HRC Blog

Last night at a San Antonio City Council meeting, anti-LGBT protestors booed U.S. Marine Corps veteran and openly gay man Eric Alva while he testified in support of extending the city’s nondiscrimination law to include sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and veteran status.

About 300 people attended a prayer vigil led by local pastors outside the City Council chambers in protest of the additions, according to the San Antonio Express-News.  And over 200 individuals signed up to testify both in support and against the changes.

"To all you people that preach the word of God, shame on you because God loves me, like the day I laid bleeding on the sands of Iraq and that’s why he saved me," said Alva before he left the podium after his testimony.

The retired U.S. Marine Corps staff sergeant became the first injured service member in the Iraq War after stepping on a landmine and losing his leg. In 2006, Alva joined HRC in the fight to repeal the discriminatory "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," banning lesbian and gay service members from serving openly.

Heroes like Eric are showing what real courage looks like. As he remains 'always faithful' to America's promise of freedom and equality, join HRC in thanking Alva for for standing up for what is right.

HRC has been on the ground since January assisting the local coalition Community Alliance for a United San Antonio (CAUSA) in urging the city council to pass an ordinance prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people in employment, housing and public accommodations.

The Council is expected to vote on the additions on September 5. Tell the San Antonio City Council to support the non-discrimination ordinance