'Leftist Terrorists' Apparently Include People Who Read Books in Texas
While Newsweek dutifully echoes the state's vague 'threat' assessment, they conveniently gloss over Texas's long history of deploying state power against its own populace for political ends. This isn't about countering 'terrorism'; it's about chilling dissent. Governor Abbott, a champion of 'free speech' when it aligns with his agenda, now apparently believes reading Marx (or perhaps just
advocating for Medicare-for-All) warrants state surveillance. We're left to wonder if the 'undercover agents' will be attending book clubs or community organizing meetings, dutifully documenting the subversive act of, say, discussing climate change. This 'leftist terror' dog whistle is a familiar tune, often orchestrated by those whose definitions of patriotism conveniently exclude any criticism
of corporate power or the status quo. One might question if the state's budget might be better spent on, say, improving the abysmal power grid, rather than manufacturing phantom threats from local activists. Or perhaps the real 'terror' is anyone daring to challenge the oil and gas lobby's iron grip on Texas politics.