Mothers Against Greg Abbott
The Sign that Started it All
Nancy Thompson lay awake on fateful night on August 5, 2021, consumed by frustration and helplessness as the Texas Education Agency (T.E.A.) issued its disheartening “guidance” for the upcoming school year. Her anxiety heightened by her unvaccinated youngest child’s recent encounter with a mysterious virus, she realized her children were left vulnerable with little protection at school, save for the KN95 masks she provided.
On the morning of Friday August 6th, she wrote down Mothers Against Greg Abbott on a Post-It note, drawing inspiration from movements like Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Moms Demand Action. So she grabbed the only two poster board sharpies she owned (good thing they were red and blue) and wrote it down. One line in blue, one line in red, one line in blue, one line in red. She stepped back and looked at the poster and recognized the acronym, MAGA and said to herself “A MAGA I can finally believe in!”
In case that message didn’t fly, Nancy wrote on the other side “Abbott Pro-Guns Pro-Covid Anti-Children.” With a determined spirt, she readied herself and drove to the Texas Capitol in downtown Austin. A protest of one — Mother Against Greg Abbott.
Nancy posted her picture on a Facebook board and Twitter. Passersby took her picture and posted it to their socials. Within hours Nancy was not alone, but hundreds of people were liking and retweeting the images and message. A week later, she was no longer a lone mother against Greg Abbott, but one of thousands of Mothers and Others galvanizing to fight for democracy and decency in Texas and America.
Where are we today
Texas families have been left to fend for themselves in the wake of the Texas Freeze, with little progress made in rectifying the issues with the grid. Since 2021, women in Texas have faced alarming restrictions on their personal freedoms and control over their own bodies. Furthermore, 2023 has brought about an onslaught of severe attacks on the LGBTQ community, affecting our friends and families. However, the challenges don’t end there. From book bans to insufficient funding for public education, everyday Texas families have yet to experience any tangible benefits despite the state’s 33 million dollar surplus. Instead, we find ourselves constantly under assault, witnessing our personal freedoms eroded and local government control overridden in favor of an overbearing Republican Big Government.
While Mothers Against Greg Abbott began as a one-woman protest and it became an overnight movement galvanizing women across Texas and America. For many of us, this fight isn’t Democrats vs Republicans. This is about doing the right things for ALL families. It is time to put families front and center again. The best way to do this is to join together and ensure that our voices are heard and values are respected.
Mothers Against Greg Abbott started as a solitary act of protest but swiftly transformed into a powerful movement, uniting mothers and others across Texas and America. For us, this battle transcends partisan lines; it is a collective effort to prioritize the well-being of ALL families. The time has come to place families at the forefront once more. By joining forces and amplifying our voices, we can make sure that our concerns are acknowledged and our values are upheld. Together, we have the power to create a society that truly prioritizes the needs of every family.
