Sing It Louder! Odessa Residents Sing Christmas Carols in Peaceful Protest
On Sunday, December 6th, 2020 people came together across the nation to “sing the songs of Christmas loudly!” The initiative was a part of a nationwide protest called, “Sing It Louder USA.” The purpose of the protest was a response to government officials across the United States issuing orders which limit what people can do in their own homes to celebrate the holidays.
The Sing It Louder USA website reads, “Are you fed up with govt officials imposing restrictions on how you celebrate Christmas? No singing . . . no friends at your house . . . how many family members you can have over . . . IT’S TIME TO SAY NO TO GOVT TYRANTS who are attempting to control our lives.”
One of the many locations throughout the United States for this peaceful protest was City Hall in Odessa, Texas where Odessa residents came together to speak out against government overreach in all forms.
The Odessa gathering was organized by Jamie Berryhill, founder of Mission Messiah - a faith based residency program for women, as well as women with children, which have found themselves in challenging circumstances in their life. “I love our city, I love our state, I love our country, and we have a situation of massive government overreach which is usurping the rights of the people,” said Berryhill.
One of Sunday afternoon’s speakers was Odessa Mayoral Candidate Javier Joven. Joven, a small business owner and a lifelong Odessan, spoke on the importance of putting Odessa first by stressing the need for less government and more liberty.
In an interview with CRIT-LARGE, Joven shared, “No American citizen should be told they have to wear a mask or be punished with a fine from their government. Likewise, no American citizen should be told they have to receive a vaccine or be fined by their government. We are living in a day and age where the American people are burdened enough.” Joven continued, “We do not need a government which imposes unjust fines, which our people may not even be able to afford. The role of government is to serve and protect the people, not to lord over them with unconstitutional mandates.”
Mark Lee Dickson, Director with Right to Life of East Texas and founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn initiative, was also in attendance at the event. Dickson spoke on how seventeen cities throughout the State of Texas had passed ordinances outlawing abortion within their city limits and shared his hope for the City of Odessa to pass the ordinance in the near future.
“Hopefully this will not be the last time I visit the Odessa City Hall.” said Dickson. “Hopefully, one day soon, we will come back here to see Odessa pass an ordinance which does not restrict the rights of people but to see the leadership of Odessa pass an ordinance which protects the rights of the smallest and most vulnerable among us.”
Mark Matta, candidate for Odessa City Council, stood in agreement with Dickson’s desire to see Odessa become a Sanctuary City for the Unborn. “I pray that this city, city of Odessa, becomes a sanctuary city for the unborn. It’s time to stand up and protect and be the voice for the innocent lives that have been killed.”
After the gathering Odessa residents gathered with one another to talk about the current happenings of America, Texas, Ector County, and specifically the city of Odessa. While there was an acknowledgement by all that there was much work to be done at every level of government in our nation, one thing was certain: this event was a much needed source of encouragement for the days ahead. “What a joyful experience,” shared Joven. “I love that America is still a nation where we can freely praise our Lord and Savior. Less government, more liberty.”
