Archive for October, 2010

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AU’s Barry Lynn Comes to Austin

October 14, 2010

The Texas Freedom Network is joining with our friends from the Austin chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State to co-sponsor a speech on Monday (October 18) by AU’s national executive director, Rev. Barry Lynn. Rev. Lynn’s speech, “Church and State Under Obama… and Beyond,” begins at 7 p.m. at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, 4700 Grover. The Austin chapters of Equality Across America and the Center for Inquiry are also co-sponsoring this AU event, which is free and open to the public.

Texas has become a central front in the religious right’s war on separation of church and state. That fact was never clearer than during the State Board of Education‘s radical revisions of science and social studies curriculum standards for Texas public schools in 2009 and earlier this year.

TFN has been proud to stand with Rev. Lynn and AU members in working for religious liberty and against efforts by the religious right to use government to promote a radical agenda that is hostile to freedom, the Constitution and mainstream people of faith. In fact, we hosted Rev. Lynn for a speech in San Antonio in 2007, an event that was part of our Faith and Freedom Speaker Series. We hope to see you at Rev. Lynn’s speech on Monday here in Austin. You can find out more about the event here.

Posted in Barry Lynn | 1 Comment »

More Bad History from Don McLeroy

October 13, 2010

Right-wing websites are still hailing the Texas State Board of Education‘s passage of a resolution that attacks Islam and falsely claims that social studies textbooks are anti-Christian and pro-Muslim. And state board member Don McLeroy, the dentist from Bryan/College Station, is still pretending to be an expert in history (in addition to science, economics, political science, mathematics and the list goes on). For the newest example, check out (if you have the stomach for this particular website) a story posted Tuesday at WorldNetDaily, the far-right, conspiracy-obsessed site run by folks who seem to think Ann Coulter is too liberal and tolerant. (Yes, we’re serious. Now clean up the coffee you just spit out on your keyboard.)

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Posted in Don McLeroy, Islam, Just Educate, State Board of Education | 7 Comments »

American Hate Association?

October 12, 2010

Sarah Posner writes about the American Family Association, one of the oldest, most influential and most radical of the nation’s religious-right organizations. Founded in 1977 in Mississippi by Don Wildmon, over the years the organization has become increasingly hateful and intolerant — toward non-Christians, political opponents, minorities and even AFA’s own employees, apparently. Excerpt:

“(W)hile the AFA has long been known for its invective against the ‘homosexual agenda’ and its boycotts of companies that fail to meet its standards of ‘decency,’ [Bryan] Fischer—no policy wonk, despite being director of ‘Issue Analysis for Government and Public Policy’—has taken the public rhetoric to a new, ugly level.

According to former employees of the AFA, the views represented by Fischer are not only tolerated within the organization, but any opposition to its anti-gay, anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant invective—including reliance on white nativist sources in the AFA’s media programs—is dismissed. What’s worse, former employees say, anyone questioning such attitudes as un-Christian is denigrated, and in some cases forced out.”

Check out Posner’s insightful examination of an organization that has been at the heart of the religious-right movement for more than three decades.

Posted in American Family Association, religious right | 3 Comments »

‘Black Storm’: FDR, Obama = Hitler, Stalin

October 12, 2010

It’s getting harder and harder to feel shocked at the extremism emanating from right-wing groups in American politics. But a bizarre, ham-handed and paranoid press release today from a Houston-based group called Patriot PAC should be shocking.

The press release touts “Operation Black Storm,” which supports the candidacy of 15 African-American Republicans for Congress. (Seriously? That’s the name they chose for such a project?) It quotes a leader from one of a coalition of far-right groups supporting the project:

“Today marks the beginning of the end of playing the race card to silence conservative voices and keep blacks voting opposite their core values.”

“Voting opposite their core values”? We aren’t told what “core values” African Americans have been voting against. The spokesman goes on:

“It’s finally time for our nation to get past racial barriers in politics, and with Operation Black Storm we intend to send a message to Washington that–above all–Americans of all backgrounds, colors, and decent faiths want their God-given right for SELF-RULE.”

“Decent faiths”? Are there other kinds? We’re not told which “faiths” qualify here — but you probably know. [Hint, hint. Wink, wink.]

But the most corrosive bile comes when you click on the press release’s link to the Operation Black Storm website. Viewers find a video identifying the worst of the murderous dictators of the 20th century, including Hitler, Stalin and Mao. (They throw in Saddam Hussein and Hugo Chavez for good measure.) We’re told of freedom extinguished and millions slaughtered under those regimes. True enough. But then the video descends into lunacy, comparing the policies of those dictators to those of certain American presidents: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter and — surprise! — Barack Obama. Accompanied by martial background music and the red label “Progressive” stamped on the screen, the video darkly notes:

“Theodore Roosevelt supported eugenics.”

“Woodrow Wilson brought us the Federal Reserve System.”

“FDR’s ‘New Deal’ saw income taxes rise as high as 94%.”

“[Lyndon] Johnson’s ‘War on Poverty was a war on success.”

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Posted in Patriot PAC, political extremism | 11 Comments »

Manipulating the Faithful

October 12, 2010

You have to wonder how religious-right activists justify breaking the biblical commandment against lying so often. Dave Welch of the Houston Area Pastor Council seems to play fast and loose with the truth almost routinely. The latest example: Welch’s group is disingenuously warning Houston voters that a streets and drainage measure on the city ballot in November is really a political attack on churches. The Texas Freedom Network takes no position on the measure — it is outside our mission — but we once again note Welch’s efforts to manipulate people of faith with grossly misleading charges.

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Posted in Dave Welch, religious right | 6 Comments »

Don’t Eat the Soup! It’s Pro-Muslim!

October 9, 2010

Well, who knew soup could be so dangerous to democracy? At least, that’s what promoters of the growing and increasingly bizarre anti-Muslim hate campaign would seem to think.

This week right-wing blogger Pamela Geller called for a boycott of Campell’s Soup because Campbell’s Canada now sells soup certified as Halal by the Islamic Society of North America. You might remember our earlier report about Geller’s fear that Muslims are trying to “Islamicize” public schools in America. And last November she was the featured guest at a Republican fundraiser in McKinney just north of Dallas. (Members of the so-called “Patriot Host Committee” included Texas lawmakers like state Reps. Jodie Laubenberg of Parker and Ken Paxton of McKinney.)

Other anti-Muslim websites have taken up the anti-Campbell’s boycott cry as well. Even the Tea Party folks are promoting the hysteria:

“Campbell’s now making Muslim approved soups. Mmmmm Mmmmm not good. No more campbells for me.”

So how long will be it before members of the Texas State Board of Education appoint a fanatic like Geller to an “expert” review panel helping decide what kids learn in public schools?

Posted in Islam, Pamela Geller, tea party | 8 Comments »

Bullies and the Religious Right

October 8, 2010

The message from Texans was loud and clear in the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund’s statewide survey last spring: 88 percent of likely voters said they support “requiring public schools to protect all children from bullying, harassment, and discrimination in school, including the children of gay and lesbian parents or teenagers who are gay.”

Far-right pressure groups like Focus on the Family, however, seem to believe promoting their anti-gay hate agenda is more important than protecting children — even after the recent suicides of three teenage boys (including one from the Houston area) who had been bullied severely and repeatedly by classmates. Two teens, one 13 and the other 15, hanged themselves. The Houston-area teen, 13, shot himself. But Focus on the Family says laws that seek to protect gay and lesbian students from bullying simply “promote homosexuality to kids.” Focus and other far-right pressure groups have also launched a full-scale media assault on the Safe Schools Improvement Act in Congress.

The Texas Legislature has refused to pass anti-bullying legislation in previous sessions. Last year, Focus on the Family’s Texas affiliate, Liberty Institute, dishonestly attacked an anti-bullying bill (House Bill 1323 by state Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin) as simply a “transgender special rights” bill. In reality, the bill sought to protect all children from bullying. But because it specifically mentioned sexual orientation, pressure groups like Liberty Institute think such common-sense legislation somehow promotes “special rights” for victims of abuse and harassment.

Here’s the reality: for religious-right groups like Liberty Institute and Focus on the Family, opposition to such legislation is important in their hateful campaign to stigmatize and shame gay and lesbian people, even children. Perhaps their versions of the Bible don’t contain such familiar phrases as “Judge not, that you be not judged” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Posted in bullying, LGBT issues, Liberty Institute | 8 Comments »

Help TFN Celebrate 15 Years Tonight!

October 7, 2010

Come help us celebrate at the Texas Freedom Network’s 15th anniversary gala tonight at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. We’ll have music, silent and live auctions, appetizers and a cash bar. The event is 7-10 p.m. at 1800 Congress, a few blocks north of the state Capitol. (Directions to the museum are here.) Join us for the fun and support TFN!

Posted in Texas Freedom Network | Leave a Comment »

New SBOE Campaign Finance Reports

October 7, 2010

According to new campaign finance reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, two Democratic candidates are ahead of their Republican opponents in the money race in two key Texas State Board of Education elections on Nov. 2. Candidates have filed reports for campaign donations and expenditures for the period from July 1 to September 23. The next filing deadline is eight days before the Nov. 2 election.

The reports show that Democrat Rebecca Bell-Metereau of San Marcos raised nearly five times as much in campaign donations as the Republican incumbent, Ken Mercer of San Antonio, in the contest for the District 5 seat. Bell-Metereau reported raising a little more than $50,000 since July 1. Mercer reported raising just shy of $12,300. Bell-Metereau also had more money going into October, reporting $50,555 in cash on hand compared to Mercer’s $11,967.

Democrat Judy Jennings of Austin also out-raised her Republican opponent, Marsha Farney of Georgetown, in the race for District 10. Jennings reported $53,753 in cash on hand after $47,832 in donations. Farney reported $22,274 in cash on hand after raising nearly $20,700. But Farney dug deep into her own bank account in winning the Republican nomination last spring and could do so again in coming weeks.

Republican challenger Carlos “Charlie” Garza from El Paso has more campaign money than Democratic incumbent Rene Nuñez of El Paso in the race for the District 1 state board seat in West Texas. Garza reported $11,746 in contributions with more than $10,000 in cash on hand. Nuñez reported just $30 in contributions with $529 in cash on hand.

Interestingly, Houston homebuilder Bob Perry gave $5,000 each to the Garza and Mercer campaigns. Over the years Perry (no relation to Gov. Rick Perry) has been one of the state’s biggest donors to political campaigns, most (but not all) of his money going to Republican candidates. Garza also got $100 from Randy Rives, the religious-right candidate who failed to defeat incumbent Bob Craig of Lubbock in the March Republican primary for the District 15 seat.

Following are figures reported on the Texas Ethics Commission website by candidates in contested state board races for the period from July 1 to September 23.

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Posted in elections, State Board of Education | 1 Comment »

Group: ‘Textbook Approval Is Power’

October 7, 2010

We told you yesterday how the old warhorse of the right-wing censorship movement in Texas, Educational Research Analysts, works to intimidate publishers and promote a divisive ideological agenda in public school textbooks. As we reported, the group’s July newsletter called for the Texas State Board of Education to reject textbooks that are allegedly anti-Christian and pro-Muslim (even though claims of such bias are not supported by facts).

Another passage from that same newsletter makes the religious right’s obsession with political power and pushing an ideological agenda rather than educating kids even clearer:

“Many wrongly think Texas’ SBOE can reject only those textbooks that meet less than 50% of its course content standards, flunk certain manufacturing guidelines, or contain factual errors. But it can also dump those that clearly conflict with basic democratic values. For the first time ever the SBOE should invoke that power to warn publishers not to pander to Islam against Christianity … in their new high school World History submissions. Christian conservative mastery of detail in Texas’ textbook approval process is power.” [emphasis added]

This is a stunning declaration by culture warriors who are determined to put their personal political agendas ahead of the education of Texas schoolchildren. Yet it is not a toothless declaration: for nearly two decades, far-right pressure groups and their wealthy supporters have slowly built a powerful faction of culture warriors on the state board. And that faction of political extremists is determined to control what our public schools teach millions of Texas kids, even if it means distorting what the law really says.

Here are just some of the fruits of their dangerous and divisive efforts:

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Posted in censorship, Educational Research Analysts, Neal Frey, State Board of Education | Leave a Comment »

Do Republicans Hate Christianity?

October 6, 2010

That seems to be a fair question. After all, a number of Republicans continue to praise the Texas State Board of Education‘s passage last month of a resolution criticizing social textbooks for — allegedly — being anti-Christian and pro-Islamic. In fact, here is Texas state Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, echoing the claims made by Republican state board members who passed the resolution:

“I urge all Texans to support the Texas State Board of Education members who want to stop the pro-Islam/anti-Christian, anti-Judeo bias in our students textbooks. School children should be spared the move to ‘political correctness’ and instead be taught a true and correct version of history.”

But here’s the thing: Republicans have held a majority on the State Board of Education since after the 1994 elections. There have been a lot of textbooks adoptions since then. In fact, the state board adopted an entire slate of new social studies textbooks in 2002.

So if Republican State Board of Education members and their supporters think social studies textbooks are anti-Christian, why in the world have they been approving those books for use in Texas public schools?

Seems to us that there are two possible explanations. One might be that Republicans on the state board are anti-Christian themselves and thought the textbooks were just fine when they adopted them. On the other hand, maybe they’re as phony as a $3 bill and think Texas voters are too stupid to realize they’re being manipulated by politicians promoting fear and prejudice in an election year.

Posted in Islam, State Board of Education | 5 Comments »

Behind the Textbook ‘Culture Wars’

October 6, 2010

More than a few people have wondered who really authored the inflammatory anti-Muslim resolution the Texas State Board of Education passed in September. Randy Rives, a failed state board candidate from Odessa, asked the board in July to pass the resolution. Rives has told reporters that he and his wife wrote the resolution and combed through 11-year-old textbooks to find supporting “facts” for it. A TFN analysis shows how the resolution was based on grossly misleading and outright false claims.

In any case, we have been suspicious of Rives’ claim that he authored the resolution, if for no other reason than that the textbooks on which the measure was based haven’t been used in Texas for more than seven years. In fact, the Texas Education Agency didn’t even have those old world history textbooks on file in Austin. Yet Rives claims that he managed to get hold of those textbooks in Odessa.

Well, maybe he did. But we have a much more plausible theory about where that resolution really originated: Educational Research Analysts, the old right-wing warhorse of the textbook “culture wars” in Texas.

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Posted in censorship, Educational Research Analysts, Neal Frey, State Board of Education | 4 Comments »

Strong Support for Church-State Separation

October 5, 2010

A national survey from the Public Religion Research Institute has encouraging news for supporters of religious liberty. According to the survey, a large majority of registered voters either “completely agree” (36 percent) or “mostly agree” (31 percent) that “we must maintain a strict separation of church and state” in America.

Those results, from a national survey conducted Sept. 1-14, are mostly in line with what a Texas Freedom Network Education survey found in May. According to our survey, 51 percent of likely voters in Texas “strongly agree” that “separation of church and state is a key principle of our Constitution.” Another 17 percent said they “somewhat agree.”

We noted other interesting findings from the Public Religion Research Institute’s “American Values Survey”:

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Posted in religious freedom, religious right | 1 Comment »

Check Our 2010 Voter Guide

October 5, 2010

The Texas Freedom Network Education Fund has assembled a nonpartisan voter guide to inform citizens about the positions of candidates on critical issues involving the State Board of Education. All information reported in the guide was provided directly by each candidate or campaign in response to a questionnaire. Read the voter guide here.

Posted in elections, State Board of Education | 3 Comments »

Ignorance-Only Sex ‘Education’

October 4, 2010

We reported some good news last week about sex education in Texas: various evidence-based, sex education programs in Texas are getting a total of more than $7.4 million in new federal grants. But there was bad news as well: Texas also got $5.4 million for abstinence-only programs that refuse to teach medically accurate information about condoms and other forms of responsible pregnancy and disease protection. Even worse: the Texas Tribune reports that the Texas Department of State Health Services decided not even to apply for $4.4 million in additional federal money that would have paid for programs that teach students about both abstinence and contraception.

A spokeswoman for the department said the decision was made after consultation with Gov. Rick Perry’s office. Regarding the $5.4 million in federal abstinence-only funding that the state sought (and will receive), the same spokeswoman said the state’s “first choice is that teens choose not to have sex.”

Well, that’s just swell, but too many teens clearly are skipping that choice. Texas has one of the high teen birth rates in the nation. We think a better “first choice” is to help ensure that teens have the information they need to protect their health and make important life decisions. But under the Perry administration, Texas is saddled with an “ignorance-only” approach to teaching young people about sexuality and health.

You can help change that in your local community. Learn how you can join a local School Health Advisory Council and promote evidence-based, responsible sex education where you live.

Posted in sex education | 3 Comments »

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