Houston’s Reliant Stadium will host to more than 8,000 guests tomorrow at Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s mega religious rally called “The Response: A call to prater for a nation in crisis.”
The controversial event, Perry’s brain-child, is being described as a day of prayer and fasting. According to Perry’s website, attendees will “pray for a historic breakthrough for our country and a renewed sense of moral purpose.”
While Perry plans to save America through prayer, many view the event as a dangerous political demonstration for its blurry boundaries between separation of church and state to the perceived exclusion of non-Christian groups.
The Houston GLBT Political Caucus and other similar organizations held a protest today. Additionally, 50 Houston based religious and community leaders distributed a signed statement, drafted by the Anti-Defamation League, expressing “deep concern” about a particular rally being “not open to all faiths”.
Speaking to Politico, Rep. Josh Byrnes, a top Iowa Republican state legislator, also questioned Perry’s logic behind the day of prayer. He said, “I am a strong Catholic; however, I don’t use my religion as a side show with my legislative duties. I have had some Republicans tell me they were excited about Perry running for president until this Aug. 6 event.”
The rally, which may have started as a good-natured event, has turned into an embodiment of the much-rumored Perry 2012 campaign — not yet happening, but still taking on loads of criticism.
What’s your take on the event? Give us your response in the comment section below.
— By Peter Carril
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