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Perry's Prayer Day Under Fire

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    Atheists claim it violates First Amendment

  • Duration 4:18
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-- is coming under fire after potential presidential -- Texas governor Rick Perry released a video inviting people to a prayer events.

As an elected leader -- I'm all too aware of governments limitations when it comes to fixing things that are spiritual in nature.

-- -- prayer comes -- and we need it more than ever.

You know thousands are planning various -- these groups joined forces with the freedom from religion foundation to assume governor Perry.

Let's hear from both sides of this controversial issue David Silberman the president of the American Atheists his group is leading a protest at the day of prayer.

And Hiram Sasser Sasser is the legal counsel for the American Family Association the group that is organizing the event in Texas thank you guys for joining me this morning thanks for having me.

-- -- I wanna start with you you know this that is not really that unusual in the grand scheme of things American political leaders have held prayer events in the past.

They publicly prayed right.

Yeah.

And people are not -- every error every president.

All the way through except for one has always issue prayer proclamations.

Including such notables as president Truman when he said that it was only because of god that we one World War II.

They actually said that in the surrender document that he signed from.

From from from Germany.

In addition you have President Carter quoting scripture every other president issuing these types of proclamation -- this is something that's historically.

Common and and am probably one of the most American things that we do.

Well the August 6 prayer rally has been organized to be held at Reliant Stadium in Houston -- is expected to bring thousands of people there.

I didn't problems here with governor Perry doing this it actually it's.

It's going to bring tens of thousands of people and tens or hundreds of millions of dollars into the church.

And it's all because governor Perry is publicizing this event from his office via his website.

And the reason that he's doing this is because he's got no plan no real plan to rescue the state.

So he's using his christianity as a smokescreen to distract everybody away from the fact.

That he has no idea how to fix texas' -- you couldn't conceive that possibly this is a genuine attempt to reach out to -- to help solve America's problems now this is a political attempt to cover his incompetent but.

And while we're telling people why were protesting is that where are urging Christians to come out and -- on our side for this event not what got.

That's probably -- light and not into this event and your of people being invited -- not being forced to come there is freedom of religion there's freedom of speech in America right this.

I governor Perry has all the rights of pray that he wants but he doesn't have the right to use.

He is office to push a multi million dollar prayer event for a specific church.

I don't react well -- let's let's.

Well let's look at the national day of prayer you have congress passes a specific.

Statute US law that declares a national day of prayer back in 1952.

Yet every president using.

All of their White House -- sources to have national day of prayer events to promote the national paper including President Obama continuing that tradition.

By using his government website there's nothing that.

Get that governor Perry is doing that's any different than what President Obama did is doing OK -- -- more.

You know what of that one of the things that I don't understand is why is it that when an event as popular somehow.

That's such a bad thing I think it's great the folks did come together.

And exercise -- first amendment rights to freedom of religion and -- us.

But this is not freedom of religion freedom of speech this is a politician.

Using christianity to cover his own incompetence -- why warehouse in the Texas Christians to see through this smoke screen.

Governor Perry has no clue he's got no idea he's got no plan.

So he's saying -- don't fire me don't don't hate me I'm Christian.

He's using they're gonna -- -- I need this event.

Yeah died -- the last in education it's lasted SAT scores isn't I don't get collateralized -- -- army nothing.

-- -- -- It's a very strong feelings on this but how -- wrap up the discussion once again the at the event -- prayer event August 6 at Reliant Stadium in in Houston there will be a protest outside as we mentioned have been talking about the lawsuit the governor Perry is facing thank you gentlemen for joining us this morning thank you heard what happened upon atheists dot org.

Okay thank you.

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