Six Years After His Death, Ashtian Barnes’s Family Is Still Fighting for Justice
For years, the ongoing epidemic of Black people dying at the hands of police has only continued. And the list of names and families becomes longer as police departments across the country and politicians at all levels reject any type of reform. And in the six years...
Climate Change Denialism, Outdated Rainfall Data Are Recipe for Disaster
Industries across Texas are relying on dozens of outdated rainfall regulations that could dangerously impact infrastructure used in waste treatment, petrochemicals and oil & gas. A new report by Public Citizen Texas finds that these rainfall regulations have...
Ted Cruz Is Focusing on the Wrong Education Fight
Critical race theory, or CRT, has become a Republican staple for publicity grabs and divisive campaign messaging. The discourse surrounding CRT has resulted in the demonization of educators and book bans, an interesting aim from the party that claims to protect free...
Op-ed: The Lone Wolf/Mental Health Claim About Gun Violence in America Is a Dangerous Diversion
In a press conference last week after the standard litany of prayers and thoughts was offered, Texas Governor Greg Abbott tried to pass off, once again, the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, and mass shootings in general, as attributable to lone wolves...
Father of Uvalde Victim Demands Gunmaker Hand Over Communications With Shooter
The father of ten-year-old Amerie Jo Garza, one of the 19 children killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting, is demanding the gun manufacturer of the AR-15 used in the shooting hand over any communications they had with the Uvalde shooter who purchased and used...
A Brief History of Pride in Texas
With many cities kicking off their June Pride festivities this weekend, we thought we could take the time now to look back at some of the most important moments in Texas Pride History. The June Pride month commemorates what is now known as the Stonewall uprising, an...
‘We Need to Ban Assault Weapons’ Says Joe Biden in Speech About Gun Violence
In a major speech Thursday evening, President Joe Biden called on assault weapons to be banned following the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. “We need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” Biden said in his speech where he also supported strengthening...
Why Don’t Texas Republicans Take on Gun Violence? Follow The Money
Following the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas Republicans were quick to emphasize that the solution to our nation’s mass shootings is not common sense gun control. After 19 children had died, in lieu of working to prevent these tragedies in the future, they predictably...
As Governor Calls for Another Committee, Lawmakers Urge Special Session
Following the mass shooting in Uvalde, Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday called for the formation of “special legislative committees” to examine and develop legislative recommendations on school safety, mental health, police training and firearm safety. The committees...
In Dallas, Beto O’Rourke Pledges Concrete Action to Curb Gun Violence
At a town hall in Dallas, gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke heard everything: chants, clapping, and even tears. The town hall, coming six days after the tragic shooting in Uvalde which killed 19 children and 2 teachers, was a chance for O’Rourke to not only...
The Continuing Legal Fight Over Texas Redistricting
On May 31, The Supreme Court denied three Texas Republican lawmakers the ability to avoid questioning under oath in lawsuits by the Biden administration and civil rights groups that say the recently-accepted Texas voting maps are racially discriminatory. The...
How the Starbucks Union Movement Kicked Off in Texas
More and more Starbucks stores in Texas are beginning to unionize, part of a nationwide trend that has seen dozens of locations in the country organize and win union representation. In Texas, several have already filed petitions and are awaiting an election to...
Op-ed: From a Texan Teenager: Dear Texas Lawmakers, You Have Failed us
As I am writing this, 21 people are dead – 19 children, two teachers. The Uvalde tragedy was the 27th school shooting this year. Parents went home to their children’s haunting empty beds. Teachers died protecting their students. Kids across the country wondered if...
Beto to Host Town Hall About Uvalde, Protecting Texas Kids
Gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke is set to host a town hall in Dallas on Wednesday, his first since the Uvalde mass shooting last week. The town hall will be about protecting the lives of Texas children and will take place on Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. O’Rourke...
Texas Republicans v. Business Community: On Abortion Access
Texas Republicans have long boasted their business-friendly policies to be the lifeblood of the state’s burgeoning economy. But recently, a war seems to be brewing between Republican lawmakers and businesses that are not so thrilled with the backwards social stances...