The family of slain Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry is calling on those planning a protest of the 2017 Brian Terry Foundation Courage Awards & Benefit Dinner to show compassion and respect the event. The event is scheduled for Saturday, November 18, 2017, at the J.W. Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa in Tucson.
Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias is one of the organizers of one of the planned protests. Elias and his cohorts are targeting the event due to the appearance of the event’s keynote speaker, Stephen Bannon, a former advisor to President Trump.
Elias is best known for his role in the takeover of the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board meeting which made national headlines in 2011. Elias opened the doors of the boardroom allowing a horde of students and protesters to prevent the meeting from continuing. The students, Elias, disgraced professor Ward Churchill, and other activists were fighting for the radical pedagogy known as Mexican American Studies.
Terry’s family said in a press release that the “threats to disrupt the event are unfortunate given the fact that the purpose of this event is to honor a Border Patrol agent who lost his life in the line of duty and to provide financial assistance to the families of fallen Border Patrol agents. Brian Terry’s family is respectfully asking protestors to refrain and give the Foundation the opportunity to carry on its work through this event.”
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Because of threatened protests, the hotel hosting the event is charging the Foundation an additional $3,000 for security. That’s unfortunate because that money that could have been used for the Foundation’s charitable efforts.
The event has always been and continues to be bipartisan. Previous speakers and honorees include former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, reporter Sharyl Attkisson, former Congressman Ron Barber, Congressman Darrell Issa, Governor Doug Ducey, U.S. Border Patrol Agent Eric Gough, and Sue Krentz, the widow of slain Arizona rancher Robert Krentz.
Robert Heyer, Brian’s cousin and the Chairman of the Brian Terry Foundation said, “The foundation has a proud tradition of supporting the families of fallen Border Patrol agents. Our event has a proud tradition of bringing together people of all political persuasions to achieve this task. It is in the spirit of compassion and bipartisanship that we ask potential protestors to set aside divisiveness and vitriol and allow us the space needed to carry on our mission.”
When asked about Supervisor Elias organizing a protest this weekend, Supervisor Steve Christy responded, “I am disappointed that anyone is participating in a protest against one of our most important and basic rights, free speech. Especially in light of the fact that the Brian Terry Foundation does such great work helping young people who want to pursue a career in law enforcement and for the benefit of supporting surviving family members who have lost officers, having paid with the ultimate sacrifice. This protest is actually nothing more than another excuse for attacking our president and should not be misconstrued as anything else.”