Diverse crowd protests Texas guv’s self-serving ‘Day of Prayer’

Immigrants, lots of students and youth, throngs of people from the lesbian, gay, bi, transgender and queer community, church-and-state-separation activists, teachers and parents furious about education cuts, death penalty abolitionists and atheists, as well as religious activists, came out to Reliant Stadium in waves all day long on Aug. 6 to protest Texas Gov. Rick Perry and the religious right.

Presidential hopeful Perry had initiated “The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis,” a seven-hour program of prayer and fasting funded by the American Family Association. According to the Aug. 7 Houston Chronicle, Reliant Stadium was less than half full. Despite talk of fasting, the lines for drinks, nachos and hot dogs were reportedly filled all day.

Meanwhile, at the Convention Center seven miles away, Texas families struggling through hard economic times stood in lines for hours hoping to get into a citywide back-to-school event. The event closed two hours early as 100,000 people — four times the number expected — picked up free pencils, backpacks, haircut vouchers, immunizations, boxed lunches and bags of free produce.

Back at the stadium Perry, who imposed multi-million-dollar cuts on the Texas education system, was praying for all those “who have lost hope.”

Outside, despite the 100-degree temperatures and unrelenting sun, the sidewalks and grassy areas surrounding the stadium were filled with indignant protesters carrying creative, colorful signs, banners, bullhorns, coffins and rainbow flags from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement chaired an Open Mike Rally against Hate for several hours. People of all nationalities, genders, religions, sexual identities and immigration statuses lined up to share their outrage and concern.

An African-American transgender woman said, “I need a job. I finished college over 10 years ago and no one will hire me. I want to work! Where are the jobs?”

Victor Ibarra, leader of Alianza Mexicana, agreed. “We are here to work to support our families and demand to be treated with dignity and respect. Gov. Perry has tried to criminalize hard-working people in Texas.” His sign read, “Who would Jesus deport?”

A young African-American lesbian from the University of Houston declared, “Rick Perry doesn’t represent me or my friends.” Silvia Mintz, an immigration lawyer and herself an immigrant, demanded that Perry stop separating families by deportation.

“Jobs, jobs, jobs! That’s what we need!” proclaimed a young gay man.

A number of atheists spoke and many who were religious took the mike to say that Christianity should be inclusive, not divisive and hateful like Perry. “God loves everybody,” said one very well-dressed woman, “and I do, too.”

Bob Carter, representing Justice for Palestinians, criticized Perry for vacationing in Israel while the Israeli state commits genocide against Palestinians.

Beth Moore from Galveston County was there, as was Annie Laurie Gaylor, president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, along with the group’s members. The FFRF had filed an unsuccessful lawsuit to stop the event.

Nikki Araguz, a transgender woman who recently lost her spouse while he was fighting a fire at an egg farm outside Houston, spoke of the unbelievable discrimination she has faced over the distribution of his assets since his death.

As the rally closed, the chair told the crowd, “We are abolitionists in a state that has executed almost 500 people since 1982, more than any other state, and Rick Perry has executed 233 people, more than any governor in U.S. history. Perry’s hate for prisoners is the same disregard he has for all working people in this state — teachers, public employees, construction workers, immigrants, LGBTQ people, women and students. But we represent the people of Texas and if we stay united, we can win some important victories from the right wing in this state.”