Staples Has No Plan to Pull Controversial Website
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples has no plans to pull down a state-run website that allows border ranchers and farmers to document their daily struggles with drug cartels and undocumented immigrants. Instead, he called a news conference today to promote the site and reiterate its necessity.
Launched last week, protectyourtexasborder.com has drawn the ire of some who oppose comments made on the site’s message board, comments calling for armed vigilante groups, land mines and booby traps on farm and ranch lands near or on the border.
On Wednesday, state Sen. José Rodríguez, D-El Paso, asked Staples to ...
Comments (14)
Kelly Jackson
Keep the website. Our country needs to know what the citizens on the boarder are facing, this is a real war in Mexico and Americans have been fleeing back to the US for two years. Shutting down the website will do nothing, our citizens are smart enough to use unfiltered social media sites to share their experiences. Twitter is the leading media network to share real time tragic events as they are happening. Washington needs to support our people so they don't feel like they have to take matters into their own hands to protect themselves.
Michael B Openshaw
Someone thinks a site needs to be pulled down because comments need to be policed? You know of any site that allows comments that DOESN'T need to- including this one?
Karen Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I sometimes wonder if the GOP isn't trying to start riots in this country. Attacks against public employees; teachers, firefighters, EMS, etc., etc. Their anti anybody who isn't white propaganda and their attacks on the unemployed through no fault of their own. Their tax cuts to the rich, corporate subsidies and corporate welfare. And their attacks on gays. Attacks on Medicaid, Medicare and Social
Security. About the only thing the GOP supports is the Tea Party (boy are they in for a big surprise), Big Oil and Big Corporations.
Have I missed anything? Oh yeah--attack on women's rights.
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The amount of money to support the future indebtedness and current beneficiary growth is simply not obtainable short of trying to strip every penny from anyone making over $200K (who then wouldn't make that much, drying up the tax base anyway) It's basic mathamatics 'attacking' the groups of which you speak.
BTW: as a local Tea party leader, you're welcome to see my comment blasting state money used to help Jerry's world and hunting magazines as improper use in these harsh times. And I'm an advocate of tiering public sector benefits so we CAN protect our first responders- but the public sector clerks are horrified at the though of not being able to hide behind the Police and firefighters.
Tim Tukaram Spotswood via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I see nothing wrong with that site. You have farmers telling the truth about what life has become along the border (even American farmers of Mexican descent - can we call them racist rednecks too?). We have supposedly been in a war on terror for about 10 years yet we can't even secure our own border? Read up on President Eisenhower's "Operation Wetback" and let's do it again.
Kathleen Vale O'Hara via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This is all straight from the playbook by Karl Rove, do anything, say anything, no matter how outrageous or deceitful, and keep doing and saying it over and over again, and eventually an uneducated electorate will 'drink the kool-aid' so we will see how the surging Hispanic population in ALL socio-economic classes takes to this latest back door race baiting by a Republican statewide elected official...maybe their grabbing at everything they can NOW, before the Hispanics wake up and start voting, b/c when that happens...GAME OVER.
Kathleen Vale O'Hara via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And for the record, Mr. Spotswood's support of a 2011 "Operation Wetback" is offensive, but very predictable...the population numbers are biting on his heels and that makes the status quo anglo nervous...then desperate...then idiotic...then OVER.
Kathleen Vale O'Hara via Texas Tribune on Facebook
NEW DAY RISING, Mr. Spotswood, check out The Texas Tribune's report...NEW DAY RISING.
Daniel M. Kowalski
Texas is facing a budget deficit and Staples is spending our tax money on a giant editorial. Just how much money? Let's all file open records requests to find out.
Dale H Curry via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thank you Ms O'hara. Your comments could not be more spot on!
Mr. Sportswood, I find your comments highly bigoted and deeply offensive. Mr. Openshaw, as a t-party leader, where was your indignation and anger when Bush lead us into two wars, perscrition drug coverage, and tax cuts for the wealthy? Where were your protests when Halliburton received a $500 Million no bid contract? And it'a about that "fuzzy" math you got going there! I am so sorry you have swallowed the Kool Aide Mr. Openshaw.
Dale H Curry via Texas Tribune on Facebook
"Where free unions and collectrive bargaining are prohivited, freedom is lost"
Ronald Reagan
Dale H Curry via Texas Tribune on Facebook
"As long as we believe in absurdities we shall continue to commit atrocities." Voltaire
Sylvia Guzman
Shining a BRILLIANT spotlight on crime in Texas, and in fact, NO MATTER what the location, is ALWAYS good for protecting citizens. These farmers and ranchers need to be able to continue to do businesses in a safe and secure environment too. We ALL read and see the news about murders on both sides of the the border. We need to protect humans, period. Why protect the criminals by not exposing their methods of criminal behaviours? We need someone to continue shining a BIG bright light on their criminal acts to alert citizens of their tactics. It is Security Protection Class 101.
DUH !
SHAME on you, Rep. Rodriguez and Reyes, you do your constituents a grave disservice.
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