comment was significant.
The problem is Barton has a funny way of defining “common-sense, God-fearing and Constitution-heeding.”