COLORLINES

Texas Rapper: Number One Thing A Rapper Shouldn’t Say, ‘Gay is Okay’

by Jorge Rivas on May 3 2012, 1:45PM

Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, the Latino rapper wants gay youth to know that “It doesn’t just get better, it gets awesome, homie.”

Topics: Arts & Culture, /NOW Blog

A View From Inside the Tea Party’s Voter Suppression Confab

by Brentin Mock on May 1 2012, 10:17AM

The cabal of rightwing activists and elected officials who have worked so hard to create the myth of voter fraud gather in Texas to redouble their efforts.

Topics: Brentin Mock, Politics, Voter Suppression

Latinos Accused of Voter Fraud Feeling the Willie Horton Ill Effect

by Brentin Mock on April 6 2012, 9:30AM

What we can see so far is that Republicans are ramming photo voter ID laws down states’ throats by drumming up fake scares about “voter fraud” caused by “illegal aliens” who are terrorizing the polls by voting and cancelling out the votes of legitimate voters. It’s all bunkum, but plenty of campign mileage miles are racking up off this racket by Republicans

Topics: Brentin Mock, Politics

Texas Has to Chill With War on Voting Rights Act

by Brentin Mock on March 28 2012, 11:41AM

The same “chill effect” that Texas attorney general Greg Abbot is concerned about is the same chill that protectors of voting rights are concerned about when it comes to photo voter ID law, especially in Texas.

Topics: Brentin Mock, Politics

Latino Support v Latino Access to ID For Voting Purposes

by Brentin Mock on March 21 2012, 5:00PM

Discriminatory impacts rely more on whether people of color can access something and almost not at all about whether they support it.

Topics: Brentin Mock, Politics

A Texas-Style War on Women Guts Basic Care to Jab Planned Parenthood

by Akiba Solomon on March 15 2012, 9:34AM

Black, single, childless and back in college, Delia Henry represents a population rarely visible in the so-called war on women. And she’s about to lose her health care because Rick Perry is gutting a Women’s Health Program just to hurt Planned Parenthood.

Topics: Akiba Solomon, Gender & Sexuality, Health, Planned Parenthood

DOJ Texas Voter ID Ruling Is No Surprise Given State’s Faulty ‘Colorblind’ Policies

by Brentin Mock on March 13 2012, 10:11AM

Yesterday’s DOJ ruling was not a surprise to Texas. They sued the federal government last year in anticipation of it. Nonetheless, Texas Republicans were appalled yesterday. Sen. John Cornyn said it “reeks of politics,” which is, at best, dishonest.

Topics: Brentin Mock, Politics

Immigrant Family Detention Could Return to Texas

by Jorge Rivas on January 25 2012, 1:01PM

In 2009, the federal government stopped detaining families in Texas and cancelled plans to build new family detention facilities as advocates made clear that the practice was inhumane.

Topics: Immigration, /NOW Blog

Rick Perry, GOP’s Most Viable Candidate for Latino Vote Drops Out of Race

by Jorge Rivas on January 19 2012, 12:55PM

Texas Governor and Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry announced his withdrawal from the presidential race on Thursday.

Topics: GOP Primary, /NOW Blog

Sarah Silverman Organizes ‘Live From Niggerhead’ Comedy Show

by Jorge Rivas on October 24 2011, 4:13PM

Some see a disaster. But Silverman sees a teachable moment.

Topics: Arts & Culture

Rick Perry Spent the Weekend at ‘Niggerhead’ Ranch

by Jorge Rivas on October 3 2011, 1:43PM

Texas Governor Rick Perry doesn’t deny leasing a hunting camp called “Niggerhead.”

Topics: Politics

Justice John Paul Stevens’ Only Regret: Texas Death Penalty Vote

by Jorge Rivas on September 29 2011, 4:46PM

The retired judge says that his 1977 vote to reinstate the Texas death penalty isn’t something he’s proud of.

Topics: Troy Davis

Rick Perry’s Deeply Flawed Brand of Texas Justice

by Shani O. Hilton on August 17 2011, 2:26PM

The GOP favorite may want to appear tough on crime, but from immigration to capital punishment, his record in Texas has quite a few bad marks.

Topics: Politics

Eric Holder Calls Texas Suspensions of Black Students A ‘Wake-up Call’

by Julianne Hing on July 26 2011, 9:52AM

The comments were in response to a report that found black and Latino students were punished at higher rates than their classmates.

Topics: Schools & Youth

Javier Sicilia’s Poetry in Motion Against the U.S.-Mexico Drug Wars

by Debbie Nathan on June 14 2011, 8:56AM

After losing his son to drug violence, a renowned Mexican artist set out on a cross-country trek to dramatize the death that our failed, militaristic response to narcotics has spawned.

Topics: Dispatches, Drug War, Global Affairs

Texas Rep. Luna Hernandez Shares Story of Growing Up Undocumented

by Jamilah King on May 13 2011, 12:08PM

For her, the debate over HB 12 is a matter of personal privilege.

Topics: Immigration

More Horrific Details Emerge in Cleveland, Texas Gang Rape

by Jamilah King on March 29 2011, 1:30PM

The attacks reportedly happened over the course of several months.

Topics: Texas Rape

After Cleveland, Texas: Eight Ways Black Men Can Fight Rape

by Akiba Solomon on March 17 2011, 3:17PM

Anti-rape activist Dr. R’Leureux Lewis gives black men simple (and not-so-simple) ways to interrupt rape culture—and break down the negative stereotypes that help fuel it.

Topics: Akiba Solomon, Texas Rape