The Best News Headline I Have Read in a While

With a title like, "Drinking While Brown (or Gay) in Texas Will Get You Arrested" you have to click to read further, am I right? Racism/ homophobia in Texas? I am as shocked as you are. Texas is traditionally known for big things. I would not know. I think I have been in the state about three times in my life, and I do not recall anything being particularly bigger than usual. But this story is a big freaking deal. Does that count? Texas has the most over-reaching public intoxication laws and according to this story from Alternet by Adam Weinstein those laws are abused in a fairly heinous fashion. I have said this before, and I will say it again. Many cops have a power trip similar to Joseph Stalin, but their job dictates that attitude. They never know when their life will be in danger, so they become dicks as a defense mechanism. If someone looks at a police officer a way the officer does not like nowadays they are likely to be tazed. The officers referred to in this article were arresting people in bars for public intoxication. Yes, that is kind of the point of bars. And I agree, that is about as far-reaching a public intoxication law there can be save Minorty Report-style citing before someone even goes to a bar. The bigger issue is they were targeting latino and gay establishments 'just cause, man, I don't like dem hispanics and queers.' Luckily, the towns in Texas have already protested and received apologies from police chiefs and promises that the public intoxication laws will be reviewed. This seems like it should have been a bigger story, but that is why I go to Alternet, to get big stories that are not reported on widely.
In other, unrelated news, Ron Paul won his Republican primary in a landslide this week. Texans love them some Ron Paul, and I like him more than I like any other politician. That is not saying much, though.

Also, please vote in my poll to the top right as I go through a mid-blog-life crisis.