Good morning,
Losing is never any fun, but with the wrong attitude, winning can be even more personally dangerous. I conclude the week reflecting on what happened when the Ark of the Covenant was returned to the people of God.
This is the Texas Minute for Friday, March 14, 2025.
– Michael Quinn Sullivan
Abbott Calls on Pastors to Counter ‘Education Monopolists’ in Texas
- In a forceful speech at the Texas Pastors Policy Conference in Austin, Gov. Greg Abbott urged faith leaders to rally behind school choice legislation and push back against what he called the “government monopoly over education.” Brandon Waltens has the details.
- Abbott framed the issue as a battle for parental rights and traditional values.
- He also pushed back against claims that school choice would interfere with homeschooling, calling those claims "an outright lie."
- The Texas Senate has repeatedly passed various school choice measures in recent years, while the House has blocked those efforts. Again this year, legislation moved easily through the Senate. Uniquely, a majority of House members—all Republican—have now signed on in support of an Education Savings Account package. The measure is being opposed in the House by Democrats and a small number of Republicans.
- "Education began long before the creation of school districts. Education began long before the creation of the state of Texas. Education began when God created man and woman and when children were first born. The design was to have parents in charge of educating their children." – Greg Abbott
Senators Consider Restoring Authority of Attorney General to Prosecute Election Crimes
- More than four years after the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that the attorney general could not prosecute criminal election violations without the consent of a local district attorney, members of the Texas Senate are looking to restore that power. Luca Cacciatore reports that the proposed legislation stipulates that the attorney general “shall” criminally prosecute election crimes if local district attorneys have not begun proceedings within six months.
- The attorney general's office has argued that the Court of Criminal Appeals overextended its power in 2021. Jeff Barr, who heads the AG's election integrity division, told senators that for nearly 70 years, the office has had concurrent authority to prosecute election crimes through state law.
- Left-wing organizations, like the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and the Texas Civil Rights Project, testified against the measure.
OTHER SENATE NEWS
The Texas Senate approved a resolution yesterday calling on Congress to protect the composition of the U.S. Supreme Court.
State Sen. Brian Birdwell (R–Granbury) has proposed legislation to stop the persistent problem of Texas public school officials using taxpayer-funded resources to influence the outcomes of elections.
Paxton Investigates Dallas Over Potential Sanctuary City Policies
- Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation and issued a records request to the City of Dallas concerning the Dallas Police Department’s potential refusal to comply with state and federal immigration laws. Debra McClure has the story.
- The investigation, which was first reported by the Dallas Express, is based on reports Dallas might be operating as a "sanctuary city" by limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Paxton said that DPD might be in violation of a state law that prohibits local entities from adopting sanctuary city policies protecting illegal aliens.
"Local governments do not have the authority to disregard state and federal immigration laws." – Ken Paxton
US House Members Push Ban on Student Visas for Chinese Nationals
- A measure banning Chinese nationals from acquiring student visas—citing national security threats to America’s sensitive research—is set to be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives later today. As Valerie Muñoz reports, Texas' Brandon Gill (R-Flower Mound) is already among those supporting the legislation.
- U.S. Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) is spearheading the effort, focusing on securing higher education institutions against espionage and intellectual theft.
- As Texas is now home to the most Tier 1 research institutions in the country, State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) proposed a measure to establish a university research security council to mitigate espionage.
Harris County Joins Lawsuit to Block Trump Administration DOGE Cuts
- Joseph Trimmer reports that the Harris County Attorney joined a lawsuit seeking to block President Donald Trump from firing probationary federal employees.
- According to the Pew Research Center, the federal government employs more than 3 million civilian workers—1.87 percent of the entire U.S. workforce.
- Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee (D) claims the federal workforce reduction would disproportionally impact black and Latino individuals. He called President Donald Trump’s efforts to manage employee headcount a “power grab.”
- Yeah, it's almost like Donald Trump won the election or something...
Coming Sunday on REAL TEXANS
In Sunday's edition of REAL TEXANS, Dr. Mary Talley Bowden talks about being targeted by the medical establishment because she has been successfully treating her patients.
New interviews with REAL TEXANS every Sunday!
Friday Reflection
Raiding the Ark
by Michael Quinn Sullivan
You know the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for—you might get it”? Standing at Beth Shemesh, I found myself wondering if that saying had originated there; the sentiment no doubt had.
Let me back up. No biblical artifact has sparked the imagination of modern men like the Ark of the Covenant, thanks in large part to the fictional archeological adventures of Indiana Jones.
In real life, the Ark of the Covenant has been missing for 2,500 years—since the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple built by King Solomon.
The Ark is said to have contained the original tablets of the 10 Commandments, a jar of the life-sustaining manna that God provided the Jews during their 40 years wandering the wilderness, and the rod of Aaron. The Ark served as the focal point of Jewish religious practices from shortly after leaving Egyptian captivity, during their 40 years of waiting to enter the promised land, and through the reign of King Solomon.
The Ark was the throne of God. Where the Ark was, the Jews believed, there was God.
As such, they would march the Ark into battle. On one occasion, it didn’t turn out so well for the Jews ... or for the Philistines who took it. The downside for the Jews was clear enough: they felt the sting of losing the Ark more deeply than losing the battle.
For the Philistines, the Ark brought physical misery. Wherever they took it, in the camps and through towns, people fell ill to cancerous tumors and infestations of rodents, among other maladies. It got so bad that they sent the Ark back to the Israelites.
They strapped the Ark to a cart pulled by cattle through a field at Beth Shemesh, west of Jerusalem. So eager were they to be rid of this object, the Philistines shaped gold in the form of gold mice and tumors, hoping it would relieve them of their torment.
The Jews happily received the Ark, but perhaps too happily. 1 Samuel 6 notes that after some revelry surrounding the recovered object, some of their men apparently decided to look inside. They were struck dead as a result.
They undoubtedly thought of themselves as “liberators” of the Ark and, therefore, worthy of a sneaky peek. Yet the Ark was returned to them not by their own power but by God. They were no more entitled to poke around inside it than those who had run off with it in the first place.
You and I might ask, “What’s the big deal?” Some tablets, old food, and a stick? The objects are less important than the point: God established a rule—don’t look inside. They were to have faith that God knew what He was doing and to follow His commands.
From the experience of the men of Israel at Beth Shemesh, we’re reminded that there is less danger from our enemies than in the pride found in our own hearts. They thought too highly of themselves.
As a self-governing people, we must know our limits, be honest about our foibles, and hold each other to high standards.
Quote-Unquote
"Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged."
– Ronald Reagan
