Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Kanye West, as part of a long, unhinged tirade in several topical directions, cites Texas transplant Elon Musk as having stolen his "Nazi swag":https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/kanye-west-says-i-love-hitler-accuses-elon-musk-of-stealing-his-nazi-swag-in-explosive-social-media-rant/articleshow/118027124.cms

Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has been calling it like it is in regard to the Republican attack on DEI, saying "if you're confident, you're not concerned":https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jasmine-crockett-dei-mediocre-white-boys_n_67a4e6e9e4b0d1a51c62f40e

Governor Abbott has been on a tour of Christian private academies promoting his voucher program, speaking to audiences of current private school families who are eager for their taxpayer-funded rebates:https://myrgv.com/local-news/2025/02/07/abbott-touts-school-choice-at-private-academy-in-edinburg/#google_vignette

...Abbott is also warning that public school teachers who acknowledge the mere existence of transgender kids "should be fired on the spot”:https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/greg-abbott-trans-teachers-20151819.php

Rural Gaines County, near Lubbock, has seen a major outbreak of measles cases, even as GOP lawmakers file several bills aimed at limiting requirements for vaccinations:https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/08/measles-west-texas-vaccine-outbreak/

A Dallas ad agency placed that "He Gets Us" commercial on last night's Super Bowl on behalf of Come Near, a religious media concern with the IRS designation normally reserved for churches, which allows them to hide almost all of their funding and expenditure information:https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/super-bowl-ad-jesus-he-gets-us-come-near-hobby-lobby-1235256968/

...Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is a native of Houston and played high school football at Channelview:https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texans/article/super-bowl-mvp-jalen-hurts-channelview-20157788.php

Austin Chronicle writer Marc Savlov posts a great guide for the proper hassling of your elected representatives:https://www.facebook.com/502969135/posts/10162824366549136/?rdid=nO4biD1ojCPdL5W7#

We celebrate Black History Month throughout February! See a great essay on this year's celebration, happening amidst so much turmoil, and a listing of related events happening across Texas:⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org/blog/black-history-month-2025-celebrating-texas-culture⁠⁠

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