Is this still Texas's platform for 2023? Texas GOP's new platform calls gay people 'abnormal' and rejects trans identities (nbcnews.com) The Texas Republican Party unveiled its official position on LGBTQ issues over the weekend, defining homosexuality as an "abnormal lifestyle choice" and also opposing "all efforts to validate transgender identity." Thousands of Republican activists met at the party’s biennial convention in Houston on Saturday to agree to the party's platform on a range of issues, including the rejection of the 2020 election results and a call to repeal of the 1965 Voting Right Act, which was enacted to prevent discrimination against Black voters. In a section titled "Homosexuality and gender issues," the party suggested that LGBTQ people should not be legally protected from discrimination and that being gay or trans is a choice. "Homosexuality is an abnormal lifestyle choice," the 40-page resolution reads. "We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin, and we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values." In addition, Texas Republicans called for the ban of gender-affirming care — including the distribution of puberty blockers or hormone-suppressing therapies, and the performance of gender-affirming surgeries — for anyone under the age of 21.
I guess Abbott does not understand that you can't block navigable waterways and that you are required to get the Army Corp of Engineers permission before installing stuff in rivers. But this is just a warm-up for DOJ action regarding the human rights violations and Abbott's orders to push immigrants back into the river. Justice Department planning legal action against Texas over floating border barrier https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/21/politics/doj-action-texas-border/index.html The Justice Department told Texas Thursday that it intends to file legal action against the placement of floating barriers in the Rio Grande as part of the state’s operation along the Texas-Mexico border, according to sources familiar and a letter obtained by CNN. The Justice Department sent the letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Thursday, according to the letter, though there is time for the state to respond. “The State of Texas’s actions violate federal law, raise humanitarian concerns, present serious risks to public safety and the environment, and may interfere with the federal government’s ability to carry out its official duties,” the letter stated, citing a clause in the law that “prohibits the creation of any obstruction to the navigable capacity of waters of the United States, and further prohibits building any structure in such waters without authorization from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”).” This is separate from the ongoing assessment of mistreatment of migrants, which the Justice Department described as “troubling reports.” CNN reached out to Abbott’s office for comment. CNN has also reached out the Texas Department of Public Safety but has not received a response. The Justice Department has sued on border-related matters before. Last year, the Justice Department sued Arizona for placing shipping containers along the US southern border – a move taken by then-Republican Gov. Doug Ducey as an affront to Biden’s immigration policies. Arizona eventually agreed to remove the containers. The news comes as more than 80 Democratic US lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden Friday urging him to investigate Abbott’s “dangerous and cruel actions” on the southern border after a Texas state trooper blew the whistle regarding alleged inhumane treatment of migrants and Mexico’s top diplomat complained to Washington about Texas breaking two international treaties. “We write to express our profound alarm over border policies instituted by Texas Governor Greg Abbott that are putting asylum-seekers at serious risk of injury and death, interfering with federal immigration enforcement, infringing on private property rights, and violating U.S. treaty commitments with Mexico,” the letter states. The inspector general for the Texas Department of Public Safety has received several additional complaints from DPS personnel on the front lines at the border about the treatment of migrants trying to enter the United States, three sources familiar with the investigation told CNN. Among the complaints are reports that Texas troopers were told to push back migrants into the Rio Grande and ordered not to give them water. In a Tuesday joint statement with other Texas top officials, including Department of Public Safety Chief Steve McCraw, Abbott’s office said there have been no orders or directions given under Operation Lone Star that “would compromise the lives of those attempting to cross the border illegally.” The effort, led by Rep. Joaquin Castro, also includes more traditionally conservative Democrats like Rep. Henry Cuellar. The authors of the letter highlight that Abbott’s border initiative, known as Operation Lone Star, and says Abbott’s actions have “escalated in recent months,” detailing “sharp razor wire” in the Rio Grande, which is “creating death traps for migrants and violating U.S. treaty commitments with Mexico.” “The placement of razor wire and inflatable buoys in the Rio Grande River is potentially illegal and may violate multiple bilateral treaties between the United States and Mexico, including the Boundary Treaty of 1970 and the Mexican Water Treaty of 1944,” the letter states. “A similar attempt to create a makeshift border by Governor Ducey in Arizona was abandoned earlier this year after Department of Justice filed suit against the State of Arizona.” The letter goes on to say that Abbott’s border initiative policies “pose a huge danger to migrants” and urges Biden to take action and “stop this horrific abuse of power.” Biden administration officials have grown increasingly concerned over recent months about Abbott’s measures along the Texas-Mexico border. “It’s making our job harder,” one Homeland Security official told CNN. In a significant development Wednesday that was first reported by CNN, the Justice Department said it’s assessing the situation along the Texas-Mexico border – marking an escalation from an administration that for months had stopped short of taking any actions against Texas. “The department is aware of the troubling reports, and we are working with DHS and other relevant agencies to assess the situation,” DOJ spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa told CNN on Wednesday. An administration official said Abbott’s actions “are preventing Border Patrol agents from accessing the river, patrolling the area, and arresting individuals who attempt to enter the country unlawfully,” adding that agents have also had to cut through multiple layers of concertina wire to respond to medical emergencies.
The Rio Grande is not navigable (except by wading humans) anywhere near the planned location of the floating barriers. Maybe our "Beloved Border Czar" should look at a map. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Lar...2m2!1d-100.4995214!2d28.7091433!3e0?entry=ttu
Arizona used "shipping containers" ??? Hey, Arizona could have done what the Greeks (Orthodox Christians) did. Video Warning...it's a lot worst by using a Human Wall to discourage those they consider to be invaders. If the Human Wall does not work. Arizona is a state that has a stand-your-ground law and it is a "castle doctrine" state. Essentially, Christian civilians can murder all the invaders crossing the southern border and legally get away with murdering those immigrants.... oops...meant invaders. Yet, what has been happening in Arizona is still confusing considering the stand-your-ground law in a "castle doctrine" state. wrbtrader
"Since when do illegals have rights?" That quote in the article is quite chilling.... you can debate the issue of them crossing the border in waves and tresspassing....but to argue that the fact they are crossing illegally means you can murder, beat. abuse, torture or do anything to them because....they don't have rights... They may not have a right to be on the U.S. side of the border but as human beings we can only do to them what is within the law....because they do have rights as humans.
In my opinion, the reason why people on the U.S. southern border view immigrants as invaders (e.g. it is OK to shoot them in the back while they're unarmed) is because those on the southern borders do not view the immigrants as humans. Strangely, some of these murderers are Christians and in the example I posted...someone with a AK-47 assault rifle. wrbtrader
Yeah, but in their defense, Jesus's assault rifle of choice would surely be a toss-up between the AR-15 and the AK-47.