Letter Sent to:
Governor Greg Abbott
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
Attorney General Ken Paxton

January 11, 2021

As faith leaders in Texas, we are dismayed by your failure to object to President Donald Trump’s visit this week, where he will speak in public for the first time since he incited the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday [Jan. 6].

The border wall that he is coming to brag about was built with over 10.5 billion dollars, dollars he extracted from the budget of our military. He took that money when the democratically elected Congress did not agree that building a wall was a responsible way to spend government funds.

We now know that the current President is not a defender of Democracy, he is not a patriot, and he has no regard for the health or wellbeing of Americans. Last week he called for action that led to the death of at least 6 Americans and serious injuries sustained by dozens more, including over 50 police officers. His very presence has become a symbol of insurrection and lawlessness.

Yet you, State leaders who are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of all those who live in Texas, have not condemned President Trump, nor have you opposed his appearance in our state, an appearance that can easily lead to more violence, injury and loss of life. Worse, you are acquiescing to his contentious visit at a time when our state health care system is overwhelmed by the tragic spread of COVID-19 and should not be further stressed.

We urge you to go on record to oppose this visit as guardians of health and safety for your electorate. Your most important task right now is to protect life at this tumultuous time in our nation’s history.

Sincerely,

Rev. Laurie Anderson, Senior Minister, Midway Hills Christian Church, Dallas

Dr. Zafar Anjum, Imam, Islamic Association of the Colony

Azhar Azeez, Past President, Islamic Society of North America and North Texas Islamic Council, Plano

Rev. Holly G. Bandel, Associate Minister, First United Methodist Church, Dallas

Rev. David B. Batchelder; West Plano Presbyterial Church, Plano

Rev. Mike Baughman, Union Coffee, Dallas

Rev. Rachel Baughman, Senior Pastor, Oak Lawn UMC, Dallas

Dr. Susan M. Baxley, Chair, Social Justice Committee, Kessler Park UMC, Dallas

Rev. Michael Boone, Senior Pastor, White Rock United Methodist Church, Dallas

Rev. Lora Brandis, Horizon United Universalist Church, Carrollton

Stacey Brown, Elev8 Movement, Dallas

Rev. Dr. Vanessee Burns, Christian Chapel CME Church, Dallas

Rev. Wally Butts, Pastor, United Methodist Church, Plano

Rev. Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles, Dallas

Mary Ann Climer, Social Justice Committee, Kessler Park UMC, Dallas

Julie Baugh Cloud, Vice President, Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation, Westlake

Rabbi Kimberly Herzog Cohen, Temple Emanu-El, Dallas

Rabbi Heidi Coretz, Shir Tikvah, Frisco

Armel Crocker, Lay Pastor, Grace Presbytery, Winnsboro

Rev. Carolyn Davis, PhD; Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Washington, D.C.

Rev. Phil Dieke, Pastor, White Rock UMC, Dallas

Rev. Benjamin Dueholm, Dallas

Rev. Andrew Fiser, North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Dallas

Rev. Eric Folkerth, Kessler Park UMC, Dallas

Rev. Scott Gilliland, Senior Pastor, Arapaho United Methodist Church, Richardson

Fr. Tim Gollob, Retired Priest, Catholic Diocese of Dallas

Rev. Dr. Mike Gregg, Pastor, Royal Lane Baptist Church, Dallas

Bishop Erik Gronberg, NT-NL Synod, ELCA, Argyle

Rev. Dr. Sid Hall, III, Lead Minister, Trinity Church of Austin

Rev. Wes Helm, Rowlett

Rev. Page Hines, Associate Pastor, Arlington Heights UMC, Fort Worth

Rev. Dr. Don Holladay, Lubbock

Rev. Deanna Hollas, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, Dallas

Zulikha Hussain, Valley Ranch Mosque and Community Interfaith Activist, Irving

Rev. Charles Foster Johnson, Pastor, Bread Fellowship, Fort Worth

Rev. Dr. Daniel Kanter, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church of Dallas

Rabbi Nancy Kasten, Chief Relationship Officer, Faith Commons

Rabbi Neal Katz, Congregation Beth El, Tyler

Marv Knox, Coordinator, Fellowship Southwest, Coppell

Rev. Dr. Dan De Leon, Senior Pastor, Friends Congregational Church, UCC, College Station

Dr. D. Stephan Long, Dallas

Rev. Dr. George A. Mason, Senior Pastor, Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, and President, Faith Commons

Rev. Bill (JW) Matthews, University Park UMC, Dallas

Rabbi Ralph Mecklenberger, Rabbi Emeritus, Beth-El Congregation, Fort Worth

Dr. Michael Miller, Dean, Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth

Rev. Amy W. Moore, Dallas

Jackie Baugh Moore, President, Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation, Boerne

Bee Moorhead, Executive Director, Texas Impact

Almas Muscatwalla, Executive Director, Faith Forward Dallas

Dana Norton, Pastor, Sunnyvale

Rabbi Andrew Paley, Temple Shalom, Dallas

Rev. Payton Parker, Pastor, First UMC, Lancaster

Robyn Reno, Social Justice Committee, Kessler Park UMC

Sister Patricia Ridgley, Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, Fort Worth

Rabbi Debra Robbins, Temple Emanu-El, Dallas

Rabbi Amy Ross, Temple Emanu-El, Dallas

Leslie Russell, Social Justice Committee, Kessler Park UMC, Dallas

Rev. Cathy Sweeney, Arapaho United Methodist Church, Richardson

Rev. Kerry Smith, United Methodist Church, Dallas

Rev. Robert O. Smith

Rev. Dr. Jeff Smith, Wellspring, Georgetown

Rev. Marti Soper, Senior Pastor, Northaven UMC, Dallas

Rabbi David Stern, Temple Emanu-El, Dallas

Rev. Dr. Meredith Stone, Fellowship Southwest, Abilene

Imam Azhar Subedar, Plano

Imam Dr. Omar Suleiman, Valley Ranch Islamic Center, Dallas

Rev. Neil Thomas, Cathedral of Hope, United Church of Christ, Dallas

Rabbi Dan Utley, Temple Emanu-El, Dallas

Minister Cameron Vickrey, Faith Commons

Garrett Vickrey, Senior Pastor, Woodland Baptist Church, San Antonio

Laura Westerlage, MDiv/MSSW, The Stewpot, Dallas

Rev. Marcus Womack, Plymouth Park United Methodist Church, Irving

Rev. Kevin Young, Senior Pastor, St. John’s UMC, Lubbock

Rabbi Elana Zelony, Richardson

Rabbi Brian Zimmerman, Beth-El Congregation, Fort Worth

Mimi Platt Zimmerman, Student, Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth

Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman, Plano

Organizations:

• Faith Commons

• Faith Forward Dallas at Thanksgiving Square

• Faith In Texas

• Texas Poor People’s Campaign