AUSTIN —Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was verbally attacked in a New York airport by an irate traveler because of the governor’s strong opposition to same-sex marriage July 17.
As Abbott was waiting to board a plane back to Austin at JFK International Airport, he was approached by a man who innocently asked to shake his hand. The man then proceeded to loudly express his disagreement with the governor’s same-sex marriage opposition, according to The Dallas Morning News.
“I hope you [expletive] go to hell because of your stance on gay marriage,” the man told the governor, according to Abbott’s communications director, Matt Hirsch, who was with the governor at the time.
The man continued to shout profanity at the governor in front of the passengers about to board the Jet Blue flight to Austin. Texas state troopers traveling with the governor asked the man to step back, who shouted, “I’m going to see you on the plane,” before disappearing into the crowd.
Turns out, he didn’t. Jet Blue security caught up with the man, who was identified only as a 32-year-old male wearing a t-shirt and jeans by Port Authority police.
The Port Authority police put the man’s name through the Joint Terrorism Task Force database and nothing came up. Officers judged that “no direct threats were made,” and let the man go without arrest. Jet Blue security put the man on the first flight back to Austin July 15. He was given a hotel room for the night, Hirsch said.
“Other passengers seemed unnerved a little bit by it,” said Hirsch.
After the Supreme Courts ruling on same sex marriage, Abbott stated “despite the Supreme Court’s rulings, Texans’ fundamental right to religious liberty remains protected.”
Abbott was referring to state workers who wished to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
“The governor respects and is always willing to listen to the viewpoints of others,” Hirsch said. “He’s grateful for the airport officials who handled the incident in a professional manner.”
