Local Faith Leaders Pen Letters to Elected Officials

January 12, 2021January 21, 2021 Staff Report 0 Comments

After the events at the U.S. Capitol last week, several local faith leaders joined together to craft letters to Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

The letter to Abbott, Paxton, and Patrick took the state officials to task for not objecting to a border visit by President Donald Trump. The letter to Cruz objected to his actions before and after the riot that resulted in the death of six, including Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick, who died from injuries sustained after being hit in the head with a fire extinguisher.

“The Jan. 6th events at the Capitol building were a shocking display of violence and sedition,” the letter to Cruz reads. “We, the faith leaders of Dallas, condemn these acts and rightfully regard them as un-American, and we hold you partially responsible for what happened and call you to account.”

“There can be no doubt that violent rhetoric leads to violent action and your actions and words offered in such a reckless way clearly stimulated the mobs to gather in protest of a legal election that has been proven, over and over again to have integrity. That kind of evil we will not easily let stand.”

The letter to Cruz, which was shared on Jan. 8, can be read on the Facebook page for Faith Forward Dallas. Among the faith leaders who signed the letter include Rev. Dr. Daniel Kanter of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, Rev. Victoria Robb Powers of University Park United Methodist Church, Rev. Andria Davis of the Cathedral of Hope, Rev. Dr. Jeff Hall, Cochran Chapel United Methodist Church, Rev. Jonathan Grace of Grace United Methodist Church, Rev. Holly Bandel of First United Methodist Church Dallas, Rev. Rachel Griffin Baughman of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church, and Rabbi Daniel Utley and Cantor Vicky Glikin of Temple Emanu-El.

The letter to Abbott, Paxton, and Patrick was dated Jan. 11, and signed by Bandel, Baughman, Kanter, and Utley also signed this letter, as well as Rev. Laurie Anderson of Midway Hills Christian Church, Rev. Dr. Mike Gregg of Royal Lane Baptist, Rev. Bill “JW” Matthews of University Park United Methodist Church, Father Tim Gollob of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, and Marti Soper of Northaven United Methodist Church.

It reads:

“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.

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, Bright 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, Bright Divinity School, Fort Worth
Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman, Plano
Faith Commons
Faith Forward Dallas at Thanksgiving Square
Faith In Texas
Texas Poor People’s Campaign