Congressman Al Green Condemns Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Failure to Protect Innocent Lives

(Houston, TX) — On Sunday, April 5, 2020, Congressman Al Green held a press conference to condemn Governor Greg Abbott’s “essential services and activities” policy as risky. Congressman Green issued the following statement:

“‘The more that people do to reduce their public contact, the sooner the COVID-19 pandemic will be contained.’ These are the words of Governor Abbott. The Governor goes on to indicate that this is ‘an international pandemic, that it knows no geographic and no jurisdictional boundaries.’ That’s the super salient, quintessential, consequential point – the deadly virus knows no boundaries,” Congressman Green stated on a Sunday afternoon from his congressional office in Houston, Texas.

“That which is incubated in a schoolhouse knows no boundaries, as evidenced by the global spread of this deadly virus. From its point of origin, it has infected over 1 million people across the globe. Its victims include educators and religious leaders,” Green added. “The deadly spread propagated in a schoolhouse can spread beyond the schoolhouse to the fire house, your neighbor’s house, and – yes – your house. This is why education continues outside of the school edifice pursuant to the Governor’s executive order. The Governor’s executive order doesn’t end education. It protects the lives of educators, students, as well as the lives of children and adults across our country who may never visit a schoolhouse. Similarly, temporarily limiting access to a place of worship doesn’t prevent worshippers from worshipping.”

Condemning the Governor’s risky policy, Congressman Green indicated, “An executive order to save the lives of worshippers is not tantamount to an executive order to prevent worshipping. Could we in good conscience condone allowing healthy congregants to assemble knowing one among them might have tuberculosis? I think not. Would we allow our innocent children to attend Sunday school knowing some among the many may have measles or chicken pox?”

“It’s important to note that religion resides in the worshippers not the place of worship,” Green stressed. “Sacrifice the edifice, and the people can still worship. Sacrifice the people to a deadly virus, and there is no worship to be had.”

Congressman Green concluded by urging the importance of revising Executive Order No. GA-14.

“Governor, when we protect the worshippers, we protect the right to worship. Let’s do the righteous thing and truly protect the worshippers. During this time of crisis when declarations of a national emergency have been issued, treat religious institutions and schools the same. Amend your executive order.”

“I close, believing that there comes a time when one must put people above politics and country above political party. I do so today as the grandson of a preacher who happens to be a Member of Congress. I do so knowing I may be standing alone and with the understanding that it’s better to stand alone than not stand at all.”