Category: Uncategorized

  • Texas Equity PAC Candidates

    The following have been endorsed by Texas Equity PAC:

    Mark Strama – House District 50 (Austin)

    Campaign website: http://www.markstrama.org

    Hubert Vo – House District 149 (Houston)
    Campaign website: http://www.hubertvo.com

    Eliot Shapleigh – Senate District 29 ( El Paso)
    Campaign website: http://www.shapleigh.org

    Candidates:

    Valinda Bolton – House District 47 (Austin)
    Campaign website: http://www.valindabolton.org

    Harriet Miller – House District 102 (Dallas)
    Campaign website: http://www.electharriet.com

    Paula Hightower Pierson – House District 93 ( Arlington )
    Campaign website: http://www.paula06.com

    Ellen Cohen – House District 134 (Houston)
    Campaign website: http://www.ellencohen.org

    Allen Vaught – House District 107 (Dallas)
    Campaign website: http://www.allenvaught.com

  • Reporter Visits Week-Old Guard Outpost in Texas

    “Their job here is to help us, to be our eyes and ears and report to the agent who is nearby,” said Marfa sector deputy chief patrol agent John Smietana Jr.

    Standing on a windswept hill overlooking the river about 20 miles southwest of Sierra Blanca, Smietana said the Texas Army National Guard troops now provide 24-hour surveillance along a stretch of the Rio Grande that is so parched it easily can be crossed on foot. Known as entry-identification teams, the soldiers have operated a lightly camouflaged lookout post for about a week.
    July 28, 2006, 10:40PM; Eyes of Texas Guard on the border: Troops keeping watch on remote western stretch of Rio Grande; By JOHN W. GONZALEZ;
    Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Google Map of Sierra Blanca, TX

    See also this tv report from News5 about an observation post in the Valley that will be operated by the Guard for about another two years.

  • Ramsey Muniz: They Forgot about the Heart

    Dear Friends:

    The enclosed letter from Ramsey Muniz describes his
    spiritual and loving disposition in spite of his
    suffering. The institution was released from lock down
    on Tuesday. Please distribute.–Irma L. Muniz


    5/24/06

    Mi Corazon,

    Yes, I’m back in the jungle of humanity of this
    United States. I have been here only one week and I’m
    locked down with the entire institution. I can only say
    that it wasn’t as bad as one week in Oklahoma. Be that
    as it may, I continue to ponder on one issue at this time, and that is having me transferred to a Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Texas.
    I have been 12 ½ years in this country’s hardest penitentiaries and that is enough for any Mexicano in my position who doesn’t have a violent background, is not a member of any gang or group, and has not had an “incident report” in 12 ½ years of confinement. This in and of itself is cruel and unusual punishment. I can barely walk across the entire prison compound with my cane and yet I see all these younger convicts exercising as if getting ready for war anytime.

    Why? Why is it that they don’t want for me to be close
    to my family and friends in Texas? Even those in this prison cannot understand what I’m doing here in this high security penitentiary.

    As I was sitting on a bench by myself praying to the
    Creator, I heard the sound of a gunshot and instructions to hit the ground, face down, on the gravel. Inside this institution there is no grass, no trees, all gravel, concrete and bars – the future of tomorrow to control your mind.

    Guess what. They forgot about this heart – this heart
    that is full of love and nothing destroys love. It doesn’t
    matter if there is a desert, no trees, only chains and shackles.

    This Mexicano love overcomes all. This love from this Mexicano will one day free all our people. One can be old and think young, others can be young and think old. After God gave me life once again he took my heart and mind and said unto me, “Tez, you shall
    once more think, feel, love, and lead young once again.” And when He said that unto my life, you were there standing next to me with tears pouring, holding my hand and saying, “Oh Ramsey, please get
    well, for I love you so much.” This is the power that embraces me this very minute even in this lock down tonight. I can feel you tonight, I can feel your corazon in my hands. Oh Irma, oh my Citlalmina, I love you, I adore you, I admire your strength.

    We must continue with the faith and courage we have in our hearts. I know at times we feel all the odds are against us, but without sacrifice and sorrow, freedom has never come about, and I know that because of our suffering and sacrificing, many others will never feel the pain. Imagine how Christ felt the days before His
    execution – the nights before knowing that He was going to die for the sins and freedom of all humanity. And how weak some people are about everything in life. No discipline, no faith, no courage, and no love. I pray for them constantly.

    Amor,
    Tez

    “Thus I love you, love.
    Love, thus I love you.
    thus as your hair
    lifts up and as
    your mouth smiles,
    light as water
    from the spring upon the pure stones,
    thus I love you, beloved…

    Tezcatlipoca
    http://www.freeramsey.com

  • PA Gov Sends Troops, Clarifies Right of Command

    The Operation Jump Start Memorandum of Understanding does not give “supporting states” rights of mission review, but the Pennsylvania Governor has demanded that right says the press release below. The Texas Governor, being from a “supported state” is required to review missions, but in response to two public information requests from the Texas Civil Rights Review, the Texas Governor’s Office says it has no documentation of such approvals on file.–gm
    HARRISBURG, Pa., July 27 /PRNewswire/ — Governor Edward G. Rendell has authorized the Pennsylvania National Guard to allow up to 500 soldiers and airmen to volunteer to deploy to Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas for up to 90 days to patrol along the U.S.-Mexico border in support of Operation Jump Start.

    In a related action, Governor Rendell signed a modified addendum to the Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Defense and the governors of the border states.

    “I would not sign a Memorandum of Agreement without making it clear that the commonwealth, as a state sending soldiers and airmen to perform this mission, retains command and control and the right to review these deployments,” the Governor said. “We also have the right to recall these personnel to Pennsylvania at any time we need them to perform emergency duty here.”

    “We plan to send our soldiers and airmen in increments of about 100 personnel between next month and September,” said Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright, Pennsylvania’s Adjutant General. “Since these troops will be deployed in a federally funded duty status there will be no cost incurred by the commonwealth.”

    Press Release Source: Pennsylvania Office of the Governor; Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Says Pennsylvania National Guard Members May Volunteer for Operation Jump Start; Thursday July 27, 5:15 pm ET; Action Clarifies State Command and Control of Guard Forces (Yahoo Finance).