After the City of Dallas shut down a pro-liberty youth organization’s convention just days before it was scheduled to begin, the governor of South Dakota is calling out Texas for not living up to being the “bastion of freedom” many believe it is.
I was excited to join @YALiberty and encourage them to keep defending the things that make America special. Then @CityOfDallas cancelled the event.
Our First Amendment guarantees the right to peaceably assemble. I thought Texas was supposed to be a bastion of Freedom? https://t.co/UNamuZGPED
— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) August 4, 2020
Young Americans for Liberty was scheduled to hold its Mobilize 2020 conference in Dallas from August 6-9—until the city decided to exercise a force majeure clause, citing public health fears amid the Chinese coronavirus, to put a stop to the event just three days before it was scheduled to begin.
Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who was scheduled to speak at the conference, says she was shocked to see the move happen in Texas.
“I think it’s surprising, coming from Texas. I mean, they’re the home of the Alamo, the ‘come and take it’ flag. It’s supposed to be one of the greatest states in America and a state that stood up and protected people’s liberties [and] God-given rights,” Noem said during a radio interview with the Blaze’s Glenn Beck on Tuesday. “These young people were all coming to exercise their First Amendment freedom of assembly, and to have the City of Dallas pull the rug out from underneath them, I think, is an absolute shame.”
“Did they do this to protesters in the [Black Lives Matter] movement? No, they didn’t,” she added.
The City of Dallas just CANCELED at the last moment @YALiberty's #Mobilize2020 conference, but had no problems with BLM protests. One of the speakers, @govkristinoem, said this is "SURPRISING coming from Texas." pic.twitter.com/kwnreHF4n0
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) August 4, 2020
Noem’s public profile has grown in recent months, as the governor of a state that has rejected heavy-handed stay-at-home orders, mask mandates, and travel restrictions.
In contrast, Texas’ Gov. Greg Abbott began a phased approach to reopening the Texas economy in May, but in late June began to wind back those provisions. He also implemented a statewide mask mandate on July 2 that is still in effect, with no end in sight.
“You know, that’s what’s shocking to me … what people who have traditionally been reasonable are now able to justify in their minds,” said Noem.
The cancellation of YAL’s Mobilize 2020 event isn’t an isolated incident. Last month, the City of Houston similarly put an end to the Republican Party of Texas’ in-person convention just days before delegates were slated to arrive.
