Texas GOP adopts platform of erasing minorities by ‘assimilation’ into an ‘American identity’

[left-of-center2012]

Source: Raw Story

The Republican Party of Texas voted over the weekend to adopt a platform that, if enacted, would strip reproductive rights from women regardless of federal law, would serve to shame LGBT people for not living “an acceptable alternative lifestyle,” and see minorities assume an “American identity.”
As the Houston Press noted on Monday, the 26-page platform report was approved unanimously by every Republican state delegate on Friday.

Under the heading of “Strengthening Families, Protecting Life, and Promoting Health,” the platform explains how state GOP lawmakers are expected to deny equal rights for LGBT people and to “abolish abortion.”

Additionally, the party calls for racial and ethnic groups to shed their cultural identities in favor of an “American identity.”
“We favor strengthening our common American identity, which includes the contribution and assimilation of diverse racial and ethnic groups,” the platform declares.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/texas-gop-adopts-platform-of-assimilation/

[padfun]

1. Just what constitutes an "American Identity?"

Does it have to do with their Religion and their politics?

This country just keeps rolling on and on into a fascist state.

[left-of-center2012]

5. what constitutes an "American Identity?"

[Drahthaardogs]

15. Look to Italian americans

They did it to us. They forbade us to teach the children our language, made us worship in the basements of churches, and convinced us our food was unhealthy and bad.

[Aristus]

21. I thought that was Iowa.

Iowa has conservatives, but is in many ways a trillion times more liberal than Texas...

[Yupster]

43. When I was a teacher long ago

it was taught as the "melting pot".

Then in the 80's we started teaching whether the US was a salad bowl or a melting pot.
Are either of those two concepts taught in history class any more?

[drm604]

10. I suppose it means that we all have to adapt to a native American culture.

Any other culture; African, Asian, Middle Eastern, European, etc. would be foreign.

[Drahthaardogs]

16. No, it is more than that.

.

[drm604]

17. That was sarcasm.

My point being that it's ironic to have white people (of which I am one) acting like they represent some unique and privileged "American identity".

[yellowcanine]

18. I believe this is the Texas version of the AI.

Seriously.

[Aristus]

22. The literal poster-boy for self-destructive behavior.

Looks tough, doesn't he?

This is how he died:



Texas may be headed for the same fate.

[RKP5637]

37. It's become a disgusting fascist place. n/t

[pampango]

2. I posted a lot of their platform's policies a couple of days ago. It 'interesting' to say the least.

Texas Protecting Texans- We support Federal legislation remanding all authority over abortion back to the individual States and removing all standing on this issue from the federal judiciary as given by Article III in the US Constitution.

United States Senators- We support the repeal of the 17th Amendment of the United States Constitution and the appointment of United States Senators by the state legislatures.

We oppose socialism in any form. We support the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress in enacting legislation that prohibits any judicial jurisdiction from allowing any substitute or parallel system of law, specifically foreign law (including Sharia Law).

“Climate Change” is a political agenda promoted to control every aspect of our lives. We support the defunding of “climate justice” initiatives and the abolition of the Environmental Protection Agency and repeal of the Endangered Species Act.

We urge that the Voter Rights Act of 1965, codified and updated in 1973, be repealed and not reauthorized.

We support the definition of marriage as a God-ordained, legal and moral commitment only between one natural man and one natural woman.

Homosexuality is a chosen behavior that is contrary to the fundamental unchanging truths that has been ordained by God in the Bible, recognized by our nations founders, and shared by the majority of Texans. Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable alternative lifestyle, in public policy, nor should family be redefined to include homosexual couples.

We are resolute in our support of the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

We unequivocally oppose the United States Senate’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We pledge our influence toward a return to the original intent of the 1st Amendment and toward dispelling the myth of separation of church and state.

The Export-Import Bank should not be re-authorized after expiration on June 30th.

We support the immediate repeal of Dodd-Frank legislation and replace with the Glass-Steagall Act.

We also encourage the adoption of a National Right to Work Act.

We believe the Minimum Wage Law should be repealed.

We oppose all efforts to classify carbon dioxide as a pollutant.

We oppose the implementation of any cap and trade (aka “Cap and Tax”) system through legislation or regulation.

We call upon the United States House of Representatives to continue the select committee and appoint a special prosecutor in order to subpoena testimony to fully investigate all aspects of the Benghazi debacle.

International Trade- We strongly oppose the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the Trade In Services Agreement (TISA), and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). We demand the immediate withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). We demand the repeal of the current Fast Track Authority/TPA.

International Organizations- We support United States withdrawal from the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization, and the World Bank.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/312471673/Texas-GOP-Permanent-Platform-Committee-Report

[hobbit709]

3. Remember when they were against the teaching of critical thinking in the schools?

[raging moderate]

6. Wait. They want Glass-Steagall back?

Don't they realize this would anger the Kochs and Goldman-Sachs overlords?

[Person 2713]

13. Thank you for posti ng this list again

[alarimer]

24. Notice it's all about what they oppose.

Not so much what they are for.

[irisblue]

25. those Reps have serious cognitive issues. nt

[RKP5637]

38. It's really become a mental disorder and I'm serious. They do have quite serious pathological

cognitive issues.

[Egnever]

41. We support the repeal of the 17th Amendment of the United States

Constitution and the appointment of United States Senators by the state legislatures. Because gerrymandering is the only thing saving us at this point.

[Yupster]

42. The Seventeenth Amendment

is one of those that no one really pays much attention to, but it really was incredibly important.

It took away the greatest power that the states had to wield power in Washington. Once that power was taken away from the states, the country became very different. The central government could capture more and more powers from the states which it has done the last 100 years since the amendment was passed.

[Egnever]

49. I have no doubt it had an impact.

At the same time I think the shenanigans we are seeing with many of the red states and voter discrimination it was a wise decision.

[Dale Neiburg]

51. The bottom line:

If prospective Senators have to go in front of the voters and present actual ideas the process favors Democrats.

If Senate seats are bought and sold in back-room deals (the situation pre-17th amendment) the process favors Republicans.

[heaven05]

52. this is

primitive. Ripe fascism.

[cloudbase]

4. We support the immediate repeal of Dodd-Frank legislation and replace with the Glass-Steagall Act.

How did that one slip in there?

[jwirr]

7. Because even in Texas there are some older people who

remember going to a bank that was safe to deposit your money in.

[bemildred]

19. +1 nt

[underpants]

8. Um St. Patrick's day? Christmas?

Not exactly MURKAN holidays.

[left-of-center2012]

9. "MURKAN holidays"

Heck, even Groundhog's Day comes from Germany.

http://www.stormfax.com/ghogday.htm

[underpants]

11. I. didn't know that.

[alfredo]

55. Christianity is foreign law.

[underpants]

56. Ooh

That hurt

[alfredo]

58. Same goes for Judaism.

 
FOR TOUCHING MT SINAI
 
Whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death.Exodus 19:13
 
FOR TAKING ACCURSED THINGS
 
Achan ... took of the accursed thing. ... And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. ... So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Joshua 7:1-26
 
CURSING AND BLASPHEMING
 
And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him. Leviticus 24:16
 
ADULTRY
 
If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city. Deuteronomy 22:23-24
 
ANIMALS
 
If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned. Exodus 21:28
 
WOMEN WHO HAVE PREMARITAL SEX  (Honor Killings)
 
If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her ... and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid: Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate: And the damsel's father shall say ... these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. ... But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die. Deuteronomy 22:13-21
 
WORSHIPING OTHER GODS
 
If there be found among you ... that ... hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them ... Then shalt thou ... tone them with stones, till they die. Deuteronomy 17:2-5
 
If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers ... thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die.Deuteronomy 13:5-10
 
DISOBEYING PARENTS  (Honor Killings)
 
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother ... Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city ... And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die.Deuteronomy 21:18-21
 
WITCHES AND WIZARDS
 
A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 20:27
 
GIVING YOUR CHILDREN TO MOLECH  (An ancient Semitic godin particular a god of the Phoenicians, and the name of a particular kind of child sacrifice associated with that god.)
 
Whosoever ... giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones. Leviticus 20:2
 
BREAKING THE SABBATH
 
They found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. ... And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones.... And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses. Numbers 15:32-56
 
CURSING THE KING
 
Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. 1 Kings 21:10
 

[underpants]

60. Sometimes there's just not enough rocks

Forrest Gump 1994

[alfredo]

61. What good is rock without the roll?

[jpak]

12. Build a wall and deport them back to where they came from

yup

[Person 2713]

14. No more guacamole, pizza or sushi?? Wtf!

[left-of-center2012]

20. I'm Scot-Irish descent, but ...

I'm addicted to tamales, burritos, etc.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

28. Me too.

When you grow up in Texas, it's hard to avoid Tex-Mex. I grew up on Monterey House mild Tex-Mex, and still love it. Don't give me any hot sauce, tomatoes or pico de gallo please.

Our local librarian was bitching about how bothered she was by the fact that Wallyworld has an Hispanic food section.

I thought librarians were supposed to be tolerant, but not here. I should have told her that where we live used to have a different name -- "MEXICO".

[left-of-center2012]

29. Most Americans don't know ...

The USA stole the top HALF of Mexico.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

30. That is true.

[davidn3600]

44. And stole the other half of America from Britain

Borders are typically forged by war. That's the way human civilization works.

[Volaris]

46. I thought Jefferson bought about a third of it from France?

[davidn3600]

47. That transaction wouldnt have happened without the Revolution

War created the United States. There is no escaping that. America would not be possible without violence. Even Thomas Jefferson stated that the "tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

The British, French, and Spanish stole this land from the Native Americans (through war). We then stole a huge chunk from Britain (through war) and bought out the Spanish and French (and bought Alaska from Russia). We then stole the southwest and California from Mexico.

That's how America was formed. It is what it is. If Mexico wants the southwest back....they are welcome to declare war or make an offer to buy it. But we are never going to simply give it back to them. Just like we won't be giving the Northeast back to Britain.

I'm sorry...but that's how human civilization works.

[LanternWaste]

54. yours is merely one of many possible ways as to how it works.

"I'm sorry...but that's how human civilization works..."

Throughout history, nation-states have regularly divested themselves of lands and populations willingly (e.g., the Sumerian Empire, the de-colonization movement by the west of the mid-twentieth century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, etc).

Hence, yours is merely one of many possible ways as to how it works, regardless of irrelevant sorrow.




(Suggest Paul Kennedy, 'Rise and Fall of the Great Powers' and 'From Sumer to Rome: The Military Capabilities of Ancient Armies' by Karen Metz for additional perspectives)

[keithbvadu2]

39. Hummus blends into guacamole?

Hummus blends into guacamole?

[dembotoz]

23. why is it that every war movie showed a diverse cast...a white diverse cast but diverse non the less

the guy from brooklyn
the Italian
the polish guy always referred to as the pollock
the farmer
the guy from the south

etc etc

we could be diverse then but not now?

[bemildred]

26. "You can all be white too someday!"

[Feeling the Bern]

32. With respect to Stan Freberg

[bemildred]

33. He was priceless.

Shelley Berman, Tom Lehrer, ...

[Feeling the Bern]

34. Tom Lehrer

[Scalded Nun]

27. I'll tell you...

Just when you think the crazies in this fucked-up state can't get any crazier, they go and raise the bar.

Unfortunately it is the only bar that is getting raised.

[Feeling the Bern]

31. See Kyle? Do you see kyle? The Texas GOP see Kyle!

Everyone see kyle!

[IronLionZion]

35. What's the common American identity?

I have a feeling the Texas GOP thinks Americans are white Christians and everyone else must be from some other country and faith.

Even here in Washington DC I've had people tell me to my face that being a US citizen born in America to US citizen parents doesn't make me any less of an immigrant. So I can't imagine how much worse it would be in a place like Texas where they don't want brown people to vote.

But the attention to the transgender laws have already led to an increase in masculine women getting harassed or beaten up.

[left-of-center2012]

36. "GOP thinks Americans are white Christians"

Oh, not just any old Christian.
Evangelical, born again Christians!

[keithbvadu2]

40. You have to be the 'right' kind of Political Christian.

[davidn3600]

45. Most Americans assume we are supposed to be a "melting pot"

We are supposed to merge and be together as one people.

That's really how it was taught for generations. When it comes to immigrants, they are supposed to come here an become "American" and shed their origins.

The "salad bowl" concept is rather new...and not even one that is favored by all progressives.

[Yupster]

48. In the Eighties when I was a history teacher,

that was always one of my essay questions.

Is America a "melting pot," or a "salad bowl."

Any history teachers out there?

How is this taught today? Are both theories still taught? I haven't taught in over 25 years.

[sofa king]

50. How'd that work out with our Indian tribes?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_assimilation_of_Native_Americans

The most important thing it did was rationalize a dozen different ways to steal land from and deny civil rights to people.

Then, in order to justify the crimes, the legal tide was lowered so that all Americans became vulnerable to tricks like eminent domain. At the same time, the very concept of sovereignty was gnawed at so that all sovereign entities are defenseless against those who lord it above them.

In order to justify their plan of racial and cultural assimilation, Republicans will wind up reducing their own rights to the level of those they have oppressed for four hundred years. We will all be equal when we are all downtrodden serfs.

[Aristus]

53. The truth is, they just want everyone to be white.

'Assimilation' happens all the time, in many interesting ways.

Do you know how many people there are out there with names like Kevin Sanchez? Or Bill Nakamura? Or Sally Sun-In?

I know a young Punjabi lady who speaks in a Valley Girl accent.

I know an Arab-American who calls everybody 'Dude'.

No matter where people come from in the world, they tend to adopt American customs and ways pretty quickly.

In Texas, though, their crime is not having white skin...

[dembotoz]

59. the borg with a cowboy hat....how nice