A petition from a progressive Christian group has gathered 20,000 signatures calling for the boycott of pro-Trump evangelist Franklin Graham's tour of the U.S.-Mexico border that is set to begin next month.
Faithful America, an organization of Christians supporting social justice causes while opposing "Christian nationalism," published a petition last November calling for boycotts of Graham's "God Loves You Frontera Tour," which is set to kick off on February 24 and travel to several cities along the southern border from Brownsville, Texas, to Chula Vista, California.
The organization is calling on venues hosting the tour to "stand up to Graham's anti-LGBTQ hate and political violence," writing that it is "critical that we show the public and the press that Graham's right-wing ideology doesn't represent all of Christianity." The petition has already received more than 20,000 signatures and has a current goal of 25,000 signatures.
"Despite the tour's deceptive name, Graham is a divisive figure who tries to hide a series of deeply hateful messages behind his father's Christian legacy. His message is not one of Christ-like love but of anti-democracy, anti-LGBTQ, partisan bigotry and harm," the petition reads.
Graham, son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, responded to the petition in a statement to Newsweek on Friday, writing that it is "disappointing to hear that this so-called Christian group is opposing my upcoming visit and accusing me of being hateful."
"I'm not coming to any of these cities to speak against anyone, I'm coming with a message of hope for everyone—and I invite everyone to come. I'll be sharing from the Bible, which tells of God's love for us. This is Good News for all people, and this is the message that I'm coming to share on the Frontera Tour," he wrote.
He added that he is inviting "everyone, including the LGBTQ community to come and hear for yourselves the Good News of God's love."
Karli Wallace Thompson, digital campaigner for Faithful America, said in a statement to Newsweek on Friday that the tour is "rooted in hypocrisy," slamming Graham for spreading a "divisive, partisan, anti-LGBTQ, anti-immigrant, conspiracy-theory-laden, MAGA Christian-nationalist message that starkly contradicts the inclusive teachings of Jesus Christ."
"Because of his track record, the 20,000-plus Christians who signed our petition are deeply concerned that Graham's border tour will stoke hatred and division at a time when tensions are already high. Venues must recognize the potential for Graham's presence to spread division and even potentially incite political violence among MAGA supporters," she wrote.
Wallace Thompson added that the petition is "proof that Graham's views don't represent all of Christianity."
Nearly two-thirds of adults identify as Christians in the country of around 340 million people.
Graham has been a major supporter of former President Donald Trump, who has enjoyed widespread support among evangelical Christians, a crucial element of the Republican Party's base. After Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to President Joe Biden, Graham wrote in a Facebook post that Trump would "go down in history as one of the great presidents."
"He gave us a president who protected our religious liberties; grateful for a president who defended the lives of the unborn, standing publicly against abortion and the bloody smear it has made on our nation; grateful for a president who nominated conservative judges to the Supreme Court and to our federal courts," he wrote.
Meanwhile, the petition pointed to a number of his previous remarks against the LGBTQ+ community, including a Facebook post in which he allegedly described them as "evil and rebellious," and praising Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has imposed some of the world's most stringent anti-LGBTQ+ laws, for his stance on the matters.
"Obviously, he may be wrong about many things, but he has taken a stand to protect his nation's children from the damaging effects of any gay and lesbian agenda," Graham said in 2014 after Putin said Russia needs to "cleanse" itself of homosexuality, according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).
The tour comes as border cities have grappled with an influx of migrant arrivals in recent months. There were more than 2.4 million encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2023 fiscal year, up from roughly 1.7 million in 2021, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. Local leaders have raised concerns that new migrant arrivals have put strain on communities as they seek to provide resources and shelter to new asylum seekers.
Graham, in a press release marketing the tour, said he is traveling to the border "because it is one of the neediest areas of our country at this time, and people need to hear a message of hope."
"Everyone along the border is overwhelmed—the churches, the law enforcement agencies, the residents, those there trying to help, as well as the people coming into our country. There are a lot of hungry hearts and hurting people, so I'm coming to the border to tell everyone about God's Son, Jesus Christ, and how He can make a difference in our lives if we put our faith and our trust in Him," he said.
Update 1/26/24 11:32 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Thompson.
Update 1/27/24 12:10 p.m. ET: This article was updated with reference to Graham's father and to edit the first paragraph.
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