WYLIE, Texas — Protesters gathered outside Wylie City Hall on Tuesday for a regular city council meeting. They practiced both free speech and social distance and held up signs calling for Mayor Eric Hogue to resign.
"Your words struck a really raw nerve," said Debbie O'Reilly of Women Organizing Women Democrats.
Last week an email was released from Eric Hogue to a council member and it set off a firestorm. The email reads that Hogue prefers males lead the prayer before the meeting because of his religious convictions.
Hogue said that he has no issues with women but believes in the literal interpretation of the Bible.
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"You were not forced to write those words. You wrote them on your own," said one protester who showed up to the city council meeting.
In the email, Hogue offered two Bible passages:
- 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, which, according to his email, says: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church," and
- 1 Timothy 2:11-12: “Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”
Last week Hogue told WFAA that the email release was politically motivated to smear his name. On Tuesday he made a quick statement to start the meeting.
"I have not pushed my religious beliefs on any citizen, staff member, or council member. I also have not compromised my beliefs to appease anyone," Hogue said.
Hogue made no mention of resigning. Hogue has been Wylie's mayor for 12 years and has termed out. Wylie is scheduled to elect a new mayor in November.
Hogue did mention his support for two women in local government: Assistant City Manager Renae Ollie and Councilmember Candy Arrington.
Hogue said he believes a woman can and should hold any job in the public or private sector. But says, if it was his decision to choose a person for the invocation, his religious convictions would lead him to choose a male.
"We have been told to lower our voice. We have been told not to speak. We have been talked over," O'Reilly said.
O'Reilly said she had a long conversation with Hogue on Monday about his actions. O'Reilly said it was a cordial conversation and not a debate. She believes the mayor has a "good heart," but they don't agree on this issue.
"If it has offended you, please know that it was honestly not my intent," Hogue said at the Tuesday meeting.