February 1, 2018

Sid Miller
Commissioner of Agriculture
Texas Agriculture Commission
1700 N. Congress
Austin, TX 78711

Dear Commissioner Miller,

You worked for your constituents and with many of us as a member of the Texas House of
Representatives, but from your current position as Commissioner of Agriculture, your actions in recent
years are not representative of the majority of the 27,000,000 people who make Texas their home. It has
been said that a one-time incident can be called an accident. Two or more occurrences represent a trend.
However, your repeated inexplicable behaviors must at some point make a true statement regarding your
character and who you are.

Your most recent comment on the current partisan political morass involving the possible release of a
controversial memo, once again indicates poor judgment and a temperament not befitting of a public
servant. It is our hope that few find your remarks humorous and that most will find them repulsive. We
will stay above an obvious label that can easily be applied.

There is nothing funny about the millions of African ancestry trapped in a system of involuntary servitude
that remains a stain on America and is often called its 'original sin!' And although it is celebrated, news of
the Emancipation that took three years to reach Texas is neither a laughing matter and is itself dubious.

This is again the most recent of your contributions to divisiveness that treks to the admitted fabrication
last year of a story regarding the President's removal of a federal judge for imposing Sharia Law, the
vulgar description of a candidate for the U.S. Presidency in 2016, your repeated disparaging remarks
regarding Muslims and your call for bombing Muslim countries. This is not indicative of a 21st Century
Texas nor an America, that was by all accounts intended to be a cultural melting pot where on a statue
called "Liberty," there is an inscription which reads "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses
yearning to be free." Perhaps your version of being a true American does not subscribe to Declaration of
Independence either.
Letter to Commissioner Miller
February 1, 2018
Page 2

As Christians, as Texans, as members of the Texas Black Legislative Caucus and Members of the Texas
Legislature, we will call on fellow members of the Texas Legislature and the leadership of this great state
to take a public stand against acts of racial intolerance and insensitivity. Texas, America and humanity
will be the better for it!

Our Best for Texas!

Royce West Borris Miles Helen Giddings

Texas Senate Texas Senate Texas House of Representatives
District 23 District 13 District 109

Eric Johnson Toni Rose

Texas House of Representatives Texas House of Representatives
District 100 District 110

Jarvis Johnson Ron Reynolds

Texas House of Representatives Texas House of Representatives
District 139 District 27

Nicole Collier
Texas House of Representatives
District 95