I AM WRITING THIS on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 26th, 2026, which means I’m writing while the Texas Republican Senate runoff election is underway. I am a Texan. Sen. John Cornyn, who has represented Texas for over 23 years, is facing Ken Paxton, the current Tx attorney general and the candidate who is endorsed by Trump. By the time I finish writing this, I will know which of them will face James Talarico in November,but I won’t publish tomorrow, Wednesday, May 27. Coincidentally, over the Memorial Day weekend, in my county of Rockwall Texas, a monument of the ten commandments was erected at the old County Courthouse. I did not attend the unveiling, but have read press and social media reports and seen many photos. There were plenty of small town politicians, leaders of churches, and local, patriotically clad citizens in attendance, including at least one Trump hat. It’s troubling enough to see a government building adorned with a monument to a particular religion, but what was most troubling to me is that, etched at the bottom of the monument is:  “Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.” The plaza of the old County Courthouse was filled with people who appeared to be rejoicing. Where, though, are the righteous authorities in either my state or my nation? 

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