UPDATE: Texas has responded to last week’s DOJ ruling against the Texas voter ID law. Attorney General Greg Abbott has amended the state’s complaint in pending litigation to not just defend the law but to also add a direct challenge to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, saying, “For the Department of Justice to now contend that Texas cannot implement its voter ID law denies Texas the ability to do what other states can rightfully exercise under the Constitution.” Austin American-Statesman reporting. US Senator John Cornyn also hit back at DOJ, saying, “The Justice Department's refusal to preclear this change in Texas law by the Texas Legislature is simply inexcusable.” As you can see below, the data just doesn’t back up their political claims. Texas is not subject to VRA preclearance without cause. In all locations, but especially where there are histories of discrimination, we must remain vigilant when voting law changes are made and bear out the review process.

March 7, 2012 marked the 47th anniversary of the “Bloody Sunday” when voting rights marchers were beaten in their attempt to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. NAACP President Ben Jealous joined activists from then and now in marking the occasion with another march, saying protest is just as necessary now as it was then.

Last May, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed SB 14 into law. An ALEC award-winner himself, Governor Perry had the support of several ALEC members and others who pushed the legislation. Together they made Texas a photo ID state.

Not so fast, says the Department of Justice.

There is a bill in the Texas state house (HB 1893) that is calling for allowing concealed handguns to be allowed on college campuses across the entire state of Texas. As is, the bill will allow licenced gun owners over the age of 21 to bring their firearms into classrooms, college cafeterias, student unions, etc.

Hitting the open road has a certain appeal that cannot be very easily explained. Leaving a cold-frigid, dark gray, dreary Michigan college atmosphere for the warm fun and sun of the South may be part of it, but a greater part is the friends and fellowship. 

I left Thursday of last week with a group of nine people, most I had not met more than once. A mutual friend of ours lived in Texas and we were going to accompany him home and see what Texas was like. The myth of everything being bigger, cowboy boots, George W. Bush and all. Needless to say the ride was more than an amazing adventure, with too many stories to fill this small entry.

Here's something you don't see every day: hundreds of students shutting down a highway and marching seven miles to protest how difficult their local elected officials made it for them to vote.

"To whom much is given, much is required." Those are perhaps Spiderman's most famous words. It seems like such an easy concept, but following it is not the case. Take what happened yesterday at Austin, TX.

It was a circus down there at the State Capitol as House Speaker Tom Craddick stood his ground, preventing a motion to unseat him. Everything happened, from the resignation of the House Parliamentarian to the physical restraint of representatives trying to reach the Speaker's Podium. It was chaotic and embarrassing. When representatives started questioning Tom Craddick's leadership abilities, the House Speaker cleverly called a 2-hour recess that pretty much drove everyone insane! According to Texas law, in order for the House Speaker to be ousted, a motion to vacate must be made first. Then, the majority of the House needs to approve it. Whether or not the majority of the House would have agreed remains unknown since the House Speaker obviously did not approve the motion.

I don't know about you, but it seems like this is a violation of the freedom of speech. Perhaps what's even more disturbing is that the law, in this instance, seems to actually endorse this act. Perhaps this incident is a sign that our state-wide laws should be more thoroughly reviewed.

Syndicated columnist and fearless first amendment advocate Molly Ivins passed away last night, due to breast cancer, at the age of 62. She will be missed.

Always the muckraker, as the Texas Observer says, her enduring message is "raise more hell."

Her last column, Bubba, we -- yes, we --have to stop the war now is here.

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My dad is the strong silent type...silent, except when it comes to social issues he cares about.

So, it's no surprise to me that while he was enjoying a peaceful yet carb-filled lunch at the TGI Fridays in the Dallas-Ft. Worth airport he found himself engaged in an argument about the minimum wage...