Voters in Houston, Texas, overwhelmingly rejected the city’s Proposition 1, which would have allowed any man or woman to use any bathroom based on a chosen “gender identity.” The measure raised serious privacy concerns and threatened Houstonians with punishing fines for following their deeply held religious beliefs regarding sexuality.
A digital ad campaign by FRC Action’s Super PAC, the Faith Family Freedom Fund, was seen by nearly 300,000 Houston residents in recent weeks. Last year, Family Research Council (FRC) organized “I Stand Sunday,” a live simulcast featuring Christian leaders including FRC President Tony Perkins, Mike Huckabee, Ronnie Floyd, Dr. Rick Scarborough, and the Houston pastors whose sermons were subpoenaed by the city’s mayor.
Nearly 7,000 people were in attendance at the host church, Grace Community Church in Houston. Additionally, 765 churches and nearly 3,000 home groups tuned into the event in all 50 states.
On the defeat of Houston’s Prop 1, Family Research Council Action President Tony Perkins commented:
“Houston has become a rallying cry for Americans tired of seeing their freedoms trampled in a politically correct stampede to redefine marriage and sexuality. Houstonians sent a message heard across the country: They will not allow the government to flush away their money, and more importantly, their values and religious liberties.
“While much of the debate focused on biological males using a woman’s bathroom, many voters told us they understood this involved a lot more than bathrooms. The mayor’s efforts to disenfranchise voters and subpoena pastors’ sermons and private communications demonstrated this law was ultimately about silencing and even stripping away the livelihood of those who refused to yield their beliefs to this new morality. Government officials should carefully consider these election results before engaging in Mayor Parker’s intimidation tactics.
“Houstonians’ religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to petition their government have won the day, but much more work remains to be done to safeguard these freedoms across the nation. No person should be punished by the government because of their beliefs.
“We commend Houstonians for courageously standing up to political intimidation to defend their freedom to believe and the freedom to live according to those beliefs,” Perkins concluded.
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