Following up from my earlier post on how President Obama delightfully handled the National Day of Prayer, check this:
The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United [for Separation of Church and State], issued the following statement about the Obama decision:
“I am pleased that President Obama has made this decision. The president is required by federal law to declare a National Day of Prayer, but there is no requirement that a special event be held at the White House in observance of this event.
“During the Bush years, the Dobsons and other Religious Right leaders were given special access to the White House. That seems to have come to an end, and I’m glad.
“Congress should never have mandated a National Day of Prayer. Americans don’t need the government telling them when to pray and what to pray for. But if the federal government is going to set aside a prayer day, it should recognize the broad diversity of faiths, not just fundamentalist Christians.”
(h/t: Steve Benen)
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