End Time Beliefs, Dominionism, and President Benito Juarez' Timeless Words to Heal a Divided Nation

Friends:

Here is an important piece by Eric Lane on End Time believers (ETBs). What is important to consider is that ETBs are a mixed bag unto themselves. Back in the 1980s, as I recall, they were termed "Millennialists," referring to Christ's anticipated one-thousand-year reign. I remember focusing on the book of Revelation and end times when I was young and finding it fascinating although simultaneously distressing and ultimately exhausting psychically and emotionally.

I would have lasted longer as an ETB had this not been so draining. In retrospect, I'm glad it was because it took me to a place of redemption that opened my eyes to the vast beauty of life in the moment where individual and group differences became opportunities for me to be more compassionate, loving, and caring.

On a personal level, this meant truly embracing the notion that every way in which I am different is every way in which I am strong. This is an ethic of not just tolerance, but acceptance, that I take into each and every class I have ever taught, as well as into my work in the community.

Lane is correct in linking violence and threats of it to ETBs but what should really get named are "dominionists" who are actually pro-society (not democracy) albeit according to their narrow vision of so-called "Christian principles" as long as they're the ones who are also in charge.

The two go hand in hand. They must be in charge—and not just in the U.S., but globally. This is what makes Trump very dangerous as he is the means to dominionists' perverse agenda a cornerstone of which is indeed controlling women's bodies. It's already playing out in our country.

Look no further than Texas where anti-abortion activists are not happy with families traveling to New Mexico for abortions and women's health care because Texas doctors fear performing certain procedures for which they could get sanctioned. These activists are pushing for restrictions in New Mexico and with some success in some counties. Read"Texas anti-abortion activists pushed abortion restrictions in New Mexico, records show."

Consider, as well, Governor Greg Abbott's pro-voucher legislation as caught up with dominionism and theocracy. Learn about this from an earlier post, "Texas: Two Billionaires Want to Destroy Public Education and Replace It With Christian Schools by Diane Ravitch." And do take time to see CNN documentary, "Deep in the Pockets of Texas," which explores this toxic agenda.

I've already referred readers to a great source on the dominionist agenda via an earlier blog titled, "BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Alberta, Tim (2023). The kingdom, the power, and the glory: American evangelicals in an age of extremism." Relatedly, if you haven't seen The Handmaid's Tale, I encourage you to do so it as it captures through fiction what an extremist dystopian society of their making would look like. It is based on Margaret Atwood's book by this name. You can see all five seasons on Hulu, Prime Video, or Apple TV right now. I also highly recommend listening to Dr. Kevin Kumashiro's keen exposition of dominionism on Bill Ayers' podcast, Under the Tree: A Seminar on Freedom, with Bill Ayers Episode #105, "Project 2025 with Kevin Kumashiro."

Dominionists are the more serious group as far as I'm concerned because they are perhaps witting or unwitting white supremacists who see themselves as having a God-given mandate to establish a theocracy—that is, a system of government led by those that these theists see as "divinely guided." The antithesis is, as Lane mentions, "democratic pluralism," which is a foundation for peace for which many, if not most, of us advocate—to which I might add the hope and promise of a multi-ethnic and multi-racial democracy.

One might argue that as opposed to ETBs, neoliberals, or global capitalists, are ultimately in control. I wouldn't disagree with that as they profit from the divisions that extremist agendas enable. They are playing with fire, however, a potential runaway train that is combustible and dangerous.

The irony in all of this is a lack of Christ's love, caring, and compassion which are so central to the gospel that it's crazy—yet understandable—that this gets overlooked.


View Informative Link
Yet here is where we find truth. The Golden Rule of doing unto others as wewould have them do to us could not be a more urgent ethic. This is, moreover, a foundational principle of this continent as conveyed in the Mayan concept of In Lak'Ech (You are my other me) and as expressed by Mexico's beloved Indigenous president, Benito Juarez, of Zapotec origin, serving between 1858 and 1872, “Entre los individuos, como entre las naciones, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz.” ("As between individuals, as well as nations, respect for the rights of others is peace.")

Pin this to your refrigerator door. Have no fear. Trust the power in these words.

As we embark on the celebration of Mexico's September 16th Independence celebration, how appropriate to reflect on Juarez' timeless words to heal a divided nation.

Feliz Diez y Seis de Septiembre! Happy September 16th! 💗

-Angela Valenzuela

How End Time Beliefs Undermine Democracy
by Eric Lane | September 8, 2024

Photo by Shubham Dhage on Unsplash

The rhetoric employed by End Time believers is not just forceful language but an expression of an extreme apocalyptic worldview. This way of thinking perceives the world as embroiled in a cosmic battle between good and evil. In the End Time narrative, political and cultural opponents are not merely individuals with differing opinions but enemies of God, often viewed as agents of Satan or participants in a divine showdown.

Framing Opponents as Evil or Godless

End Time believers operate within a stark black-and-white world. In this dichotomy, they and their allies are seen as the forces of God, while their political or ideological opponents—be they secularists, liberals, progressives, or members of other religions—are depicted as being aligned with evil.

This rhetoric transforms political disagreements into moral and spiritual battles, demonstrating the profound impact of End Time believers' conviction on their perception of reality.

Leaders in this movement use demonizing language to describe their adversaries. Terms like “godless,” “anti-Christian,” “Satanic,” or even “demonic” are common. Political opponents are painted not as people with different viewpoints but as existential threats to the survival of Christian values and, by extension, to God's plan for the world.

Religious Warfare Rhetoric

For End Timers, the Culture war is Spiritual warfare. Many End Time believers see contemporary political struggles, such as the battles over abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, or secular education, as part of a larger spiritual war. These issues are framed not as policy disputes but as clashes between the forces of God and the forces of Satan.

By placing current events within the framework of the apocalypse, End Time believers heighten the stakes, portraying each political confrontation as a precursor to Christ’s return or the arrival of the Antichrist. This sense of urgency makes compromise or negotiation a betrayal, as they see themselves fighting for God’s ultimate plan.

The "Enemy Within"

End-Time believers target secular and liberal politicians. Their rhetoric frequently focuses on politicians who advocate for policies that contradict their perceived Christian values. These figures are often painted as either unwitting pawns of evil forces or as consciously working against God's will, leading to the vilification of the Left.

Progressive movements, particularly those advocating for social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, or reproductive freedom, are often depicted as prompting the charge in a moral and spiritual decline. For example, political leaders who support abortion rights are commonly framed as agents of evil, facilitating a modern-day ‘holocaust’ or acting under the influence of Satan.

Christian Nationalism and Divine Authority

End Time believers claim they defend their political preferences and act under a divine mandate. They believe their political actions align with God’s will, while their opponents oppose both them and God. This gives their movement a theocratic and authoritarian edge as they seek to implement what they believe are God’s laws in place of democratic laws.

By asserting that God's law should take precedence over human-made laws, Christian nationalism inherently undermines democratic pluralism, which depends on the coexistence of diverse viewpoints and the peaceful negotiation of differences.

In this worldview, dissent is not seen as part of healthy democratic debate but as opposition to divine authority, fostering an environment that erodes democratic values in favor of authoritarian control.

They believe God chooses leaders. Thus, certain political figures are often characterized as chosen by God to lead during this critical period before Christ’s return. For example, End Time believers frame figures like Donald Trump as divinely appointed leaders, despite his conduct, because he is advancing a Christian nationalist agenda.

Hostility and the Threat of Violence

When political opponents are cast as enemies of God, it becomes easier for believers to justify extreme action. This rhetoric inspires hostility and, in some cases, violence. For example, the rhetoric surrounding abortion, often framed as "murder sanctioned by the state," has led individuals to justify violent acts against abortion providers, as seen in numerous attacks on clinics and the murder of providers.

Some End Time believers have connections with militia movements and paramilitary groups that prepare for literal battles. They interpret Biblical prophecies about war and persecution as mandates to prepare for armed conflict, especially against what they see as a corrupt or evil government. This is particularly dangerous when combined with contemporary political polarization.

Biblical Justifications for Hostility

In an earlier writing, I described two Jesuses: the Peaceful Jesus and the Warrior Jesus. While many Christians focus on Jesus's peaceful teachings (e.g., the Sermon on the Mount), End Time believers emphasize apocalyptic depictions of Christ, particularly from the Book of Revelation, wherein a militant Christ returns to lead armies. This violent, retributive image of Jesus is used to justify a more aggressive stance against perceived enemies.

By prioritizing this militant Christ in political discourse, believers frame modern political struggles as literal spiritual warfare, escalating rhetoric and fueling conflict. This not only intensifies polarization but also promotes a mindset in which violence is seen as a divinely sanctioned means to achieve political ends. When faith is tied to the belief that physical battles must be fought for divine purposes, it diminishes the possibility of compromise and undermines the democratic process.

End Time rhetoric invokes divine judgment and punishment, implying that those who oppose the End Time worldview will face not just political defeat but eternal damnation. This sense of cosmic justice encourages hostility towards anyone who thinks or believes differently. They are depicted as working against God’s plan.

Consequences of this Rhetoric

By framing every political battle as a holy war, End Time believers not only contribute to the intense polarization in U.S. politics but are also the primary instigators. This makes civil discourse and compromise impossible, as their opponents are wrong and evil.

The dehumanization of political opponents and the apocalyptic urgency surrounding End Time beliefs can lead to acts of violence. The January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol is a prime example. Many participants carried Christian symbols and saw their actions as part of a divine mission.

When political opponents are framed as enemies of God, End Time believers justify rejecting democratic norms, such as free elections and the peaceful transfer of power. They claim that following democratic processes is less important than ensuring that "God’s will" is carried out, even if that means undermining democratic institutions. This puts End Time believers at war with the U.S. Constitution as it undermines democracy.

End Time believers' rhetoric of framing opponents as enemies of God creates a highly toxic environment that threatens democratic principles like compromise and peaceful governance alongside social stability.

By dehumanizing their opponents and viewing politics through the lens of divine warfare, they create an atmosphere of hostility, leading to radicalization and violence. This is not just a spiritual or religious issue—it’s a political one that poses a direct challenge to the foundations of secular democracy.

Support Legendary Texas Civil Rights Attorney Gary Bledsoe—Candidate for Austin City Council, District 7

Friends:

If you live in Austin's District 7, do consider supporting legendary Texas Civil Rights Attorney Gary Bledsoe, Candidate for Austin City Council. I can't say enough about him. He has advocated tirelessly at the local and state level for civil rights. The best way I can introduce you to someone who deeply admire is to share with you these recordings that give you a great sense of who he is.

The video at the bottom doubles as a conversation on policy and politics today and how Gen Z is particularly implicated even if at times disconnected from the reality of the policy agenda that is targeting them. This is obviously less the case now that Texas anti-DEI Bill (SB 17) is past tense.

Enjoy!

-Angela Valenzuela

View Gary Bledsoe's remarks at the candidate forum on Instagram.

THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY DOESN'T 

STOP AT MLK

UT POLICY CLASS WITH Black Brown Dialogues on Policy

The Education Revolution and Our Global Future | David Baker | TEDxFulbright

This is a provocative presentation by Dr. David Baker Professor of Education and Sociology at Penn State University. Education worldwide has indeed taken place with many people now having access to it at an unprecedented level. This is good. Very good.

His goal in this TED Talk he delivered in 2014 is to underscore the positive, growing influence of educational access worldwide, particularly in light of all the "negative" portrayals of education. My main criticism is that he confuses "negative" with the idea of being critical of education. When we are critical of education, as I very often am in this blog, the idea is always to name and analyze the problem with the idea of improving it. This is clearly the same for pretty much everyone I know in my corner of the universe in academia.

That said, it's clear that education changes us and very frequently empowers. This last point he makes is the strongest. Countries improve access to education and while they appreciate expanding the knowledge and skills base of their denizens, they do not always appreciate that empowered people—and organizations and communities to which they belong, I might add—assert themselves in ways that challenge local, state, and federal governments. That is, they act politically, forming social movements and making demands. For Gen Z youth, they are digital natives and masterful with getting their messages across in social media. We are witnessing this in the Harris-Walz campaign as we speak.

A skillful youth population as a consequence of education and literacy is of particular concern to totalitarian governments. This then gives rise to such things as "Arab Spring" and youth organizing and uprisings.

What Baker fails to address is how the tamping down on these social movements takes different forms, including harmful legislation like book bans, school district takeovers, privatizing education, attacks on voting rights, and outright political oppression. 

To his credit, Baker does say that education is this two-edged sword. 

However, my concern is that Baker can most definitely stay in the positive zone as long as he ignores how the failure of lower-class Black, Brown, and Indigenous youth gets organized within our educational systems, albeit with important exceptions. Outright political repression when youth and their allies advocate for a more just world is also hard to ignore.

Baker seems to suggest that we should all simply be content with what we have. While I believe in living with gratitude, it's important to recognize that policy and politics play an inescapably powerful role in shaping education. Sorry, there is no way that we can all be happy when so much is at stake both for individuals and society.

I'm posting because I really do appreciate my global audience and think that Baker's presentation is a good launchpad for discussion on the meaning of education in your corner of the universe. Oh yes, and let's indeed be critical as we think this through.

-Angela Valenzuela

 

Raise the Bar: Pathways to Multilingualism / ELEVAR LAS EXPECTATIVAS: Crear vías para el compromiso global from the U.S. Department of Education

Friends:

Check out this U.S. Department of Education piece titled, "Raise the Bar: Pathways to Multilingualism." Multilingualism should be the norm everywhere.

Favor de leer este artículo del Departamento de Educación de EE.UU. titulado, "ELEVAR LAS EXPECTATIVAS: Crear vías para el compromiso global." El multilingüismo debería ser la norma en todas partes. 

-Angela Valenzuela / -Ángela Valenzuela

Raise the Bar: Pathways to Multilingualism

Goal: Provide every student with a pathway to multilingualism.

The Problem

The number of people in the United States who speak a language other than English at home has nearly tripled over the last three decades, our nation is continuing to grow more diverse, and our economy is becoming ever more globally connected. But only 20 percent of Americans can converse in two or more languages. Additionally, English learners are one of the fastest-growing student populations in our nation’s public elementary and secondary schools; yet, far too often, the opportunities for English learners in school are limited.

We must do all we can to improve the learning environments in which English learners are learning English and increase access to high-quality language programs so that they, along with all students, have the opportunity to become multilingual.

Our Strategies

To be sure, the over 5.1 million English learners in our nation’s classrooms must be seen as assets—young people who come to school with wonderful languages and cultures to be shared and valued—and multilingualism should be viewed as the superpower that it truly is.

The Department is committed to working with leaders at the state and local levels to invest in, promote, and support evidence-based language practices and programs. Strategic action in the areas below represent key levers to provide every student with a pathway to multilingualism.
Equitable Access for English Learners:

To expand equitable access to a high-quality education to all English learners, the Department is developing and implementing processes that enhance oversight for the civil rights protections of English learners, as well as related funding obligations for English learner services. We also are promoting evidence-based practices to address the barriers that English learners can encounter in education. And importantly, the Biden-Harris administration has expanded funding for Title III over the last few years, which is crucial to supporting millions of multilingual learners across the country. Through $890 million in Title III grants to states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, the Department will continue to help improve the education of English learners and immigrant youth.

The Department also is continuing its robust oversight of the obligations that schools have to serve English learners under Title VI. The law requires that schools, districts, and state educational agencies take affirmative steps to address language barriers so that English learners may participate meaningfully in their schools' educational programs.

Despite progress across the country, the current, unfortunate reality is that English learners continue to graduate from high school at a lower rate than their peers and face barriers to a high-quality education that other students do not have to overcome. It is important to pay close attention to graduation rates because this data can be indicative of larger issues around equitable access to core curriculum, advanced coursework, and extracurricular programs.

The table below shows the percent of English learners graduating in four years compared to the overall graduation rate across the United States for the 2020-2021 academic year.


High School Graduation Rates for English Language Learners SY 2020-2021
(download data as a spreadsheet)

Increase Access to Quality Bilingual Education for All:

Knowing additional languages along with English is a much-needed skill that will have an enormous impact on our nation’s future workforce as well as our ability to compete and engage globally.

The Department is working diligently to increase access to high-quality language programs. We are continuing to provide technical assistance and oversight to promote research-based bilingual educational opportunities and language instruction in early childhood education settings and beyond.

The Department also is highlighting states and districts that are implementing innovative approaches to serving multilingual students and we are elevating evidence-based programs, including seals of biliteracy at the state level.

The map below shows the total number of districts and the percentage in each state with dual language or two-way immersion programs that receive federal Title III funding.

Being bilingual and biliterate are proven to have significant academic, cognitive, economic, and socio-cultural benefits that are important to recognize and leverage as we prepare students to move into post-secondary education or careers.


Bilingual Education for English Language Learners, 2020 - 2021
(download data as a spreadsheet)



Prepare a Diversified Bilingual/Multilingual Educator Workforce:

To develop and grow a diverse educator workforce that can robustly serve our English learners, multilingual leaners, and multicultural students, the Department is providing technical assistance and funding opportunities through competitive grants, including through first-time funding for the August F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence program.

We also are disseminating information about and supporting evidence-based state and local programs that are building educator workforce capacity, including grow-your-own programs, teacher residencies, and apprenticeship programs. Additionally, the Department is supporting graduate fellowships and colleges and universities that are prioritizing English as a Second Language and bilingual educator preparation programs for bilingual and multilingual educators. If we are to prepare students for a global society and economy, we must continue to increase opportunities for future educators to participate in state, local, traditional, and non-traditional educator preparation programs that provide teacher candidates with the knowledge and skills to serve English learners and multilingual students.

Through the use of the bully pulpit, grant funding, and a new Native Language Resource Center, the Department will continue to elevate the need to support a diverse and multilingual educator workforce to serve our increasingly diverse students and ensure they have the skills to meet the needs of a global economy and society.
Sampling of ARP Funding Highlights:Through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), states and districts are engaged in important work to expand pathways to multilingual education and to support English learners. For example:Indiana's Teacher of English Language Learners (I-TELL) program is paying for tuition and fees for current educators to earn the additional licensure they need to become teachers of record for students who are learning English. This program is a partnership between the Indiana Department of Education and the University of Indianapolis' Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning.​
The Red Hawks Rising Teacher Training Academy is a partnership among Montclair State University, the Newark Board of Education, and the American Federation of Teachers. The program prepares students of color to become teachers who reflect the diversity of the Newark community.
Collier County Public Schools in Florida has launched specific strategies to bridge the digital divide for migrant students based on feedback from migrant students and families and community partners. Schools within the district also are home to Migrant Resource Centers where students and families can go to receive targeted supports, services, and mentoring.
California's West Contra Costa Unified School District is using surveys to keep track of English learners' overall well-being and providing their families with translated communications on available services, including school counseling.​
The Illinois State Board of Education has created a $4 million grant from federal pandemic relief funds that will help to increase the number of bilingual educators in the state.​
Grants and Resources:To capture the ways in which the Department is working to provide every student with opportunities for multilingual learning, the agency released a one-pager with links to federal resources and grants.
For the first time ever, the Department awarded funding for the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence program. Through this program, $18 million in federal funds will be put to use to support colleges and universities in prioritizing educator preparation programs that prepare multilingual teachers of color to become fully certified to teach multilingual learners, including in dual language programs.​
The Department's National Professional Development grant program is supporting 44 colleges and universities to deliver professional learning for teachers of English learners, with a focus on school readiness and early childhood development.
The National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition has disseminated more than 25,000 resources to the field, including briefs, fact sheets, toolkits, podcasts, and other information to serve multilingual learners and highlight their needs.

Student threatened with suspension sues University of Texas for 'unlawful retaliation': ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FACULTY VOICE AND GOVERNANCE

Friends:

This is an evolving story at UT. One notes the importance of faculty voice and governance for due process and democracy as this student's lawsuit cites a UT Faculty Council committee report that supports Ammer Qaddumi's case. I agree with the American Civil Liberties Union's statement that free speech rights should be "generously protected." To this, I would include university faculty, as well, together with the academic freedom we need to teach truthfully in the college classroom. I am proud of our faculty and our faculty leadership for expressing their voices.

I am also proud of the great work by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) members at UT who contributed to the Faculty Council committee report, as well. Our chapter may be among the largest in our state.

To be clear, the Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Texas Faculty Association (TFA), along with their partners in other Southern states, have been leading the fight against interference in academic freedom, advocating for the protection of shared governance, due process, and tenure.

Our AAUP state leader, Dr. Brian Evans, together with other fantastic AAUP leaders at UT and statewide are currently organizing to have a voice in the upcoming 2025 Texas Legislative Session, as well.

Another important, related point that should also be abundantly clear is that when faculty fight for free speech and academic freedom at the legislature and beyond, these are student issues that both students and advocates need to vigorously support, as well. Similarly, when students and advocates fight for K-12 issues in the Texas State Legislature, these are higher education issues. 

After all, the attack on academic freedom in 2023 was presaged by the attack on Critical Race Theory in 2021. Expressed differently, many of us knew in 2021 that this issue would re-appear in higher education in the following 2023 legislative session—and it did in the form of SB 16 (related to higher education curriculum), SB 17 (attack on DEI), and SB 18 (attack on tenure). of the three, the latter two bills become law.

This speaks to a tendency in policy for folks to say, "I do K-12" or "I do higher ed." I maintain that these logics make us vulnerable that extremists are happy to exploit. Not that all have to know or do everything, but rather it's important to have a little epistemic humility and to know that there is a larger policy arena out there to which we must also be mindful. 

Here is where networks and partnerships matter. For example, I'm thrilled that Texas AFT and AAUP recently voted on March 30, 2024 in favor of this partnership: Affiliation Agreement Between Texas AFT and the Texas AAUP Conference. After all, censorship is an issue that affects the entire educational pipeline. I would also argue that we need to give our K-12 teachers much more academic freedom over their classrooms than they do now. The teachers we work with at Academia Cuauhtli—who are dual language/bilingually certified teachers—always tell us that what they like about our school is their freedom to impart their craft and to develop curriculum that is specific to the communities they teach.

You may join AAUP at this link. Here are several reasons to consider joining. No worries. Membership is kept confidential. You can also learn about how to start your own chapter at your own college or university, public or private, here.

Follow Texas AAUP on X @TexasAaup and @aaup_utAustin.

AAUP makes a difference. A big one.

-Angela Valenzuela

Student threatened with suspension sues University of Texas for 'unlawful retaliation'

by Lily Kepner | Aug. 30, 2024 | Austin American-Statesman

Pro-Palestine protesters hold a rally after The University of Texas at Austin’s commencement ceremony at Royal-Memorial Stadium on Saturday, May 11, 2024 in Austin. About 100 protesters, which included current and graduating students and faculty and staff, gathered to call for the University of Texas at Austin to divest from weapon manufacturers that supply arms to Israel. -Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman

A student threatened with suspension is suing the University of Texas, UT President Jay Hartzell and former Provost Sharon Wood, claiming they violated his First Amendment rights when he was arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest on April 24.

The suit, filed Tuesday, alleges that UT "unlawfully attempted to prevent that speech" and is now trying to suspend the student and bar him from campus for three semesters pending a hearing Friday. In an additional motion filed Wednesday, the student seeks a temporary restraining order against the disciplinary hearing, which a federal judge denied Thursday afternoon.

"It's pretty evident that the university's actions targeting that demonstration were really just unambiguously unlawful," Brian McGivern, the lawyer representing the case from Austin Community Law Center, told the American-Statesman in an interview. "My hope is that the lawsuit will also deter them from blindly, unapologetically breaking the law."

More:Can Texas public universities remove protesters from campus? First Amendment experts explain

McGivern said the discipline threatened against the student is "unlawful retaliation."

Ammer Qaddumi, the plaintiff in the lawsuit, is a member of the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the group that organized the April 24 protest and was the first person arrested by police after a dispersal order.

"The police sought out a mediator from among the crowd to communicate directives to, and Mr. Qaddumi volunteered to fill that role. At their request, Mr. Qaddumi shared with the other demonstrators the officers’ directives to disperse," the lawsuit states.

More:$5,200 for Pok-e-Jo's barbecue: A look at UT's expenses for pro-Palestinian protests

It describes Qaddumi addressing the crowd when they regathered on Speedway to listen to officers and communicating to officers about the challenges with dispersal when "at that moment, at approximately 12:49 p.m., he was arrested by UT Police Department officers on the accusation of criminal trespass."

Video evidence posted by the news service Al Jazeera, as well as reporter accounts, show Qaddumi helping police before a UT police officer arrested him. Fifty-six other people were arrested that day, though all criminal trespassing charges were quickly dropped "due to insufficient evidence."

Because of Senate Bill 18, a 2019 Texas law, all university public spaces are established as traditional public forums, affording them the highest scrutiny in free speech law, McGivern said.

This conduct would not meet the standard required to allow censorship, McGivern argues, even for a university.

"The University is a state entity, and it's one of the bedrock principles of our democracy that the state cannot casually censor speech ... except in very specific situations," McGivern said. "There's no good faith argument that they can make that what they are doing is lawful, except by relying on statements of facts that are pure fiction."

More:Analysis: UT increases limits on free speech after pro-Palestinian protests, Abbott order

On April 23, the university preemptively canceled the registered student group's plans to protest due to officials' belief the demonstrators planned to break rules and disrupt the campus. Wood, whom Hartzell announced Tuesday would return to the engineering faculty starting Sept. 1 after stepping down as provost, emailed the Dean's Council early the next morning to say UT "is working to ensure this type of disruption doesn't happen." Hartzell has said he asked outside law enforcement to meet protesters, fearing the protest would break rules and disrupt campus.

The president and provost were named and sued for damages in their personal capacity due to both parties showing their involvement in prior restraint with the protest, McGivern said.

More:UT offers deferred suspension to some pro-Palestinian student protesters, one suspension

University spokesperson Mike Rosen said the university is aware of the lawsuit and will respond in court filings, but he pointed to Hartzell's comment in April that UT followed its rules and protocols and that it protects free speech that follows those rules.

"Today, our University held firm, enforcing our rules while protecting the Constitutional right to free speech. Peaceful protests within our rules are acceptable. Breaking our rules and policies and disrupting others’ ability to learn are not allowed," Hartzell wrote then. "The group that led this protest stated it was going to violate Institutional Rules. Our rules matter, and they will be enforced. Our University will not be occupied."

The lawsuit states the Palestine Solidarity Committee was not intending to break university rules, accusing the university of conflating their intentions with national groups.

Protests largely organized by chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine, which the Palestine Solidarity Committee is a part of, spread across universities nationwide last spring after more than 100 protesters in an encampment were arrested at Columbia University on April 18 when demanding their institution divest from weapons manufactures contributing to Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

The UT protest was held in solidarity with others across the nation but was planned to be a gathering on the South Lawn with workshops, teach-ins and pizza, organizers said on social media. At a protest April 29 not organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, protesters did briefly set up a surprise encampment and police arrested 79 people.

More:Seventy-nine pro-Palestinian protesters arrested after setting up encampment at UT Austin

The lawsuit heavily cites a UT Faculty Council committee report that says the university broke its rules in silencing protesters' free speech preemptively, something UT denies.

The Statesman's reporting has showed the university changed its free speech rules this summer to state off-campus police can in some instances enforce university rules, something that was not present explicitly at the time of the arrests, though police have assisted the UT police before. It also changed the rules to cite drumming as amplified sound. The April protests didn't use amplified sound but they did involve drums.

More:UT faculty panel accuses school of violating its own rules during pro-Palestinian protests

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas previously raised concerns about the disciplinary process, encouraging the university in a letter to Hartzell to treat students in a content-neutral way and to protect their free speech rights generously. At least one other student protester also faces suspension, the Statesman previously reported.

The university has said disciplinary proceedings are separate from the law, though it publicly criticized County Attorney Delia Garza for dropping criminal trespassing charges because they did not meet the highest standard of evidence that protesters broke the law.

U.S. District Judge David Ezra on Thursday denied the temporary restraining order motion sought by Qaddumi, saying "no injury currently exists," as the hearing Friday will determine whether or not Qaddumi is suspended, and the university is following due process through having a hearing, according to his order.

In his lawsuit, Qaddumi seeks compensatory and punitive damages from defendants and a permanent injunction against disciplinary proceedings.

"This (is part of) a larger phenomenon that we see today with certain leaders, very publicly, very unapologetically, breaking the law in ways that they know are illegal ... and then trying to gaslight the public or lie to the public to justify it," McGivern said. "What people should know is that they deserve better leadership."

In Texas, You Must Secure Your Vote as 1.1 Million Voters Purged by Gov. Abbott Since 2021: HERE IS HOW

 Friends,

Yes, a staggering 1.1 million voters have been purged by Gov. Abbott. Here is how to check to see if your voter status in Texas is active. I just did. It only takes a minute.

Go to this link: https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/MVP/mvp.do that will take you to this page--->

You can also go in person to your County seat. Here is a link to Texas Counties and County Seats so that you can know where in your county to go.

This story from yesterday's Daily Mail is unnerving. Check out this exchange between a married couple and the Travis County clerk with whom they personally dealt:

''She said, "If you haven't voted in a couple years, they're just taking people off,' Ann recalled. 

'I was like, "Why would they do that?"

She said, "To make room for other voters."' 

'My personal opinion is that shouldn't matter. 

'Once you're registered to vote, you shouldn't just take people off because they're not voting enough for you. Some people only vote in presidential elections.'

Excuse me?!!! How the heck is "making room for others" an acceptable answer? If anything, it smacks of voter suppression. This is not and should never be an answer. Plus, why should not voting in a couple of years make you ineligible to vote in the first place? This is outrageous!

Here is the story by Maryann Martinez so that you can read it in full: Texas voters stunned to learn they've been purged from electoral roll as part of Greg Abbott's crackdown. Check out the reasons.

Some reasons make sense, while others, as in the Daily Mail story, are unclear. Geez, the story itself suggests that not voting in prior elections can be a reason behind your vote getting purged. It shouldn't be this way, but a clear lesson to everyone is that you need to continuously vote to not lose your right to it.

As we know from how the state is mistreating an 87-year-old election worker who is only performing her civic duty, nothing should surprise us.

Regarding convicted felons, as noted in the Texas State Law Library (TSLL), they are eligible to vote after completing all the terms of their sentence. This includes any time served in prison, probation, parole, and community supervision. But even this is complicated so it's best to take time figuring this out as suggested on the TSLL website.

If you need a mail-in ballot, here are instructions on how to apply. 

Also, mark these dates on your calendars------>

Your vote is precious such that even if you think you have no worries, I would urge everyone to double-check so that there are no surprises on election day.

Su voto es su voz! Your vote is your voice!

-Angela Valenzuela

"Outlawing Shakespeare: The Battle for the Tucson Mind"

Great seeing this short documentary on the struggle for Mexican American Studies in the Tucson Unified School District. It presages all of what we are today seeing in the national arena with attacks on curriculum, book bans, and even librarians. 

As author Steve Phillips terms it, we are witnessing both a "browning America," and a fear of it. 

It is this fear that undergirds the attacks we are witnessing against our communities' voting rights. Dolores Huerta is explicit about this in this film. Others, too, but she is the most direct.

This short documentary is a good refresher on the argument against Mexican American Studies, and students', community members' and teachers' responses to it.

-Angela Valenzuela

Book bans are so horrific. This is censorship. It's unbecoming of a free society. I feel for this Llano County librarian. I really hope the Llano County community realizes this travesty and supports her even more strongly in the event that they already do. No one should be subjected to this wrongdoing.

We must honor our librarians as their work is sacred.

-Angela Valenzuela

Librarian's wrongful termination lawsuit against Llano County can move forward, judge rules

by Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman | Aug. 29, 2024

A librarian who was fired amid a pressure campaign to remove books from Llano County public libraries can sue for wrongful termination and employment discrimination, a federal judge has ruled.

Suzette Baker, who was head librarian at a county library in Kingsland, filed the lawsuit in March and accused Llano County of firing her in 2022 because she refused to remove books that a group of activists deemed inappropriate for children, some of which focused on race and LGBTQ+ experiences. The county eventually removed 17 books, ranging from the children’s book “I Broke My Butt!” to the nonfiction book “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent.”

Baker also accused county officials of suppressing her First Amendment rights by barring her and other librarians from attending public Library Advisory Board meetings during their personal and vacation time.

Baker, a 57-year-old veteran and mother of five adult children, now works as a cashier at a hardware store in Kingsland.

U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman on Tuesday evening denied Llano County's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, allowing the case to advance toward a potential trial in Austin. The litigation could prove costly for Llano County, a rural Texas community in the Hill Country about 80 miles northwest of Austin, as it simultaneously defends itself against another federal lawsuit over the book removals.

The defendants in the case – the county, the Commissioners Court, the county's library director and several community activists who were appointed to the Library Advisory Board during the push for book removals − categorically rejected Baker's claims for legal relief in their June 4 motion to dismiss.

As per Llano County Library Director Amber Milum's writeups, Baker was given a verbal warning and later fired for several instances of "insubordination" and "disruptive" behavior, including calling in sick to attend a library board meeting and falsely stating Milum had sent her. Baker also erected a library marquee that read, "We put the 'Lit' in Literature," a double entendre referring to book burning, according to court filings.

"You are allowing personal biases, opinions and preferences to unduly influence your actions and judgment," Milum wrote in a March 9, 2022 memo noting she had terminated Baker’s employment.

The defendants largely declined to comment on Tuesday's order in response to individual requests sent by the American-Statesman, saying the county could not comment on ongoing litigation.

"We respect the legal process and look forward to finalizing this litigation," Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham wrote to the Statesman on Wednesday.

Commissioner Jerry Don Moss emphasized that the Commissioners Court did not vote for Baker’s termination or order Milum to fire her in a phone call with the Statesman Wednesday.

Baker's case, and the situation in Llano, have drawn national attention as restrictions on books read by children in schools and public libraries generate fierce debate around the country. In June, the Author's Guild in New York City gave Baker the "Champion of Writers" award for her "brave defense of her community's right to read."

For Baker, the judge's order signals that she and her lawyer are "going in the right direction."

"I know what I did was right," Baker said.

Denver-based attorney Iris Halpern, who is representing Baker, told the Statesman she hopes this initial order "sends a message" to libraries and government bodies that are considering placing restrictions on content. Halpern represented another Colorado librarian in a successful wrongful termination suit.

"Libraries are playing politics with First Amendment and constitutional and civil rights, and it's time that that stops happening," said Halpern, a partner at Rathod Mohamedbhai, in a phone interview.

"Librarians like Suzette Baker and other librarians across the country are heroes for protecting our rights and standing up to censorship and discrimination," she added.

The defendants' attorneys – Joanna Lippman Salinas and David Solomon of Austin-based firm Fletcher, Farley, Shipman & Salinas – did not respond to a request for comment.

In November 2021, community member Bonnie Wallace sent a spreadsheet with about 60 books to Milum and requested that librarians remove "all books that depict any type of sexual activity or questionable nudity." The list was based on one compiled the month prior by Texas Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth.

Milum directed Baker to remove the books from circulation in Kingsland, but Baker refused, believing taking them out of the library would constitute a First Amendment violation, according to the complaint. At the time, she wrote in an email to Milum that the library system should counter parents’ concerns with “information on how to effectively see what their children are doing and on how to choose those books.”

In a phone interview Tuesday with the Statesman, Baker noted that the library has a process for patrons to file formal challenges to books, but said that process was never used for the removals in 2021 and 2022.

In total, 17 books were removed. Some were children's books, such as "Larry the Farting Leprechaun." Some were related to puberty, like "It's Perfectly Normal." Others were award-winning adult nonfiction books, including "They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group” and “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents." The library serves community members of all ages and books are labeled to indicate their recommended age range.

The county noted in its court filing that public employers have authority to limit speech and speech activities, such as attending public meetings, when that speech contradicts policies or impairs performance.

"Plaintiff's speech was intimately connected with her professional duties and thus is not protected employee speech," Salinas argued in the motion to dismiss.

The defendants note in their motion that neither the Commissioners Court nor the Library Board voted to authorize or order Milum, who oversees all three county libraries, to terminate Baker.

"The Commissioners Court had nothing to do with the termination," Moss, a defendant in the lawsuit, told the Statesman in a phone call Wednesday.

But Baker argues in the lawsuit that the defendants all "planned, authorized, and supported her termination,” including by repeatedly pressuring Milum to have books removed. She also contends that the county terminated her employment to discriminate against minority groups through book bans and suppressed her First Amendment rights as well as those of other residents.

Baker is seeking back pay, attorney's fees and an injunction ordering the county to cease behavior that discriminates against minorities and suppresses residents' First Amendment rights.