The State of Texas: Should police rethink no-knock raids?

What Texas is talking about today No Images? [Click here]( [Texas Tech University: Learn More!]( [Texas Monthly]( February 4, 2019 QUOTE OF THE DAY “I've been waiting to hear 'Welcome to the Super Bowl' my whole life." —Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and CBS analyst Tony Romo. As last night's Super Bowl broadcast kicked off, Romo joked that [he had finally made it to the biggest game of the year]( after 14 seasons with the Cowboys. THE LATEST [A No-Knock Raid in Houston Led to Deaths and Police Injuries. Should Police Rethink the Practice? ]( LEIF REIGSTAD The police tactic is controversial but common—particularly in Texas. [Read more.]( THE TEXANIST The Texanist: Has PC Culture Tamed the Texanist’s Tongue? DAVID COURTNEY Q: I just read a rerun of one of your advice columns, “Contemplating the Texas Exit,” that I got in my daily Texas Monthly email newsletter. In the article there is a link to other road-related advice columns you’ve written going back as far as 2008. I went down the rabbit hole and read them all. In doing so, I noticed that your current replies are more relaxed, refined, and politically correct. It seems that your tongue was once a little sharper. Not that it bothers me that your tongue was sharper (I think we could use more of that bluntness today); I got a couple more laughs and even an out loud “Damn right!” when I read your older pieces. And I’m wondering: is your evolution a result of our current political, #metoo, get-our-feelings-hurt-over-everything, everybody-gets-a-trophy, “I could lose my job over the slightest wrong word” world we now live in? David W., McKinney A: The Texanist makes his living purveying fine advice to those who come to him in need of such counsel and doesn’t typically utilize this space for namby-pamby introspective self-examination. That’s what barstools are for, right? And though nobody likes to see how the sausage is made—tours of sausage factories are not really a thing—the Texanist felt that your letter deserved a response and is willing, in this case, to make an exception to his rule about not engaging in public self-analysis. [Read more.]( Look here every Monday for the latest from the Texanist, or [peruse his archives here.]( Tomorrow, and every Tuesday, you’ll find a selection from our archives. OUR TOP STORIES [Catholic Church Begins Releasing Names of Texas-Based Clergy Accused of Sexually Abusing Minors ]( Catholic leaders say they regret not protecting “the most vulnerable souls” and that the ongoing sexual misconduct scandal involving priests is “tearing the church apart." [Read more.]( [The Woman Behind the Kamala Harris Presidential Campaign Is Ann Richards’s Granddaughter]( Lily Adams was introduced to the country by her grandmother during Richards’s 1988 speech to the Democratic National Convention. [Read more.]( [A Guide to Texas Dried Sausage, the Perfect Portable Snack ]( Meet the masters behind this meat art form. You’ll never overlook those links hanging in your favorite market again. [Read more.]( THE STATE OF TEXAS Hometown Heroes It was the Super Bowl matchup that no Texan wanted, but, between retired Dallas Cowboy Tony Romo in the broadcast booth and former Longhorn Malcom Brown on the field, there were still some hometown heroes to root for on Sunday. Tony “Romostradamus” finally made it to the Super Bowl, and with his humor and [spot-on predictions](, he emerged as one of the night’s stars during what many on Twitter called the “[most boring Super Bowl ever.](” The New England Patriots racked up their sixth win, beating the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 with a fourth-quarter touchdown. Brown started for the Patriots, [making history]( as the first Longhorn to make three consecutive Super Bowl appearances. Border Security The Pentagon is deploying [3,750 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border]( this week to provide support to Customs and Border Protection, raising the total number of active duty forces supporting CBP to 4,350. The troops will be deployed for 90 days, following the news that a group of about 2,400 asylum-seekers began traveling north from Mexico City last week. Because U.S. active duty forces do not have the authority to apprehend migrants, they are instead expected to assist CBP with surveillance and the placement of 150 miles of barbed wire along the border. The decision sparked controversy in the House Armed Services Committee, which was not made aware of the increase in troops ahead of time. Committee chairman Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington state, said he and the other committee members would have been interested in discussing the Department of Homeland Security’s request and learning more about what the troops would be doing along the border. “This is a violation of the executive branch’s obligation to be transparent with Congress, which oversees, authorizes, and funds its operations," Smith said. Second Suit Naturalized citizens are [suing Texas officials]( over the state’s investigation into voter fraud. The group of Latino voters were joined by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) in filing the suit in a Corpus Christi federal court Friday night. This is the second lawsuit filed in response to the state's investigation and names Governor Greg Abbott, Texas secretary of state David Whitley, and attorney general Ken Paxton. It alleges that the flagging of 95,000 Texas voters for citizenship review was a move made to intimidate foreign-born voters and in violation of the federal Voting Rights Act. Since Whitley’s announcement, state election officials have cut down on the original number of flagged voters in several counties. The entire list of 366 flagged voters in McLennan County was removed from review, 1,100 people were removed from a Tarrant County list, and nearly 18,000 were removed from Houston’s list. "Texas continues to distinguish itself through its aggressive efforts to target legitimate voters and to deter or suppress their participation,” [said MALDEF president Thomas A. Saenz.]( "Targeting naturalized citizens is particularly perverse given the high level of participation in voting and civic engagement among those who chose to become United States citizens." NEWS & POLITICS [Introducing the Best and Worst Legislators in Real Time ]( CARLOS SANCHEZ Our yearly #txlege list will be publicly deliberated for the first time. [Read more.]( [The Good Newscast]( [The Good Newscast]( News ever get you down? Try listening to the Texas Optimism Project's latest series, the Good Newscast—a podcast about good news in the world sponsored by Frost Bank. [Read More]( [Texas Tech University: Learn More!]( MORE FROM TEXAS MONTHLY [Citing Inhumane Conditions, Detained Asylum Seekers in El Paso Go On Hunger Strike ]( ROBERT MOORE [The Mavericks Now Have Their New Dirk Nowitzki–Steve Nash Combo ]( LEIF REIGSTAD [BBQ News Roundup: Super Bowl-Worthy BBQ, Brisket-Flavored Mezcal, and Californians Complaining About BBQ Smoke ]( DANIEL VAUGHNLEIF REIGSTAD [Subscribe to Texas Monthly and save!]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Website]( Texas Monthly PO Box 1569 Austin, TX 78767 Texas Monthly has sent you this alert because you signed up to receive it either online at texasmonthly.com, at the website of one of our business partners, or when you filled out a reader response card. You may opt-out from Texas Monthly newsletters at any time. Please see our Privacy Policy. If you would like to manage which Texas Monthly Editorial newsletters you are receiving, click Preferences, below. 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