Kathy Walt, identified as "spokeswoman" for the Governor of Texas, stated that some "critics of the governor ... clearly are opposed to people of faith having any part in the government or electoral process." Ms. Walt probably has the offensive habit of using "people of faith" to mean only right-wing fundamentalists. Even so, I defy Ms. Walt to name any well-known critic of her boss who advocates denying any group their civil right to vote or hold office. (Hint: wanting you to lose an election is not the same as not wanting you to be able to vote.)

Before Walt again uses such overheated "victim" rhetoric, she might recall that not that long ago a specific group of U.S. citizens was really denied "any part in the government or electoral process." That denial of rights was actively supported by Strom Thurmond, Trent Lott, and other key architects of the political movement Ms. Walt belongs to. And of course, it was directed at two of the most church-going and faith-driven populations of those times -- African-Americans and Mexican-Americans.

Larry Yates, June 2005