Good morning!

It seems like there are a lot of people who want to be successfully unfaithful. I close out the week reflecting on the idea that true success is found not in worldly praise, but in the knowledge that we faithfully did what we were called to do.

Here is the Texas Minute for Friday, June 9, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

But First...

• Special thanks to Brandon Waltens for taking on the Texas Minute email and podcast duties for the last two weeks while I was in Israel.
       
• Speaking of which... On Monday we'll be opening up the registration for a 2024 trip to the ancient birthplace of self-governance. You can find the details of the trip on our website.

For 'Big Gay Swim Day,' Denton To Feature ONLY All-ages, All-genders Changing Rooms

• Homosexual organizations in Denton are revving up for “Pride Month” by hosting an LGBT-themed, taxpayer-subsidized pool party where they will only offer all-ages, genderless changing rooms for use by attendees. Soli Rice has the details.
      

• This means that changing rooms will not be specified for “Women” or “Men,” and will instead allow either gender – regardless of age – into either changing room.

        
• The event will take place this Sunday, June 11.
      
• “Organizers of this event intend to encourage biological men to use the same changing room as women and young girls. This sort of activity should never be allowed, but should certainly be prohibited on city-owned property,” said Brady Gray, a board member for the Texas Family Project.
      
• What could possibly go wrong...?

Phelan Faces Growing Field Of Challengers

• More candidates are announcing their campaigns against Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, as polls show his popularity waning among Republicans in his East Texas district. Brandon Waltens has the story.
    
• Phelan has come under fire this session for failing to pass legislation on a variety of key issues such as banning Chinese ownership of Texas land, universal school choice, and border security. Phelan has received national attention after leading the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton after he called on Phelan to resign due to apparent intoxication on the House floor.
      

• Former Orange County Republican Party Chairman David Covey has officially launched his campaign for the seat. Covey took aim at Phelan’s decision to appoint Democrats to key leadership positions. "I am your choice if you believe Republicans should not compromise with liberal Democrats and lock arms with them to kill conservative legislation."
       

• Covey joins Alicia Davis of Jasper County in challenging Phelan. Shilo Platts, a Jefferson County precinct chair, was set to launch his campaign on Saturday but has now said he won't run.

Minor ‘Border Security’ Measure Passes

• As the summer heats up and illegal border-crossers continue pouring into the Lone Star State, both chambers of the Texas Legislature have now passed a measure increasing criminal penalties for human smuggling and operating stash houses. Sydnie Henry reports that border advocates, officials, and residents say this isn’t nearly enough to combat the crisis.
      

• Lawmakers failed to pass meaningful border security legislation during the regular legislative session. The governor included a limited border security priority in the current special session agenda.
     

• The legislation now approved by both chambers creates mandatory minimum sentences for operating stash houses and human smuggling, as well as increases penalties when these crimes are committed under a disaster declaration.
      

• “While I agree that there is a need for having stronger penalties for those caught smuggling, it’s important to understand that having stronger penalties doesn’t prevent or decrease the number of criminal illegals that are illegally crossing over our Texas border,” said Alison Anderson, a border resident whose husband is a U.S. Border Patrol agent with EMS training.

Texas Schools Search for New Superintendents

• Following some unexpected shake-ups, Erin Anderson reports several Texas school districts will spend the summer searching for new superintendents.

       
• The new hires are needed to fill top administrator spots left open by retirements, moves to other districts, and even an arrest. State law requires a 21-day waiting period following the district’s announcement of a lone finalist before they are hired. That’s the only time a community has to vet a candidate.
      
• Among those school districts searching for new administrative top brass are Arlington, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Davis, Keller, and Midlothian.
      
• Itasca ISD Superintendent Michael Stevens was arrested last week and charged with online solicitation of a minor, a third-degree felony, after allegedly traveling to Houston to have sex with a person he thought was a 15-year-old girl. Earlier this week, trustees suspended Stevens and named former Superintendent Keith Boles as interim superintendent.

El Paso City Council Members Misuse Taxpayer-funded Fuel Cards

• Two members of the El Paso City Council allegedly used their taxpayer-funded fuel cards for personal expenses, according to tips made to the city's auditor. Valerie Muñoz reports the two council members' fuel spending makes up 60 percent of the total spending among the eight council members and mayor.
    
• According to an audit of 2022 expenses, former District 6 City Representative Claudia Rodriguez spent $5,294 on her fuel card. She says she will only repay the money if it could be proven she did something wrong.
      
• District 3 Rep. Cassandra Hernandez spent $6,691 on her city-issued, taxpayer-funded fuel card last year. 
      
• The city auditor found security footage showing Hernandez and her husband using the city card to gas up both of their vehicles at local convenience stores. She has now decided to repay the city.
      
• Because of the apparent fraud, the city's Financial Oversight and Audit Committee plans to look at expenses for 2020 and 2021.

Houston Officials Want To Disarm Citizens with Gun Buyback

• Houston has announced the city's third gun "buyback" program, offering gift cards ranging from $50 to $200 in exchange for firearms. Micah Rice reports all guns will be checked by the Houston Police Department to ensure they were not stolen or used to commit crimes.

       
• Houston police described the program as an effort “to combat violence crimes by getting guns off the streets.”
      
• It won't work, says Chris McNutt, the president of Texas Gun Rights. “Gun buybacks are a sham and a waste of taxpayer dollars. Criminals aren’t the ones turning in their guns. This is nothing more than a feel-good virtue signal to make law-abiding people feel safer for turning in their own weapons.”
      
• Houston does have a violent crime problem, with studies showing Houstonians have a 1 in 81 chance of being victimized in the city.
      
• My recommendation: hold on to your firearms.

Harris County Creates Gay Commission

• Harris County commissioners voted 4-1 to create a new “LGBTQ+ commission” in an effort to promote “equality” in Texas’ most populous county. Emily Wilkerson has the story.

    
• The new commission is supposed to provide recommendations on how Harris County commissioners can improve economic, social, health, and safety outcomes for the gay community.

📺 WATCH: The Headline

• On today's edition of The Headline, Hava Armstrong talks with Brandon Waltens about her new organization taking on the Texas Association of School Boards.
      
• I'm also on the show, discussing (among other things) Dade Phelan's plummeting popularity back home.
      
• You can watch The Headline on the Apple TV or Roku apps, on an iOS or Android phone, or on the Texas Scorecard YouTube channel.

Friday Reflection:
Just Be Faithful

Having just returned from Israel, I am reminded how much I love the brief stop in the Valley of Elah, located due west of the Dead Sea and south of Bethlehem. 

(Maybe you’d like to visit Elah with me in 2024? Find out more on our website.)

I like this place not because there is so much to see, but because there is so little. It is just another valley in the Middle East. A small creek winds through it, of course, and at this time of the year, the little tributaries are already drying up. If you know what to look for, you can see the telltale signs of the archeological sites known as Azekah and Socho – two cities mentioned in the book of First Samuel.

That’s closer to why I like this place. It is where the armies of the Israelites and the Philistines had camped nearly three thousand years ago. 

This is where the giant warrior Goliath stood ready to take on any Israeli who was brave enough to fight him. This is where all of the trained soldiers serving under King Saul found something better to be doing.

This is where a young shepherd felt the call of God to do something you and I would think of as reckless and pointless. Yes, David was a shepherd. That meant he knew how to handle himself. He would have already killed off predatory animals many times by this point in his life. Some had probably come close to harming him.

That’s how it was to be a shepherd watching over a flock.

But to take on a well-trained soldier who also happened to be of gigantic proportions? Categorically different.

All of us know how the story ended: with David holding up Goliath’s severed head in victory.

But they did not know that was coming; neither did David. Everyone did their best to dissuade the boy.

He just knew he had to be faithful.

You and I know the feeling. We are told to put our faith aside and listen to reason. We are told that a loss is inevitable and so we should, instead, bide our time for when victory is easier to achieve. We’re told to go home, to stand down, to fall back, to give it a rest.

Too many people want to be successfully unfaithful. 

They hope their inaction will be counted as thoughtfulness or prudence. They trust doing nothing will be seen as worldly wisdom. And, if things don’t work out, maybe their reward will be to be unseen by their victorious enemy.

We should instead be like David; we should be willing to be faithful in pursuit of our calling even if to the world we seem unsuccessful. 

The Valley of Elah reminds me that our faithfulness is not measured by monuments but by the inclination of our hearts. Our success is found not in worldly praise, but in the fulfilling knowledge that we did what we were called to do.

Now Available: 'Reflections on Life & Liberty'

• The book comes in three formats: hardcover, paperback, and digital download.