The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people dates far, far back before the horrific events of October 7, 2023 - this is a generational conflict that is seen by some, especially considering recent events, as a truly unbridgeable divide. That's not the view of Atidna, a student-led and Texas-based organization that has dedicated itself to fostering positive connections between the two sides, partly in educating both on the many common aspects of their respective histories, and attempting to teach the potential rewards of peace over endless war - inspiring and critical efforts that have drawn the attention of national media and high-level elected officials.

Learn more about Atidna at https://www.atidnainternational.com/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how to support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Last night's debate between President Biden and Donald Trump was a failure...but this election is about more than two candidates - it's about two wildly different visions of America: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/trump-biden-debate-takeaways-19543481.php

...CNN's format allowed Trump to tell dozens of lies with no fact-checking guardrails: https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-misinformation-election-debate-trump-biden-577507522762aa10f6ee5be3a0ced2bb

Two Uvalde police officers have become the first of the dozens who were onsite during the Robb Elementary mass murder in 2022: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/two-uvalde-officers-indicted-over-deadly-texas-school-shooting-local-media-2024-06-27/

A 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling appears to indicate that a federal investigation into the same allegations that led to Ken Paxton's impeachment is in fact moving forward: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/27/ken-paxton-federal-investigation/

Texas is one of 13 states who opted OUT of a generous U.S. Department of Agriculture program to help feed economically-challenged kids during the summer, when their families cannot rely on school for meals: https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-texas-among-13-states-rejecting-program-summer-meals-kids-2024-6

It's the final weekend of Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The Texas Criminal Court of Appeals has denied, without explanation, a request from Travis County DA Jose Garza to review Governor Greg Abbott's unorthodox pardoning of convicted murderer Daniel Perry:

79 of the misdemeanor criminal trespass cases stemming from the crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests at UT Austin in April have been dismissed:

Steven Monacelli dives into the details of Gateway Church, rocked lately by a child sex abuse scandal, and its broad connection to far-right, Christian Nationalist politics: https://www.texasobserver.org/pastor-texas-gop-christian-nationalism-sex-abuse/

Rural school districts are lately hiring far more unlicensed teachers than those with proper credentials: https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/unlicensed-teachers-dominate-new-teacher-hires-in-rural-texas-schools-19418069

The epic battle between Dallas U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and MAGA darling Marjorie Taylor Greene continues: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4733614-jasmine-crockett-marjorie-taylor-greene/

...While Brigitte Bandit gets her shots at MTG in as well: https://time.com/6992726/marjorie-taylor-greene-slammed-by-texas-drag-artist/

Pride Month continues! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The spike in infant mortality relative to abortion restrictions in Texas lays bare the cruelty of hopeless pregnancies forced to term:

Brad Pritchett of Equality Texas weighs in on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to consider laws barring transgender youth from medical care: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-lgbtq-supreme-court-transgender-rights/3575310/

...Houston surgeon Eithan Heim directly violated his HIPAA training in releasing confidential patient records to a right-wing blogger, rather than filing official complaints about his suspicions of malfeasance: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/crime/2024/06/25/eithan-haim-texas-transgender-care-whistleblower-never-filed-complaint-houston-childrens-hospital/74197903007/

The Texas Rangers remain the only Major League Baseball team that doesn't host a Pride Night: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2024/06/25/texas-rangers-only-mlb-team-without-lgbtq-pride-night/74203298007/

...The team's official statement, claiming to welcome all in the conspicuous absence of Pride recognition, coddles its most homophobic fans: https://apnews.com/article/rangers-pride-mlb-lgbtq-4671a9124b12cf2b67f1bfbf405af99b

...For example, former pitcher Derek Holland, who took to Twitter to defend the Rangers in an anti-Pride screed: https://www.si.com/mlb/rangers/former-texas-rangers-pitcher-takes-dig-at-pride-month-lgbtq-community

...Speaking of which, Pride Month continues! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Vice President Kamala Harris, in a talk with Sheryl Lee Ralph, calls out the barbarity of Texas' abortion ban (index to 7:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GVaSFsHQuY

...Progress Texas runs down the two years since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v Wade: https://progresstexas.org/blog/two-years-terror-pregnant-texans-after-roe-reversal

...Our official statement: https://progresstexas.org/blog/statement-healthcare-horror-stories-rise-dobbs-second-anniversary

...Post-Roe Texas has seen a dramatic rise in infant deaths and births with frequently-fatal congenital anomalies: https://www.sciencealert.com/texas-abortion-ban-linked-to-marked-increase-in-infant-deaths-study-finds

...Two new books detail the post-Roe world and the threats that lie ahead: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/fall-of-roe-undue-burden-dobbs-anniversary-abortion-texas/

...While Ken Paxton's office celebrates "Sanctity Of Life Day", celebrating the state's encroachment on the basic bodily autonomy of half its population: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-celebrates-sanctity-life-day-second-anniversary-end-roe-v-wade

SCOTUS will consider a Tennessee ban on transgender care for young people, which could have implications for a similar law in Texas: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/24/tennessee-scotus-transgender-medical-care-texas/

GOP U.S. Reps Ronny Jackson and Wesley Hunt have been targeted by the Office of Congressional Ethics under suspicion of spending campaign funds illegally at Texas social clubs: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4737858-ethics-office-wesley-hunt-ronnny-jackson-campaign-funds/

...While Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls continues wearing a military medal that the U.S. Army confirms he did not earn: https://www.notus.org/house/army-confirms-troy-nehls-ineligible-combat-badge

PT board member Jason Smith spells out plain as day why Texans should vote for Democrats this fall: https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/other-voices/article289439792.html

D/FW folks: TONIGHT'S the night! We hope to see YOU at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on Tuesday June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

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Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Pride Month 2024 sees an incredible expansion of Pride celebrations and activism across the state - much of that in rural and small-town Texas, which until just recently, was near-unthinkable. As we know, over the past few sessions, Texas has also set new standards for legislative bigotry and cruelty towards its LGBTQ+ community. So, the push for equality and equity has never been stronger - while the opposition has never been more hateful. We welcome two of the community's most determined advocates to talk Texas Pride, both returning to the pod: Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas, and Jeff Strater, DNC Member-Elect, Democratic/SDEC Committeeman and former president of Texas Stonewall Democrats.

Learn more about Equality Texas at https://www.equalitytexas.org/.

Learn more about Texas Stonewall Democrats at http://www.stonewalldemocrats.us/texas.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The second anniversary of the 2022 Dobbs decision at SCOTUS sees the almost-complete eradication of abortions in Texas - at least those that are legal or safe: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/24/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-pregnancy-complications/

...The Texas Medical Board provided minor and largely useless new reporting guidelines on medically-necessary abortions for doctors on Friday: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-exceptions-doctors-a14839a308b3d7779b83677b1be7fa1c

...While a new horror emerges in forced C-section operations for stillborn fetuses: https://www.reckon.news/family/2024/04/from-forced-c-sections-to-delayed-miscarriage-care-here-are-5-ways-abortion-bans-are-changing-pregnancy-care.html

Over the two years since the Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde, Texas DPS has gone to extraordinary lengths NOT to release any data to the press: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/yall-itics/uvalde-shooting-dps-data-evidence-lawsuit/287-4a840e02-4d87-436a-9529-12deb00c0134

SCOTUS counters the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, deciding that allowing domestic abuse suspects to keep their guns is a bad idea after all: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/21/supreme-court-guns-domestic-violence-rahimi/

Robert Morris' 2005 book acknowledges he left the ministry for two years, but glosses over the reason, which was the complaint from his child sexual assault victim - while new legislation extending the statute of limitations on child sex crimes may be coming next year: https://www.wfaa.com/video/news/crime/287-62013cc8-9fcc-45a6-b2a3-8cc90bc58905

D/FW folks: Come see us TOMORROW at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on Tuesday June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Audio captured during a Gateway Church staff meeting, called to announce the resignation of Pastor Robert Morris, includes a board member calling accepting the resignation as a "difficult" decision: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gateway-church-leader-announces-robert-morris-resignation-audio-rcna158026

...Due to Texas' statute of limitations, Morris is unlikely to be charged - and efforts to change that statute have met resistence from Republican lawmakers: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/north-texas-victims-rights-attorney-fighting-to-change-statute-of-limitations-for-exploited-women/

...While another church-related sex abuse scandal involving children pops up in Granbury and Lubbock: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-youth-pastor-arrested-child-sex-assault-charge/287-8e44bf40-b821-49b1-8e20-816f7cab8c93

More Texas-related pending SCOTUS cases include one of a Castle Hills City Councilwoman who charges that she was arrested out of retaliation on trumped-up charges: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/20/us/politics/supreme-court-sylvia-gonzalez-arrest-free-speech.html

...While a North Texas man's case pushing for allowances under the 2nd Amendment for people under protective order restrictions to keep their guns is being considered by SCOTUS as well: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/scotus-to-rule-on-a-texas-mans-second-amendment-challenge-of-law-protecting-domestic-violence-victims/

Austin U.S. Rep. Greg Casar writes in an op-ed that while GOP culture wars must be resisted, they are also meant to distract progressives away from other nefarious conservative agenda items: https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2024-06-21/opinion-the-right-wing-is-attacking-queer-and-trans-americans-to-distract-from-their-bigger-agenda/

D/FW folks: Come see us at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on Tuesday June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning:

Members of the state's Maternal Morbidity Review Committee express concern that the addition of a vocal anti-choice OB/GYN presents unfavorable optics for the entire committee: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/18/texas-maternal-deaths-committee-changes/

The Texas Department of Agriculture, after a year with a blatantly trans-phobic office dress code, remains on thin legal ice: https://www.texasobserver.org/sid-miller-transphobic-dress-code-emails/

Ted Cruz is on blast from his fellow Senators after mucking up the process of legislation providing subsidies for internet access improvement for low-income Americans: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4728744-cruz-blocking-bipartisan-spectrum-bill/

See the most recent episode of the Y'all-itics podcast for a solid explainer of how ERCOT and the Texas power grid place profits over people: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/greed-and-the-grid-texas-energy-experts-theory-about/id1486881900?i=1000659160601

...While the Texas Supreme Court sides with the PUC, who set power prices to the maximum level allowed during the 2021 Winter Storm Uri energy crisis: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/electricity-prices-winter-storm-texas-supreme-court-ruling/269-b337a5a5-fd61-400a-a04a-c7572e66604b

D/FW folks: Come see us at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

For the fourth year, today sees Juneteenth celebrated nationwide as a federal holiday: https://apnews.com/article/what-is-juneteenth-celebration-ideas-federal-holiday-2f7116be4418065cd954b6dbf98c62b8

...The history of Juneteenth is one of the advance of freedom and progressive solidarity: https://www.splcenter.org/hopewatch/2024/06/18/juneteenth-national-celebration-history

...A history and listing of today's Juneteenth events statewide: https://progresstexas.org/blog/juneteenth-road-freedom

...Dallas' Fair Park will host Opal Lee's Walk For Freedom today: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/opals-walk-for-freedom-set-to-take-place-in-dallas/3570880/

The disgraceful scandal at Gateway Church in Southlake develops: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/robert-morris-gateway-church-19520887.php

...Robert Morris' victim, Cindy Clemishire, has been trying to get the attention of church leaders for almost 20 years:

Should they obey Governor Greg Abbott's instructions to ignore new Title IX revisions protecting LGBTQ+ students, Texas universities risk losing billions in federal funding: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4728053-texas-risks-losing-billions-in-federal-funds-over-abbott-lgbtq-directive-say-democrats/

D/FW folks: Come see us at our 14th Anniversary and Election Preview Fundraiser in Dallas on June 25: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2024anniversary

It's Pride Month! Check out the history of Pride and a full calendar of events happening across Texas throughout the month: https://progresstexas.org/blog/deep-heart-pride-celebration-pride-month-texas

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.