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FFRF Sues over National Day of Prayer Proclamations
Posted by MarkPogue • 1 year ago • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS]
Topics: law, religion
~Prayer Law Violates Constitution; Complaint Cites 50 Governor Proclamations
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a national state/church watchdog, filed a federal lawsuit today broadly challenging the federal law designating a National Day of Prayer and requiring a National Day of Prayer Proclamation by the President. In addition to suing Pres. George W. Bush, the lawsuit names his press secretary, Dana Perino, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, one of 50 governors to also issue prayer proclamations, and Shirley Dobson, chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force.
Public Law 100-307 sets the first Thursday in May as "National Day of Prayer." The Foundation is seeking a declaration that the law violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
"Mandated Prayer Proclamations by the President exhorting each citizen to pray constitutes an unabashed endorsement of religion," contends the Foundation complaint, filed on behalf of the Foundation by attorney Richard L. Bolton of Boardman Law Firm, Madison, Wis.
The suit alleges that a task force associated with Focus on the Family is "working hand-in-glove" with the government in organizing the National Day of Prayer.
The Foundation charges that the government "aligns and partners" with the NDP Task Force as the official organizer of the National Day of Prayer. The NDP Task Force identifies itself online as "The National Day of Prayer 'Official Website.' " The task force has close ties to Focus on the Family. Its chair person, Shirley Dobson, is married to Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, and the task force is located in the Focus on the Family headquarters.
More of the article here>
ffrf.org/news/2008/NationalDayOfPrayer.php
User Comments
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Does the National Day of Prayer really affect your daily life so much that someone has to sue over it?-
I don't know. I'm not the one sueing.
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Not whether it affects us but whether it violates the constitution? -
@ TonyB
That does seem why they are sueing...and it does violate the constitution.
I have a feeling that if the majority were Muslim, many more grassrooted Americans would be in favor. -
@Mark, at face value it seems like it might.
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But according to law you must have suffered some kind of damage in order to have standing to bring a suit. I find it hard to believe that someone has been damaged by a National Day of Prayer.
Even if the majority were Muslim, how could one be damaged by a National Day of Prayer unless they were forced to participate? -
wouldn't you have standing as a citizen if the Constitution is being violated?
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The National Day of Prayer when made official by Congress back in 1952 was in violation of the Constitution. It should have never been established, but that was the McCarthy era for you. What else would you expect?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Day_of_Prayer -
So what happens if we don't pray that day? Will the president throw us in guantanamo bay?
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@MarkPogue
(1) I'm thinking that you probably didn't know about the earlier thread on this. It's in the searchbox.
(2) Some references:
The New McCarthyism www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/27/AR2005062701317.ht...
Striking Similarity Between McCarthyism and George Bush's USA Patriot Act www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=332&fArticleId=2367939
Olbermann Attacks Bush Admin "McCarthyism" Against "Scapegoat" Mary McCarthy newsbusters.org/node/5082
Bush's neo-McCarthyism is now failing blogs.independent.co.uk/openhouse/2008/05/bushs-neo-mccar.html
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