Category: Uncategorized

This post also showcases the new ability of the plugin to read dates specified in a variety of formats.

TAEX (AgriLife) Documents

By Greg Moses

1976: Pleading for Settlement

Cooksey 1976a: Letter from Frank C. Cooksey, Special Assistant to Texas Attorney General John L. Hill; to Dr. Jack K. Williams, President of Texas A&M University; March 19, 1976; a three-page letter with three attachments: (1) a five-page “Comparison of Mississippi Judgment and TAEX Consent Decree,” (2) a three-page “Comparison of Alabama Judgment and TAEX Consent Decree,” (3) a one-page “Features in TAEX Consent Decree not Included in Other Decrees.”

In this letter attorney Cooksey argues why the Texas A&M Board of Directors [now known as Regents] should accept a consent decree that would settle a class-action civil rights suit initiated by black county agent Preston Poole. Poole et al v. Williams, et al, In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Div., Civil Action No. 72-H-150.

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By Nick Braune

The Texas Rio Grande Valley seems to have too many police. It is an aspect of the “militarization of the border,” which has been a growing long-term problem. Along with the border wall (constantly lengthening), and the immigration detention centers, and the federal checkpoints on highways leading out of the Valley, it often appears to residents that disproportionately more police are here than in other places.

A visitor to Harlingen (population about 60,000), for instance, may see city police, county police, a constable, TSTC college police (a separate department), airport police, State Police — yes, the author of this article was ticketed for a seat belt violation in downtown Harlingen by a Texas State Trooper — and of course visitors see Border Patrol vans frequently and occasional Customs vehicles.

Two recent news stories have indicated some annoyance at the ever-growing policing. McAllen’s newspaper, The Monitor, on August 18 ran a story with some criticism of “Operation Border Star,” a program implemented back in 2007, shifting State Troopers to the border. The Troopers’ labor organization itself has criticized the program, saying other parts of the state are being short-changed in law enforcement. A group’s spokesman told The Monitor, that they see “dissatisfaction from Troopers who feel they are not allowed to actually do their enforcement jobs…Rather, they just ride around maintaining a presence” in border town areas.

And this week the Mayor of Brownsville publicly protested that Governor Rick Perry is going too far with his new program. Perry has announced an expansion of Operation Border Star to include Rangers and Texas National Guardsmen being shifted to the border. These Ranger Recon Teams, according to the Monitor “will comprise Texas Rangers and Texas National Guard counter-drug forces, with support from the Operation Border Star Unified Command, including Texas sheriffs, Highway Patrol strike teams and Department of Public Safety aviation resources.” Perry argues that we need more militarization here because there are criminal elements in Mexico. Mayor Pat Ahumada has disagreed with Perry and has accused him of performing a political stunt which puts the Valley in a very bad light.

Ahumada is quoted in the Rio Grande Guardian: “It is unfortunate that this Governor is determined to bring troops to the Southwest border, [bolstering a] negative perception the national media has been eager to create because of isolated incidents in Mexico,” he said.

“Brownsville is safe and secured, with contingency plans…should violence spill into the U.S. side of the border. There is no need to panic or create hysteria based on isolated incidents caused by people in the drug trade.”

Although the Border Patrol doubled in size nationally in the last three years and most of its deployment is to the Mexico border region (with a rather in-your-face presence), Governor Perry said that he is forced to assign these Ranger Recon Teams because the federal government is not doing enough.

Few in the Valley are praising Perry’s vigilance.

By Nick Braune

An upcoming conference is scheduled which will, I hope, foster better understanding between three countries with revolutionary traditions: Cuba, Mexico and the U.S. Here is a quick online interview with one person in the Rio Grande Valley prominently promoting the conference, an English professor at U.T. Pan American, David Anshen.

Braune: David, I am really happy you talked me into attending the Marti, Juarez, Lincoln Conference next month. Could you give the readers an overview of it? And I am sure many people would appreciate being reminded who Benito Juarez and Jose Marti were.

Anshen: The International Conference, “Marti, Juarez and Lincoln: In the Heart of Our America,” is a gathering in Monterrey, Mexico, October 15-17, for scholars, activists, working people – anyone supporting democratic exchange. Panel discussions on cultural, political and historical issues will be offered, as well as general dialogue on the future of the Americas. With prominent figures from Mexico and the U.S. and the head of the Marti Institute, Armando Hart, joining the panels, this conference has political and social importance, particularly in the face of the growing economic crisis racking the three countries and the world.

To answer your other question, Nick, it’s important for working people and youth to learn the real history of revolutionary struggles, the class dynamics that led to the developments of modern-day capitalism in the Americas. Part of what the conference aims to do is provide education about the role of these three great historic figures:

Juarez led a revolution in Mexico in the late 19th century against feudal privileges. Marti, a Cuban hero, fought for the independence of Spain and against U.S. encroachment upon Cuba’s national sovereignty. Marti also inspired future generations of Cuban revolutionaries. Lincoln, as is better known, led the nation in a war that eliminated slavery. This conference will discuss all three figures, including discussion and debate about their ideas and their relevance for the future relations between these three countries.

Braune: I understand there may be several people from Pan Am and the Valley attending or on panels. How is that coming along? And also why is it important for Valley people to attend?

Anshen: We expect the largest U.S. contingent attending will come from the Rio Grande Valley. This is understandable because of our geographic proximity to Monterrey, but more importantly because of our cultural, political, and economic links to Mexico. So far there has been an enthusiastic response among students, scholars, cultural figures, and activists. We plan to fill at least one bus, subsidized and sponsored by the Office of International Programs at UTPA, and a second bus if possible. Our goal is to ensure that anyone interested in the ideals of the Conference will be able to attend. Tell your readers I can be contacted at danshen@utpa.edu.

Braune: A little off topic, but surely related: Do you advocate, and do you realistically foresee, any changes under Obama for our current Cuba policy?

Anshen: You ask about the possibility of better relations between the Cuban government and the Obama administration. The Conference is based on the idea, going back to Jose Marti, of truly friendly relations between peoples, and therefore the Conference will support the full ending of the horrible economic trade embargo against Cuba.

But I personally am not hopeful, in the short run, about any major changes of policy under the Obama administration in regards to Cuba, because it is the political independence and revolutionary character of the government of Cuba which has earned the hostility of successive U.S. administrations since the virtual beginning of the Cuban Revolution. This is just my personal view. However, conferences like this are a concrete act of solidarity and make it harder for the U.S. government to justify its illegal, immoral, blockade.

Braune: Thanks, David. See you in Monterrey.

[This interview also appeared this week in the Mid-Valley Town Crier]