The Beginning of Being Able to Hear Kamala Harris-The Anticipation Begins.
I got an email on Thursday, October 24th that I could go see KAMALA HARRIS IN PERSON AT HER RALLY IN HOUSTON. I was beside myself with excitement. My spouse and I were determined to go so we rearranged everything for Friday so we could go. On Friday, October 25th, we worked our way through massively crowded streets and finally found a parking place.
Surging Crowds and Unexpected Reunions
As we approached where we were to line up to be able to go into the stadium, we were stunned with the size of the crowd that was standing in line.
As we weaved through the parking lots as the lines moved forward, we realized that coming at 2:30 pm, we had loads of people ahead of us. In talking with others in the line, we realized that 1 million tickets went out, and the seats in the stadium were limited. Then a major surprise happened. We saw two of our longtime friends in line, and they insisted we join them. We had not seen each other for a long time.
We started meeting and talking with the people in front of us, and focused on other things besides the ridiculously hot sun that we would be standing in for a long time. In front of us were people that informed us that their friends had discovered that there were much shorter lines on the other side of the building. One of our friends had knee surgery and was using a cane. She noticed there was an ADA sign at an entrance, and one of the police officers immediately indicated to her that she and her friends could enter the stadium through his entrance.
A Moment of Luck: Finding Our Seats
This was a miracle, and we were stunned when we were able to sit down in the stadium in the ADA seats right at 5:30 pm. Then the fun began. Now, I grew up in the 1960 so I have been to many rock concerts. The music was loud, great fun to be in the crowd that was increasing, and the DJ was outstanding.
Messages of Hope and Determination
Throughout the stadium were sign saying PROTECT OUR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, WE CAN TRUST WOMEN, FREEDOM NOW. Of course, the chants were WE ARE NOT GOING BACK. My understanding is this was the largest rally she has had with 30,000 people yelling, shouting, and supporting her. Having the experience to hear Vice President Kamala Harris and other who appeared on the stage to support her was amazing.
Personal Stories Amid Political Realities
Some of the stories were heart breaking. One of the women from San Antonio was brave enough to do a video, and talk about her horrific experience when she could not get medical help. She ended up with a scar from her naval to her chest due to surgery to save her life. She talked about the impact of living in a state that has one of the strictest abortion laws. Abortions are banned in Texas as early as six weeks (heartbeat bill) known as the “heartbeat bill.”
Here are some facts about abortion laws like Texas and their impact. “One in three American women live in a state where abortion is not an option. In Texas, for example, health care providers face jail if they perform abortions, and there are cash incentives—bounties, really—for Texans who report those who pursue the procedure or help someone obtain one. (In Time article, I’m Here as a Mother’: Beyonce Boosts Kamal Harris at Biggest Campaign Rally to Date, by Philip Elliott, which was published on October 25, 2024, 11:35 PM EDT). This rally showed what ordinary people are having to deal with due to Trump’s Supreme Court eliminating Roe v. Wade.
Doctors Take a Stand
A striking moment was when three dozen OB/GYN doctors in their white coats took the stage .When Dr. R. Todd Ivey spoke for the group of doctors. He lives in Houston. He strongly denounced the Texas Law for threatening physicians with prison time if they perform abortions. He described his experiences as a doctor who felt anguish when he could not meet the needs of his patients. I hear him say this, “These laws are designed to handcuff me—literally,” He said, “I was shocked when Rowe was overturned, but I’ve been more shocked to hear Donald Trump brag about it…Let me be clear about one thing: There is no place for Donald Trump in my exam room.” The crowd shouted and stomped their feet to make noise to support his statements.
I have heard Amanda and Josh Zurawski speak before; however, hearing them in person in this crowded stadium with people that know how outrageous it was for them to go through what they did made it even more meaningful. Amanda was pregnant with a girl that they had long wanted. Complications developed, and Amanda described how she had to wait until she was in jeopardy of losing her life before she fell under an exception allowing her to have an abortion. “I was finally close enough to death to deserve treatment in Texas,” she said. “It was in that dark and lonely hospital room that I realized I was actually lucky—I live. Other did not.”
Collin Allred was next to speak. He is running for the Senate against Ted Cruz, and has an excellent chance to beat Ted Cruz. I have even heard Republicans say they are sick of Cruz and will vote for Allred. I recorded him so here are some of his comments:
- He praised Kamala Harris for coming to Texas. Emphasized that we all must get out the vote, since we needed Kamala Harris to be the next President of the United States.
- Allred was right on with his comments about the fact that Cruz tried to overturn the 2020 election, fled to Mexico during the icy storm we had in Texas, and supported the Texas law that is a severe restriction to obtain an abortion.
- He emphasized that Texas would win, and all the nation would win when Kamala Harris is President.
In Texas, Willie Nelson is an icon. He played two songs and billed himself simply as a “Texas voter.”
Beyoncé and Harris: Powerful Moments
Beyonce is from Houston, where she started her career with the group “Destiny’s Child. How exciting it was to hear Beyonce Knowles-Carter and her former Destiny’s Child headliner; Kelly Rowland introduce Vice President Kamala Harris. As far as I am concerned, Rowland ought to go into politics. Her speech was enthusiastic, intense, and right on target about her commitment to Kamala Harris and the significant need of our country to have her as our President.
Of course, it was Queen Bey (Bee), who best understood her assignment. I consider her to be one of the most popular musicians on the planet, and she is using her “political chops” by endorsing Harris. Beyonce has been a supporter of Democrats however her brand goes beyond traditional groups, and the audience went wild when she arrive on the stage. At the end, the crowd was extremely appreciative of her comments. Here is what I have from my recording of her:
She began her speech with “we are so happy to be standing on this stage as proud country Texas women to support Kamala Harris. (Her mother, Tina Knowles, had spoken before her to make the case for a Harris presidency.) Beyonce went on to say that “Kamala Harris is what this country needs right now. It’s impossible not to fill the energy in this room, the community and humanity.”
“We are at the precipice of an incredible shift, the brink of history,” Beyonce told us in that packed Shell Energy Stadium as she introduced Kamala Harris. She said, “I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother. A mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all of our children live in. A world where we have freedom to control our bodies. A world where we’re not divided. Our past, or present or future have merged with meeting us here. Imagine what it would be like to have no glass ceilings or limitations.”
“Imagine what our grandmothers feel like now to see this historic day even though they may not be physically with us. Imagine their sacrifices they made to see the strength of a woman. Really imagining what leadership is. For all the men and women in this room and watching all over the country, our voices and our hope is one of our most valuable tools and we need you.”
Kamala Harris was clearly showing us. The abortion ban in Texas could become the national standard if Donald Trump is given a second term in the White House. It doesn’t matter that he now has a Pac that is supporting him at this late date by putting out ads that says he is against a national abortion ban. I think you know, and I know Trump cannot be trusted. He would say anything to get elected.
Karmala Harris starts with “Welcome everybody. Welcome to my Houston family. I am so proud to be here. For all of you that have spoken tonight that have been effected by these Trump abortion bans, I thank you for sharing your stories and for your courage. It is an honor to be here and all of you that have taken the time out of your busy lives to be here this evening so we can be here as people who love our country , can stand for every woman to make a decision about our bodies.”
“I also want to thank the members of the congress and also Collin Allread. I am counting on you to be a United States Senator so we can get a lot done. Thank you to the community officials and community leaders. Thank you all. (Then she had is Trump supporters that started booing, and she said, “See you later.) Then she says “we have work to do, and I love your enthusiasm; however, let’s talk about the work we have to do. We have eleven days to see this through and we will win.”
“It is time for every woman to make decisions about her own body. We are here tonight to fight for our future and not allow someone to take us back. We are not going back.” (Period of chanting this.)
“Freedom is not to be given. It is not to be bestowed. It is ours by right and we are prepared to fight for it because we understand the stakes,” she says. “In Texas, abortion is banned from conception.” (More boos from Trump group She says, you can go join the small rally down the street). She looked at the crowd and says, “We can show them the way. We know what is at stake and we will not be silent. “Doctors and nurses could go to prison for life to provide reproductive care. Life in prison for healthcare providers, and they think it is right and in the best interest for women. The beauty for our campaign is we are fighting for Democracy. We know in Texas that there is a cash bounty for turning in a friend or family member who helps a friend to get the kind of care they need. In some counties in Texas, they have passed travel bans to prevent women from going to other states to receive care.”
“We know how we got here. When Donald Trump was elected, he selected three members of the United States Supreme Court that would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade. And they did. And now there are 26 states that have abortion bans. 1 of 3 women live in a state with Trump abortion bans. This includes Texas and every state in the south except Virigina. And many of these bans are denying care to a woman unless she is at death’s door. A woman needs to talk to her doctor, rabbi, priest or minister not the government or state legislature. Texas, you are ground zero in the fight for reproductive freedom.”
She then goes into detail and describes the impacts on women who live in states where an abortion is banned. “But the attorney General of Texas threatened Katlan’s doctors if they terminated her pregnancy, they would be criminally prosecuted, so she had to flee the state to get the help she needed. In Louisiana another woman went to two different hospitals; however, doctors would not treat her due to Trump’s abortion bans. They would face 15 years in prison. Katlan had to go through a miscarriage for a month, and tried not to show the pain she was in, to her four year old daughter.”
“We know that women have died because of Trump abortion bans. We know about Amber Nacol Thurman. I told her mother I would say her name. She died of a condition that could be threated, and she died of a Trump abortion ban. We need to make sure that we know that Amber was a daughter, a mother, a sister and that she was loved, and she should be alive today. The stories we have heard about the effect of Trump’s abortion bans, and there are many stories we have not heard. There are untold number of women and people that loved them silently suffering. Women made to feel as though they did something wrong, as though they are criminals, are alone, and to those women I say we see you and we are here with you.”
“Texas, what is happening across this state and in our country is a healthcare crisis. Donald Trump is the architect of it, and he brags about overturning Roe v. Wade. In his own words, ‘I did it, and I am proud to have done it.’ That is what he said. And one has to ask, proud that women are dying? Proud that doctors and nurses can be thrown into prison for administering lifesaving care? Proud that young women today have fewer rights than their grandmothers and mothers. How dare he? Donald Trump even said, ‘Everyone wanted Roe v. Wade to be overturned.”
“A woman in Ohio was arrested for having a miscarriage, and so was a woman in North Carolina. Hadley was raped by her stepfather when she was 12 years old. She did not want this. Ryan Hamilton, who was here today, went through his wife being sent home after a miscarriage. He found her bleeding and unconscious. He dressed her and put her in a car and their nine month old child where the doctors told him at another emergency room that she could have died if she had not received treatment. He did not want this. Let’s be clear men across America do not want to see their daughters, wives, and sisters be at risk. I see these men here and I thank you. Americans don’t want this.”
“Now the attorney general of Texas is suing the United States government so that Texas prosecutors can get justice by getting their hands on private medical records when they leave the state to get care. Now I ask everyone here to see the irony, on the one hand Donald Trump won’t let anyone see his medical records. I gave them mine. They want to get their hands on your medical records. Simply put, they are out of their minds!”
With four years as President Donald Trump was able to erase years of hard earned progress, and now he wants to go even further. He will force all fifty states to track and report on women’s abortions. He will go after IBF treatment. (She mentioned the abortion pill was being threatened.) It is right there in his Project 2025, google it. If Donald Trump wins again he will ban abortion nationwide. Even though we are protected tonight, I am saying to the people watching from another state, who think you are protected from Trump abortion bans no one is protected if Trump has a national abortion ban, since abortion will be outlawed in every single state. Understand that. He can do it with or without an act of Congress. Elections matters.”
“If Donald Trump is elected again, he will get to select at least one Supreme Court Justice. Remember who we appointed, justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. (Crowd roared.) But if he were reelected, he could possibly appoint one or two members to the United States Supreme Court. At which point, Donald Trump will have packed the court with five out of nine out of that court. Think about that. Who will sit with a lifetime appointment, and will be shaping your lives and generations to come. That is among the many critical contracts in this election. Donald Trump does not trust women, but I do, and we trust women. If Collin Allred is in the United States Senate, we can get a law that protects women’s reproductive freedoms, and I will proudly sign that law.”
“Let us all remember that momentum is on our side. Is it worth it to make a difference. Yes, it is. Every time that reproductive freedom has been on the ballet the people of America have voted for freedom. Every time it has been on the ballet. They have voted by overwhelming margins from so called red to blue states providing this is not a partisan issue. From all backgrounds and beliefs, know that women know how to build a family is the most consequent decision that anyone can make. We are fighting for an American, no matter who you are or where you are, you can make your decisions about your own body for self. Reproductive freedom is on this ballot in this presidential election. With all the work of everyone here, freedom will win.”
“I want to speak to all the young leaders; do we have any here? Gen-Z, where are you at? I am counting on you. I’ve got you, and you are impatient for change. You know you have less rights than your mother or your father. It is not right. I see you. Seize your power. You are going for the first time; can I see you?”
“Freedom never comes easy. There has been no progress in our country that did not come without a fight. We need to all be clear about that. We are in the midst of a movement. Everyone here is a leader in that movement. We do this for all those that came before us, that sacrificed for freedoms and find joy in the fight. They found strength and hope fighting for our ideals. That is what we are doing. We know we may endure for a night.”
“So, Texas, election day is in eleven days. Early voting has already begun. Now it is time to start making your plans to vote, and get all the information you need, and it is not only the presidency on the ballot it is many people like Collin Allred that we must support. Now the opponent has said that he does not support abortion for even rape and incest. So, let’s remember Texas, your vote is your voice, and your voice is your power. Today I ask you, are you ready to make your voice heard. Do you believe in reproductive freedom? Are we ready to fight for freedom which is a promise of America? AND WHEN WE FIGHT, WE WIN.” (The crowd noise was massive in support of her and what she said.)
Closing Statement
“This rally wasn’t just a gathering, it was a movement, a powerful surge for freedom and justice” that left no room for complacency. I left the Shell Energy Stadium more determined than ever to support Kamala Harris and her fight for reproductive rights and democracy. The energy was palpable, the voices were unified, and the message was clear: we will not go back. It is up to each of us to carry this momentum forward, to vote, to engage, and to ensure that freedom remains a promise fulfilled for all Americans.”
Podcast 104 References:
- Dr. Jackalyn Rainosek was at the Kamala Harris Rally in Houston, Tx. Her video and audio recordings plus her experience of being at the rally are what she used for this podcast.
- Time, Philip Elliott, “I’m here As a Mother: Beyonce Boosts Kamala Harris at Biggest Campaign Rally To Date, October 25, 2024, 11:35 PM EDT. https://time.com/7099032/beyonce-kamala-harris-texas-abortion/.