SPOKANE, Wash. – A crowd of around 50 self-proclaimed Christian leaders holding signs reading, “#IPrayTooCensureMe,” and, “#WeAllBelong-Except,” gathered outside Spokane City Hall on Sept. 11, where Spokane City Council planned to vote on the proposed censure of Mayor Nadine Woodward.
The protestors heard from local business owners Lyle Dach and Rob Linebarger, listed on the Spokane County GOP’s website as a district leader, who spoke about unfair media treatment and the potential violation of religious liberties, at times making comparisons to Nazi Germany.
It’s unclear exactly how word first spread about the protest, but our partners at the Spokesman-Review provided us with a copy of a letter with a Spokane GOP masthead written by Linebarger, quoted as the Spokane County GOP Candidates Committee Chair in byline, saying a “Rally for Religious Liberty” would be held at 5 p.m. on Sept. 11 outside City Hall.
Addressed to faith leaders in Spokane County, the letter accused “the Lisa Brown campaign, Democrat Party, and members of the City Council who align politically,” with politicizing Woodward’s appearance at Sean Feucht’s “Let Us Worship” event where she embraced former State Representative with extremist views Matt Shea on stage. Woodward later disavowed Shea, but decided not to apologize about her attendance at the event.
Linebarger’s letter asked faith leaders to sign a letter attacking Councilmembers Betsy Wilkerson and Zack Zappone for their proposal to censure Woodward for her participation at the event, claiming “we, the faithful, are the real long-range target.”
“We’re not trying to censor anybody, how they pray, where they pray. We’re talking about her leadership role in her official capacity,” Wilkerson, an active supporter of Woodward’s challenger Lisa Brown, said. “(The Council) didn’t have any control over the timing of this. But it’s here, and we can’t ignore it. Silence is almost like condoning.”
During public comment, Dach said he believes the incident is being blown out of proportion for political gain.
“I’m gonna ask you where the hate is because being at the concert, this is what I saw,” Dach said. “I saw people ready to pray, I heard people crying out, I saw people who wanted answers for the many concerns they have today. I heard a local pastor give a prayer over a community, I heard local pastors pray for individuals with personal addictions, I witnessed many throwing their addictions on the stage and surrendering their life to Jesus… Show me the racism, show me the detriment this brought to our communities, tell me how this doesn’t heal a community in a positive way. Why are you condemning good, the ones who are politicizing the event are (City Councilmembers.)”
Zappone, who was called out by name in Linebarger’s letter and on signs at the protest, said this has nothing to do with attacking religion.
“This is about our Mayor being affiliated with an individual who was accused of domestic terrorism, who was kicked out of the Republican caucus for his acts of domestic terrorism,” Zappone said. “His spewing of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and anti-women rhetoric, this is what it’s about, and this is about City Council standing up for our values and what we represent.”
