Perry’s “The Response” Blurs The Lines Between
Separation Of Church And State
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kirsten Bokenkamp, (832) 691-7013 or [email protected]
HOUSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today requested that Gov. Rick Perry and other officials disclose the amount of tax-payer dollars and other state or local government resources used to promote the prayer event, The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis, set for Aug. 6 at Reliant Stadium.
“We are concerned that Gov. Perry is using public office to endorse a sectarian religious event and to advance specific Christian beliefs,” said Lisa Graybill, Legal Director of the ACLU of Texas. “We are seeking information on the degree to which state resources have been or will be used for the planning and promotion of this event and for state officials’ participation in it.”
The ACLU of Texas filed open records requests with the governor’s office as well as the Harris County sheriff’s, auditor’s and fire marshal’s offices and the City of Houston.
“The ACLU of Texas values the diversity of belief systems in public life, and each of our beliefs calls us to address problems in different ways. But none of us, especially an elected official, is in the position to say whether believers or non-believers should lead the way in solving our common problems,” said Terri Burke, Executive Director of the ACLU of Texas. “We believe that diversity is protected, society is best served, and the U.S. Constitution is respected when government actions remain separate from religious action, when religion is neither forced upon us, nor prohibited, by government. The Response certainly does not seem to follow that principle.”
One of the cornerstones of the ACLU’s work is to ensure that the First Amendment is upheld and to safeguard against government promotion of, or interference with, religious practice.
Under the state’s open records law, government officials have 10 business days to respond to open records requests. The ACLU of Texas expects a response on or before August 3.
For a copy of the documents filed with state and local government offices, please go to our website.
