Sarah Palin Visits Chick-fil-A

Sarah Palin visited a Chick-fil-A fast-food restaurant in The Woodlands, Texas, in a show of support of bigotry and hate speech. * “Stopped by Chick-fil-A in The Woodlands to support a great business,” the former Alaskan governor and vice-presidential candidate tweeted following an appearance at a rally for Republican Senate primary challenger Ted Cruz outside Houston. Palin urged Cruz’s supporters to visit Chick-fil-A, which has been mired in controversy since its president said the chain supports “the biblical definition of the family unit.” (Politico) * Dan Cathy, the restaurant chain's president, made last week, saying that his company supports "the biblical definition of the family unit" and that he prays "God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is about." (HuffPost)

LGBT Activists Protest Against Texas Gov. Rick Perry's Hate Event

Protesters Travel From Across Texas to Picket Hate-Based Event

HOUSTON, TX — On August 6th, Governor Perry spoke at an event inside Reliant Stadium in Houston that he organized with the American Family Association, an organization recognized as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Outside, GetEQUAL protesters from across the Lone Star State joined together and raised their voices against the hatred and bigotry being voiced inside the stadium.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community has recently seen a rise in hate crimes against them, both in Texas and across the country. This event is one more example of religion-based bigotry that helps spur such hate crimes and helps send the message that discriminating against one particular group is okay.

“Our Governor invited, and therefore endorsed, groups to preach hate in our state,” said GetEQUAL Texas State Lead Organizer Michael Diviesti. “The American Family Association and the Family Research Council empower the bullies that are driving our youth to suicide and the murderers who kill out of hatred and ignorance.”

For the LGBT community, this was a day to stand up and fight back — not against prayer, but against those using their religion as a justification for the harm they cause to others.

LGBT civil rights activist Iana Di Bona was among the activists, who took part in the protest outside the Reliant Stadium. Read the entire press release issued by GetEQUAL about Texas Governor Rick Perry's hate convention.