What's the Matter with Texas?
Mainstream Baptist printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Wed May 17, 2006 at 02:21:04 PM EST
The Texas Freedom Network has been working to counter the religious right in Texas for more than a decade.  Their latest report addresses these questions:

How is the religious right silencing moderate voices in the Texas Republican Party and denying mainstream values in the halls of government today?

Why do so many far-right politicians use religion to divide Texans? What roles have wealthy special interests and organized pressure groups played in this strategy?

How have religious extremists transformed government bodies - including the State Board of Education - into vicious battlegrounds in our nation's culture wars?

Their latest report, The Anatomy of Power: Texas and the Religious Right in 2006 is the first of what they say will be an annual series of "state of the religious right" reports.  It attempts to provide an in-depth examination of the rise of the religious right in Texas.

It's hard to find more timely, pertinent, and valuable information about the rise of the religious right in Texas than what you'll find in this 60 page report.



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What's the Matter with Texas? | 3 comments (3 topical, 0 hidden)
TFN does good work (5.00 / 1)
Their annual reports are noted for being timely, well-researched documents that are often of ground breaking importance for spotting trends and for understanding the legislative and policy initiatives of the religious right.


by Mainstream Baptist on Wed May 17, 2006 at 02:21:55 PM EST

For one thing, Texas sex ed policies don't work (none / 0)
Rates of HIV and Syphilis are rising. Also,  teen pregnancy rates haven't come down nearly as much as in most other US states.  

On the other hand, Texas has had a long, steady drop in its divorce rate.

By contrast, the divorce rate in Oklahoma looks to be up about 16% in 2005.

I'm not sure of the causative factors but would guess that one could be that the Texas economy is doing well due to high oil prices.

I imagine moiv could address  many parts of your question far better than I can.  

by Bruce Wilson on Wed May 17, 2006 at 02:50:32 PM EST

We tend to be traditionalists down here (none / 0)
So our religious rightists do things the old-fashioned way, with wholesale bribery, corruption and strong-arming.

They don't simply influence or control the government; they ARE the government.

by moiv on Fri May 19, 2006 at 12:13:59 AM EST
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What's the Matter with Texas? | 3 comments (3 topical, 0 hidden)

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