Republican members of Congress have inundated U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's office with requests to immediately appeal the ruling of a U.S. District Court Judge that called the annual National Day of Prayer unconstitutional.
Both U.S. Reps. Todd Tiahrt and Jerry Moran called the decision by U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb as "ill-advised."
"This ruling does violence both to the U.S. Constitution and to the deeply-held convictions of the great majority of Americans that turning to God for guidance and strength is a wise and good thing to do," said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins. "The Declaration of Independence asserts that the reality of our Creator and His gift to us of 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness' is 'self-evident.' Perhaps Judge Crabb needs to consider these truths that are the very foundation of our country."
Moran called the judgement "deeply disturbing."
"America's founders were people of strong religious conviction, and our country has had a rich tradition of respecting and honoring faith ever since," Moran said. "The National Day of Prayer is a longstanding opportunity for America to recognize and celebrate people of faith, and I've proudly participated in these events for much of my life."
Tiahrt added to that by calling the ruling in Wisconsin "an offense to our constitutional rights."
"Our Founding Fathers understood the absolute need for dependence upon God, and we are no less in need of his assistance today than when our country was founded," Tiahrt said. "In addition to an appeal of the ruling by the Justice Department, Congress should consider other actions to address the District Court’s ruling."
Shirley Dobson, National Day of Prayer Task Force chairman said that it was a "concerted effort by a small but determined number of people who have tried to prohibit all references to the Creator in the public square."
