r/Austin • u/StrummerBass101 • 9h ago
Anyone else getting these text?
Awfully suspicious right before the midterms lol. Seems like Republican chicanery. Got two today. Guess when you have nothing else to run on you have to lean into culture war bullshit.
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u/wtocel 9h ago
Absolutely Republican scare tactics. They definitely can’t win on policy.
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u/Arftacular 9h ago
You know it’s bad when they won’t mention who Talarico or Hinojosa are running against. It’s just “not Talarico” or “not Gina”. If the majority of the republican constituency could read, they’d probably be very insulted.
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u/dallascowboys93 9h ago
Added with Trump literally bribing voters
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u/Slayr79 9h ago
Which he still never paid the 2 other checks he promised so why would he pay this one?
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u/ebyoung747 8h ago
No, you don't understand. This one is for real. Once he has no reason to have any popularity, that's when he's really going to go in on policies which would make him more popular.
The war will also definitely end after. And also his concepts of a plan for healthcare. And also making living more affordable. He'll start it all after the midterms.
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u/Snap_Grackle_Pop 7h ago
The war will also definitely end after.
It's already ended several times, and will probably end several times again. We've never won a war this many times before.
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u/DogsdidWHAT 7h ago
It’s the “constantly ending war!”
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u/ebyoung747 7h ago
That phrase really seems like an idea that orwell thought would be too unbelievable to put into one of his books.
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u/CupcakesAreMiniCakes 7h ago
Seriously! Where's the other checks? Low prices? Anything? 😂 I imagine these people just sitting by their mailbox saying "it's gotta arrive any day now, he said so!"
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u/DraperPenPals 6h ago
Trans Texas dot org is owned by TENT, which exists to defeat Republican bills.
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u/8purpleandgold24 6h ago
I'm actually not sure this time. I put the link in bitdefender to see if it was safe/legit, it is, so I went to the website, and, while the website is somewhat of a nightmare layout, it actually does seem to be a legit organization with a ton of trans safety stuff on there.
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u/Logical-Spirit-666 7h ago
this if my broke ass could give u a reward i would
heres a broke bitch oneREWARDDDDDD
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u/Lightningstruckagain 8h ago
For all the R’s in the west and rural areas, the ones that are pissed about data centers, border walls on their land, having their labor deported- these people that had decided not to vote at all- this is the ONE issue that R operatives think will get them to the polls. That’s the whole bet. The Republican party operatives are going all in on anti Trans to get people to the polls to once again vote against their best interests.
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u/Arrmadillo 7h ago
Republicans have used this strategy for a few election cycles to boost conservative voter turnout.
Here’s Texas-based republican strategist Lance Wallnau talking about the strategy during the 2024 election.
ProPublica - Inside Ziklag, the Secret Organization of Wealthy Christians Trying to Sway the Election and Change the Country
“A driving force behind Ziklag’s efforts is Lance Wallnau, a prominent Christian evangelist and influencer based in Texas who is described by Ziklag as a ‘Seven Mountains visionary & advisor.’ The fiery preacher is one of the most influential figures on the Christian right, experts say, a bridge between Christian nationalism and Trump.”
“Other internal Ziklag documents voice strong opposition to same-sex marriage and transgender rights. One reads: ‘transgender acceptance = Final sign before imminent collapse.’”
“The left had won the battle over the ‘homosexual issue,’ [Lance] Wallnau said. ‘But on transgenderism, there’s a problem and they know it.’ He continued: ‘They’re gonna wanna talk about Trump, Trump, Trump. … Meanwhile, if we talk about ‘It’s not about Trump. It’s about parents and their children, and the state is a threat,’ that could be the ‘target on the forehead of Goliath.’”
“According to Wallnau, Ziklag also plans to fund ballot initiatives in seven key states — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Montana, Nevada and Ohio — that take aim at the transgender community by seeking to ban ‘genital mutilation.’ The seven states targeted are either presidential battlegrounds or have competitive U.S. Senate races. None of the initiatives is on a state ballot yet.
‘People that are lethargic about the election or, worse yet, they’re gonna be all Trump-traumatized with the news cycle — this issue will get people to come out and vote,’ Wallnau said. ‘That ballot initiative can deliver swing states.’”
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u/Lightningstruckagain 6h ago
Yep, that was the basis of my reply. This one issue will get the anti trump or just ambivalent Rs off their asses and to the ballot box. They may loose their land and water but goddamit don’t let a jr high boy play girl’s volleyball!
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u/DraperPenPals 6h ago
And it’ll probably work, because that’s how unpopular some trans causes are.
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u/whatisdreampunk 3h ago
You mean how bigoted most people are against trans folks. Seriously, would you phrase it this way talking about a different minority group?
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u/Separate_Recover4187 9h ago
Jesus Christ that is sleazy scare tactics.
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u/AstraCraftPurple 9h ago
Yeah, I dismissed the second one thinking it was a political ad. Been getting a million and knowing trans kids have been a hot button issue.
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u/Worldly-Fondant-3791 9h ago
I want to know the company sending these
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u/ArcaneQuodlibet 9h ago
Tesla, SpaceX, the Boring Company
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u/Worldly-Fondant-3791 9h ago
No seriously. These are real companies paid by pacs that do this shit and they have owners. We should go after them personally
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u/JohnGillnitz 8h ago
Yes, and many of them are being paid by Elon Musk. He's given $366 million to Republicans this election cycle.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/13/elon-musk-political-donor-midterm-elections5
u/Worldly-Fondant-3791 8h ago
Oh I know. I knew 2 years ago. These are the least clever human beings on the planet.
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u/Appropriate_Host4170 8h ago
They also can be tied to Russian, Chinese, or Indian anti-American groups purportedly fucking with the election.
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u/Appropriate_Host4170 8h ago
Absolutely being generated by a group trying to both throw a legitimate organization under the bus and scare people into voting Republican. The numbers are stolen cell numbers that are being flagged as fraud and part of the bot net.
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u/forsythia_rising 9h ago
I wish politicians in Texas would fix real issues, like the MASSIVE amount of spam texts I get. I honestly have to spend 10 min a day clearing this shit out.
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u/Lightningstruckagain 8h ago
That and water rights, public school funding and property taxes. But yeah, spam too
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u/8purpleandgold24 7h ago
But I have a crew in the area trimming trees and you need to know about it!
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u/JustPassingJudgment 1h ago
Gonna start replying. “Hey, how goes the tree trimming?” <insert deluge of memes>
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u/BrutalDishonesty 9h ago
Literally all they have to run on is an issue that effects 1% of Americans. Where as pedophilia effects a significant account more but they're all okay with the Epstein files not being released.
Republicans can get fucked until they get their values straight again.
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u/CupcakesAreMiniCakes 7h ago
Literally no vulnerable person including children are safe with these PDFs still running around. Hide yo kids, hide yo wife, remember? I don't understand how people can keep voting for them
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u/BrutalDishonesty 7h ago
Brain rot is the only explanation.
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u/CupcakesAreMiniCakes 6h ago
I've started using that term for them a lot too. Plus swiss cheese brain
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u/A_Possum_Named_Steve 5h ago
I 👏 just 👏want 👏 equal 👏 rights 👏 and 👏 affordable 👏 healthcare.
Also, if we could keep our dicks out of Israel's mouths that'd be cool, too.
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u/KorungRai 9h ago
Midland is really concerned about the trans community in Austin….. smells like republican rat fuckery.
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u/Broken_Beaker 9h ago
I'm in the WilCo suburbs, and our local evangelical nutjob "pastor" is posting about transition stuff in schools. Because apparently there are transition centers that kids go to between math and English.
I do think it is some sort of coordinated effort.
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u/StrummerBass101 9h ago
Which Wilco halfwit is that? Remember coven of witches-gate haha. What a bunch of rubes
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u/Broken_Beaker 8h ago
There are probably so many from Mary Bone to others. In my little area is some clown named Nate Brown. Or as he often calls himself "Pastor Nate." Many of us call him "Pastor Hate."
But I bet every community in WilCo has their own special halfwit.
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u/anubiswain 9h ago
I threatened to report them to the FBI for voter fraud and was magically unsubscribed
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u/GarikLoranFace 9h ago
To the republican ones I just respond with strong words about their preferred candidate. What are they gonna do, sue me for libel? Whoops, that one was true guys you done fucked up
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u/Snap_Grackle_Pop 7h ago
What are they gonna do, sue me for libel?
They'll sell your number as someone dumb enough to read and respond and you'll get lots more spam texts.
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u/GarikLoranFace 6h ago
Potentially… but they also would note that I’m a bit volatile
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u/millerep 9h ago
I got the one on the right a day or two ago, out of the blue. I thought it was a wrong number.
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u/elegiac_bloom 8h ago
Yes im getting them. I report as spam and block. Im assuming this is some desperate Paxton scheme trying to induce Trans panic. Fuck these people so hard.
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u/Not_A_Real_Goat 9h ago
Yeah, mine all say something about “it’s bad to be white,” or some equivalent nonsense.
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u/CupcakesAreMiniCakes 7h ago
My response is "Yeah okay, Jan" 🙄 As someone white passing with family that is not I can absolutely say there's white privilege in how I've been treated vs them. Also how poorly I have been treated when some people found out I wasn't "pure" or whatever. Pure rage baiting
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u/Arrmadillo 7h ago
That’s the misinformation campaign from conservative Alan Gottlieb’s AMERIPAC. He’s in a panic over the possibility of the US Senate flipping so he’s been spamming everyone.
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u/Beneficial-Lemon7478 6h ago
Been getting lots of desperate Texas Republican texts recently.
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u/Maleficent_Pick8251 5h ago
I've been getting even more desperate Democrat spam lately.
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u/EverythingSuxsoYNot 7h ago
My favorite. "Do you want to take back Texas from the liberals who are polluting your children's minds?"
I swear. If they don't get SOOOOO fucked. Like. Literally. Fuck off down the road. When you get to the end of that. Fuck all the way off to the next horizons edge. When you see that. Climb up the next mountain to its peak. When you FINALLY accomplish that goal and can see the world from a top that peak. Fuck off AGAIN and roll yourself bodily down the slope. If you manage to survive THAT fucking off. Fuck off to the ocean. Then drown yourself.
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u/A_Possum_Named_Steve 5h ago
If they continue fucking off into the ocean, may they fuck right off of the continental shelf and forever the fuck off into the deepest of trenches.
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u/Future-Firstnawlast 5h ago
And don’t stop there, fuck off right thru the crust then continue fucking off thru the mantle, continue right on fucking off into the magma core of the earth where finally you fucking find yourself burning forever right along side your gods in the lake of fire that is hell.
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u/A_Possum_Named_Steve 4h ago
May their molecular bonds fuck off into subatomic particles and transferred into the interstellar medium, where they may never bond with each other again.
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u/derff44 8h ago
Yep. I wanted to click the link so hard but didn't because I don't want more political texts. But this is totally the Republicans playbook. 2 months after school started.
It's like all the ads about how expensive everything is. Like who TF is in power? Who TF has been in power in Texas for 30 years?? Anyone who believes any of this shit is basically just an NPC
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u/Alternauts 7h ago
You already opened the text and I don’t see tracking parameters in the links. You should be fine to click it (from a tracking standpoint, not mental health).
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u/DraperPenPals 6h ago
Trans Texas dot org belongs to TENT, a left-aligned pro-trans organization. This is not a Republican playbook at all.
Y’all don’t even know the organizations who represent the causes you claim to support.
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u/derff44 6h ago
Yea, that's not where the link I got came from. I work in security. I know how to check these things
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u/DraperPenPals 6h ago
You’re able to read a link? Incredible!
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u/derff44 6h ago
You really think a link is just.... Ok.
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u/thelentil 2h ago
The mental gymnastics here to keep your narrative alive is really impressive. It is a legitimate link and organization.
"I work in security" lol
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u/thepenismytea 2h ago
Kewl, now where did the link come from? Who does the number belong to? Why give a fuck about trans people if they're less than a 1% of the populatoin and they're not actively harming you?
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u/OSBTAdmin 9h ago
Not the same wording but a ton of political adds yesterday and today. They are soooo scared! I love it!
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u/FrankFranly 6h ago
This should be illegal. There are too many dummies out there that will believe this hogwarsh.
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u/AffectionateBig1898 9h ago
Repubs know they have nothing to go on since the economy is in the toilet and "America First" is a farce, so they figured anti-trans bashing will work for the midterms.
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u/Human_mind 9h ago
I'm definitely getting about a text per day from someone trying to scare me away from voting for Talarico.
Who cares if he's friends with a drag queen. I'd like to be.
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[deleted]
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u/29681b04005089e5ccb4 9h ago
The website is real but I think republicans are sending the link in text messages as a scare tactic.
The 'new school year' one is quite suspicious as the school year started 2 months ago so its not something I would expect the actual organization would send at this time (nor any other time via sms - maybe email or something but probably not at all).
Someone wanting to give the appearance this group was sending out messages to schoolkids on the other hand doesn't care if the dates make sense as they don't actually plan for the content to help anyone, just create fear.
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u/davis214512 6h ago
It’s all scare tactics to get you to vote republican. It’s all they campaign on because they have no policies to help people.
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u/Srnkanator 9h ago edited 9h ago
I just got one from Ilhan Omar.
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u/StrummerBass101 9h ago
If Gina keeps texting me I’m gonna have to put her on my Christmas card list
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u/Relative-Fault-7116 9h ago
got the same one at the same time
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u/Srnkanator 9h ago
I have no idea why I would have gotten this, do you?
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u/Relative-Fault-7116 9h ago
i don't either. it seems based on what we and others got, they were targeted at certain demographics.
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u/Srnkanator 9h ago
48 year old white guy from Lakeway? I have always voted blue...
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u/Relative-Fault-7116 8h ago
33 year old white guy in southeast austin. always voted blue as well. we're definitely in the same age, gender and political categories.
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u/jermicidalone23 9h ago
I was getting a recipe on Google and there were two banners on the top and bootom attacking James Talarico on the recipe guide.
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u/lFightForTheUsers 8h ago
No, but I'm getting similar spam texts basically saying "your neighbors voted, did you?" I'm gonna report them as spam as well.
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u/Snap_Grackle_Pop 7h ago
I know e-mails and web pages can list a link that shows up as one web site, but actually goes elsewhere, such as this example: texas.gov. (Both web sites are innocuous in this example.)
Does anyone know if text messages can do the same? I assume so.
i.e. don't click on links in suspicious messages, even if URL shown looks legit.
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u/Allysworld1971 6h ago
Oh my gosh yes, how are they getting our info?
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u/StrummerBass101 6h ago
Well you know all those times you enter your phone number at checkout for rewards, points etc? Well all that gets sold and is readily available to companies or orgs that want to buy it. There’s also data leaks etc
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u/MeowgicalMystery 5h ago
Texas hands over complete list of registered voters to 🍊 administration
The Justice Department has asked states for their voter rolls with an eye toward purging ineligible voters…sharing the data could violate federal election law.
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u/BattleHall 3h ago
When you register to vote in Texas, your name, date of birth, and voter registration number are public record. There are then other databases that can correlate that info with things like address and phone number. It's how all the campaigns and PACs do targeted outreach. They can even pay for more expansive databases that allow them to do demographic targeting, based on whatever their internal research says are the groups most open to their message and/or most likely to turn out. I had to jump though a bunch of hoops to get my voter registration reenabled last month, and almost as soon as I did, I started receiving multiple political texts per day, mostly Republican (like the bullshit in the OP), most likely due to some sort of demographics match.
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u/Significant-Tie-5279 46m ago
Same thing happened to me yesterday, both numbers from the 432 area code. At this point I just assume every unknown text is either a scam or someone trying to rile people up before an election. The spam flag on those screenshots is doing some heavy lifting though, at least the phone caught it.
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u/amidreaming_ 9h ago
this one goes hard
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u/shmelse 8h ago
Fuck yeah - why does all their fear mongering make him looks so awesome
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u/amidreaming_ 8h ago
LITERALLY. i saw a smear ad about him where he out-woked me and i was like wait a second??? he’s kinda goated
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u/organisms 9h ago
Yes, I thought it was suspicious I got them immediately after giving the Paxton texts a piece of my mind and unsubscribing. Maybe if you unsubscribe they sign you up for a legitimate trans help list as a scare tactic.
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u/atxvxhxc 9h ago
Based on the website it seems legit… ?
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u/29681b04005089e5ccb4 9h ago
The website is real but I think republicans are sending the link in text messages as a scare tactic.
The 'new school year' one is quite suspicious as the school year started 2 months ago so its not something I would expect the actual organization would send at this time (nor any other time via sms - maybe email or something but probably not at all).
Someone wanting to give the appearance this group was sending out messages to schoolkids on the other hand doesn't care if the dates make sense as they don't actually plan for the content to help anyone, just create fear.
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u/StrummerBass101 9h ago
Have you heard of copy / paste a web address in a text message? Just cause it points to a website doesn’t mean it’s legit
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u/GhostJohnGalt 9h ago
I went to the website, and it seems to be in favor of respecting gender identity. Looks legit to me
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u/Psybeam60 8h ago
They’re saying an anti-trans org is likely sending these out to everyone to convince gullible people that the pro-trans org in the link is trying to trans their kids. You don’t have to represent an org to send out their website link.
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u/CupcakesAreMiniCakes 7h ago
omg "trying to trans their kids" is such a good phrase to illustrate how ridiculous it is
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u/DraperPenPals 6h ago
Why the fuck would the Republican Party offer free organic promotion for an organization that successfully helps defeat its bills?
I swear, you all signed up for a voluntary lobotomy.
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u/Psybeam60 6h ago
Free organic promotion? You mean unsolicited spam that plays into a "trans people are coming for your kids to confuse them with gender ideology" narrative that Republicans are pushing ahead of an election? Notice how the link doesn't even mention gender-affirming care at all?
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u/Jorge-Godruigez 3h ago
Pretend you are the average hateful suburban republican.
Do you think recieving this text is going to make you cheer with joy that trans people are getting promotion?
Or would it make you froth at the mouth because this confirms they’re ‘transing the kids!’
Its thought experiments like these that one would call ‘logic’ or ‘using your brain’.
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u/Fantastic-Moment2862 8h ago
I always respond saying thanks for reminding me to vote for (insert progressive Democrat’s name here)
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u/mvarnado 6h ago
Getting them daily here in Dallas, even after telling off and blocking every one from the previous spam campaign.
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u/nikki_owe 4h ago
Literally all the republican campaign ads are about trans people. Why tf are they so bothered by trans people??? It's actually insane and weird.
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u/BeadieCat 3h ago
Yes, and they’re coming from multiple different numbers. I’m so sick of it. I report as spam and block, but they just keep coming.
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u/whatisdreampunk 3h ago
I've been getting a text from a new fake number attacking Talarico every day. I should have screenshotted some because they're so wild, but I've been too quick to automatically report spam and block.
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u/FiveModalVerbs 9h ago
The URL is for the Transgender Education Network of Texas, which seems to be a legitimate organization.
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u/Suspicious_Dawg 9h ago
It is. They are not sending them. The strategy is to point back to a legit org and make it seem innocent. The point is just to get folks angry about transgender issues.
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u/almondboy64 8h ago
Do you have evidence for this? Because the texts are written in a very neutral way and link to the real resources from TENT, so it seems like TENT sent them to do public education
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u/Jorge-Godruigez 8h ago
Do you genuinely think theres an lgbtq+ org that is mass texting Texans about ‘bathroom guides for trans children for the school year’, well into the school year?
The website is real, the texts were made to trigger republicans….clearly
🤦🏻♂️
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u/Suspicious_Dawg 7h ago edited 7h ago
They didn’t.
Any legit org, like TENT, follows basic guidelines laid out for texting via 10 DLC. One of those is clearly IDing the sender in the message. It’s like the most basic rule for mass texting.
The number was registered a few weeks ago. It’s using a fucking Midland area code.
This is spam. This is political drive by. The number will be dead in a week and they will move on by the time providers shut it down.
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u/almondboy64 5h ago
Shit, yeah, you’re right about that with the violations of texting guidelines. This is such a bummer, because I was glad when my sister-in-law got the text because it’s a helpful resource
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u/StrummerBass101 9h ago
That anyone can copy and paste into a text message to send out via a massive spam text to 1000s of numbers. And the listed number blocks incoming calls. And you don’t think this is weird that these start up right before midterms?
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u/29681b04005089e5ccb4 9h ago
Fear of trans people is currently the number one republican talking point. I've probably received 10 pieces of mail in the past month about how scary trans people are, all sent by republicans.
Nothing at all in the mail about trans people one way or the other from democrats.
Trans Texas didn't last update this page back in August and suddenly decide that today was the day to spam a quarter of the state about it via SMS.
So I'm left to wonder, is the anonymous source sending me random information about trans people likely related to the same sources that have been sending me that same exact type of information for the past month, or an entirely new source that has never sent me anything before but coincidentally happened to send it while republicans are talking nonstop about trans people everywhere they can.
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u/Minute_Interview4367 6h ago
It just shows how terrified they are. They have nothing. The polls are awful for them nationwide and they’re not confident in their plan to steal the election. Every go out and vote IN PERSON. They will be tossing out most mail in ballots especially in Texas. Ken Paxton bragged about getting 3 million thrown out in 2020 as AG. Please take this seriously
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u/Onslaughtered1 9h ago
I got the same texts. I assumed, immediately, it’s propaganda, or a way to sell yourself out by using these links.
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u/Mercury512 6h ago
Did you ever vote in a Republican primary in the past?
My folks used to try and vote for the lesser of two evils in the primaries and the mailers they get for the general are INSANE
Seriously sick and disturbing
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u/Soggy_Air_4880 6h ago
I've had two people even come to my door and drop off literature about the transgender menace and how they're taking over our women's sports. They don't get answered
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u/MyDaroga 9h ago
Did no one actually look into the group before declaring it a Republican psyop? This is a legitimate organization.
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u/Suspicious_Dawg 9h ago
Yes it’s an organization. But that group isn’t sending these text. It’s 100% a GOP tactic that is supposed to look innocent, but just to inject their culture war issue everywhere.
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u/StrummerBass101 9h ago
I can’t believe I’m having to explain this to people lol
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u/Snap_Grackle_Pop 7h ago
I can’t believe I’m having to explain this to people lol
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.
Many voted for Trump in 2020 and 2024 after 4 years of President Trump. And still support him. Hell, that was batshit crazy even in 2016.
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u/Jorge-Godruigez 8h ago
I get anxious about the future because I honestly think Texans/Americans are genuinely too stupid to recognize the issues, let alone fix them, even the well meaning ones.
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u/AlternativeThick6763 7h ago
This thread is full of people bragging about “telling off” spam texts lmao
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u/Jorge-Godruigez 3h ago
Yup.
And not for nothing, but the fact that the best chance we have in this state is the most milquetoast dude who is deeply religous is just……….
And somehow its still a close race against someone who can only be described as sentient garbage………..
I need to gtfo of here lol
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u/StrummerBass101 9h ago
Did you ask yourself why these would be going out right before midterms and after school has started?
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u/Federal-Asparagus445 9h ago
yesss. deleted and reported spam smh