It’s very rare that I see a democrat state that they are fighting for Christian Values.  That’s normally a term reserved for the right, and - often - the far right.  Thus, I was quite surprised to find Roger Owen’s website stating that he was fighting for Christian Values.  His website also states “Southern Democrat and Proud!!!”  That turn of phrase is - again - usually reserved for the right.

Owen is running for Texas State Congress in District 1, East Texas.  Owen appears to have the standard Democrat-based commentary on his website: anti-big business, protecting the economy, taxation, health care, and the state justice system.  These are all standard Democrat party lines, and pretty average for the Democrat compass.  It’s Owen’s next statement that makes the compass act as if it’s lost inside a giant superconducting magnetic particle collider at the north pole.

Owen states, and I quote from his website:

The “Moral Compass” of our east Texas communities is derived from our faith. “Family Values” need to be more than just a “political slogan”. The very foundation of our religious freedoms are being challenged by special interests like never before. We must protect our freedom to worship from those who would use our own beliefs against us.

I was quite surprised to read this comment on a Democrat’s website.  It is a blatant cry against the general freedoms that Democrats stand for.  To add to this, Owen has been found to be directly discriminatory towards homosexuals, as evident in his conversation with the Longview News-Journal, prior to an invitation to speak before the Stonewall Democrats (a group of democrats fighting for gay/lesbian rights
in Texas).  Owen stated:

“This is East Texas. (Franklin is) hurting the party,” Owen said. “I feel for the gays, but this is East Texas. It’s not New York. It’s not Fort Lauderdale.”

“Franklin” refers to Patrick Franklin, president of the Gregg County Stonewall Democrats.  The Lufkin News-Journal also reports that:

Owen also said in an interview that it’s not his job to psycho-analyze them, adding that whoever wins the state District 7 Republican nomination between Tommy Merritt and Mark Williams is “going to spank (Franklin) dearly with that issue” (of gay rights) during the November general election.

It is being speculated amongst Texas Democrats as to whom the “them” refers.  Some state it is homosexuals, some state it is the Stonewall Democrats.

Although my associate at PinkDome takes a more agressive response than I would, I must agree that it is people like Owen that continue the anti-gay sentiment in this country.  Owen is no kind of Democrat, in my mind.

For more reading on this subject, please see the entries above, or the following:

• Franklin for Congress Blog
• DailyKos Reports on MyDD.com banning Owen

Technorati Tags: PinkDome, Roger Owen, Patrick Franklin, Gregg County, Stonewall Democrats

Many has asked me who Rashad Jafer is, and what his whole deal is. Most didn’t even know he was running for governor.

Well, to learn more about Jafer, I invite you to visit his campaign website, his platform, frank commentary on obstacles in Texas, and their solutions, a clear outline of his goals, and his positions on several key national issues.

Additionally, I offer you the following letter to the editor, sent to several newspapers around the state, announcing Jafer’s candidacy:

Dear Editor,

The opportunities that exist in the state of Texas at present need to be addressed. On top of the list are health care, education, security /immigration, and high taxes. These challenges affect the average Texan, and need a solution. As an average Texan I would like to offer my ideas for resolving some of these issues.

I am announcing my plans to run for the governor of Texas in 2006. With these goals in mind, I believe the office of the governor has the ability to initiate and implement policies that can improve the situation. We need a strong, visionary leadership where these issues are concerned, and a determination to follow through.

I am on the receiving end of the existing challenges facing the average Texan. I am dealing with health care issues, and my kids are going through the rigors of public school system. I feel the deteriorating law and order situation and safety matters. Also, I am paying dearly through the sales tax – code.

The state needs the input of the common man more than ever when it comes to decision making, and determining the future of its residents. I want to be a governor who is in tune with these challenges and foresees a resolution in a reasonable time frame. I want to be a governor who is not afraid to try new ways to resolve these issues. I want to be a governor who is totally free of any special interests. My goals are:

1. In the next four years Texas should have one of the best and affordable health care systems in the country.
2. In the next four years Texas should climb from being 45th to the top ten states where education is concerned.
3. In the next four years Texas should be a model in the safety and security of its citizens.
4. By 2010, to reduce sales tax rate from 6.25 % to 5.25 %.

I would like to appeal to the readers who identify with these issues to come forward and join me in my campaign. It is an effort to gain grass root support for a campaign that envisions a new direction for Texas with new partners for reform. Anybody with valuable ideas is welcome. I need public support in the cause of finding solutions through non – political individuals. Anyone interested can visit: www.rashadforgovernor.com. I am looking forward to talking with like-minded people.

Technorati Tags: Rashad Jafer, Texas, Governor of Texas

Have you noticed it, yet? The change in the title and “slogan” of this site? Are you scratching your heads, yet? Considering out government’s ability to change things on a whim, I thought I would see what it felt like.

Allright, in all honesty, I felt it was time to break away from the old MindFyre routine. Over time, I’ll be re-inventing myself in the blogosphere. Oh, don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere, and all of my old blogs are staying where they are. I am, however, in the beginning stages of considering (yes, doublespeak.. thought I’d try that, too) the building of a blogging network. I’m also looking at opening up more blogs. heh.

So what prompted the name change? The fact that people were confusing MindFyre and MindFyre Politics. The fact that the original “slogan” of “MindSpeak and CrimeThink” did’t really fit. Why? Because free thought and progressive thought should never, ever be equated to crimethink. Ever.

So, I sat back, and decided it was time to re-invent this blog a bit. The natural title was “MindSpeak,” as I started this blog as a place to speak my mind on politics. The new slogan, “Progressive Politics With a Twist”? Oh, that came from the following facts: I consider my politics progressive. Unlike most progressive, I do not identify with any specific political party, nor do I identify with any particular ’shade’ (liberal, conservative, facist, hippie-communeloving-pothead) of politics. Additionally, I hate, hate, HATE partisan politics. If there’s one thing I can’t stand it’s to see someone take an issue, and then use it to slam their closest political opponent. My stance has always been, “Concentrate on the f—ing issues, not on what your opponenets are doing.” Add to that the fact that I am probably the only member of the Texas Progressive Alliance (TEXAdS) that has openly and actively supported people from the Democratic party, the Republican party, and an Independant, all at the same time (albeit for different offices). Therefore, my progressive politics, and normally progressive stances, come with a twist.

Welcome, then, my fair readers, to MindSpeak. Enjoy!

Welcome back to Round Two. In Round One, I introduced you to the candidated for the race for the Democratic primary for Texas State Governor. The candidates are Chris Bell, Bob Gammage, and Rashad Jafer.

As with Round One, Jafer was unable to participate in the interview, and his comments and stances are taken from his campaign website (so above-linked). The comments of Bell and Gammage are taken directly from their interview at Polstate.com.

Let’s get started…
Read the entire entry …

The recent hullabaloo over the Mohammed cartoons has resulted in fark.com launching another one of its famed photoshop series. With over 130 entries, thus far, this particular series - “Sitcom Situations for Mohammed” - is the next in a long line of social commentary regarding the cartoon issue.

Although it is anyone’s guess as to how long it will be until Fark starts taking a lot of heat, it is this blogger’s wager that it won’t be too awful long. One certainly has to wonder if Drew Curtis - the man, not only behind fark.com, but also with his name in the title - will be targetted specifically

Technorati Tags: Mohammed, mohammed cartoons, fark, photoshop contest, Drew Curtis

We’re a short time away from the March 7th Democratic Primary in Texas. It is at that point that the Democratic candidate for Governor will be decided. There are three Democrats running in the primary, this year: Chris Bell, Bob Gammage, and Rashad Jafer.

Interesting enough, all three are from Houston, although Bell is the only one to truly start his political career, here. In 1997, Bell was elected to the Houston city council, and quickly earned a reputation for being a hardnosed fiscal watchdog. Bell helped to pass the city’s first property tax rollback, and fought to curb wasteful spending. After only five years on the Council, Bell was elected to Congress in November, 2002, and made his name known rather quickly. From his early formation of the Port Security Caucus (a bipartisan group fighting for resources to improve the nation’s seaport security) to his 2004 ethics complaint against Tom DeLay, Bell has been a fighter for ethical government.

Secondly, we have Bob Gammage. Gammage touts himself as a lawyer, teacher, and veteran. Regardless of his non-government life, his government work has been impressive. Gammage has been: elected (statewide) to the Supreme Court of Texas, elected to the Texas Coury of Appeals (Central Texas District), Elected to the U.S. Congress, Elected to the Texas Senate (Harris and Ft. Bend), elected to the Texas House (Harris County), and was a member of the “Dirty Thirty” (a bi-partisan group of legislators that pushed for reform in the wake of the Sharpstown Scandal in the 1970s).

Finally, we have Rashad Jafer. Jafer has had no legislative experience, and no political experience within the state. Originally from Pakistan, Jafer received a bachelors degree from the University of Karachi in Microbiology. After immigrating to the United States in 1981 (and to Houston in 1982), Jafer picked retail as his career, and has fought his way up the chain of command until he has become a manager of a major retail chain. Jafer is running on a grass roots movement that has spawned from his intense feelings on the problems of the state he loves, and calls home.

Bell, Gammage, and Jafer all share similar base platforms - Democratic/liberal, doing what is best for Texas. Although the specifics on how they plan to accomplish these tasks tend to differ. (For the following segment, information on Bell and Gammage is taken from an interview done at Polstate.com. Information on Jafer is taken from his campaign website.)

Continuing on, you will find the candidates comments and feelings on a variety of issues. This is round one of two. Round two appears, Thursday, Feb 16th.
Read the entire entry …

The Blog Herald, under the bastion of free speech, has published all of the anti-Islamic cartoons that are causing the Islam world to be in an uproar.

In my mind, this is sheer idiocy.

Certainly, the publishers have a right to freedom of the press, and freedom of speech (well, I don’t know about the countries they’re in, but in America, they would). Certainly, publishing these cartoons demonstrates freedom of speech and of the press. Certainly, publishing these cartoons is not only a smack in the face to radical Islam, but to noble Islam, as well.

Boston.com (I’m sorry, I don’t have the link) sums up the reasons behind the cartoons, thusly:

HINDUS CONSIDER it sacrilegious to eat meat from cows, so when a Danish supermarket ran a sale on beef and veal last fall, Hindus everywhere reacted with outrage. India recalled its ambassador to Copenhagen, and Danish flags were burned in Calcutta, Bombay, and Delhi. A Hindu mob in Sri Lanka severely beat two employees of a Danish-owned firm, and demonstrators in Nepal chanted: ‘’War on Denmark! Death to Denmark!”In many places, shops selling Dansk china or Lego toys were attacked by rioters, and two Danish embassies were firebombed.

It didn’t happen, of course. Hindus may consider it odious to use cows as food, but they do not resort to boycotts, threats, and violence when non-Hindus eat hamburger or steak. They do not demand that everyone abide by the strictures of Hinduism and avoid words and deeds that Hindus might find upsetting. The same is true of Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Mormons: They don’t lash out in violence when their religious sensibilities are offended. They certainly don’t expect their beliefs to be immune from criticism, mockery, or dissent.

But radical Muslims do.

Read the entire entry …

There’s been a little flack, lately, about Borris Miles - a candidate for Houston’s District 146- making contributions to the campaigns of Rick Perry, Carole Keaton (Rylander) Strayhorn, and others. Want to guess what party he’s affiliated with? Perry, et al are all GOP. Guess which party Miles is. Did you say Republican? You’re wrong.

So the flack, of course, has been about a liberal contributing to the campaign fundsof some of Texas’ GOP leaders. A mailing list, of which I’m a member, has discussed this, recently. The conversation began by someone bringing up Miles’ contributions. A campaign staffer for Miles (and member of the list) quickly responsed to the thread. Here’s the highlights of his response (paraphrased):

• Yes, Miles did make donations to Rich Perry, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Carole Keaton (Rylander) Strayhorn. The donations totaled around $8,000 (eight thousand).
• Miles’ contributions to Democrats, compared to his GOP contributions, are at around a 10-to-1 ratio ($10 Dem, for every $1 GOP)
• Miles’ contributions to the GOPers were out of good business sense, as Miles operates a successful business that falls within a highly regulated industry (insurance).
• Miles has contracts (through his company) with the state, the federal government, some school districts, and Houston’s community college system.
• Many, many people consider such contributions “the cost of doing business.”
• This isn’t a secret, Miles has been up front about this in candidate forums and meet&greets

In short, this is a non-issue. Miles has made contributions that are in line with his business, and in line with what thousands of people do every day. He has been up front about his contributions, and the amounts, from the beginning.

So let’s stop all the junk before it starts, yeah?

Technorati Tags: Borris Miles, Houston, District 146, Rick Perry, campaign funds, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Carole Keaton Rylander, Carol Keaton Strayhorn, Campaign Contributions