This Saturday the Travis County Democrats will hold a rally at Noon at the State Capitol as a response to Rick Perry's blatantly unconstitutional and cravenly pandering "The Response" Prayer Rally, occurring the same day in Houston.
Democrats call Perry ‘Bad For Texas, Worse For Our Nation’
Travis County Democrats are organizing a march and rally at the Capitol Saturday to coincide with Gov. Rick Perry’s prayer rally.
They expect about 500 people to gather under the theme of “Rick Perry: Bad For Texas, Worse For Our Nation,” with speakers including Austin lawmakers,
Apparently Perry invited all 49 other governors to his Prayerstock. Only one, Sam Brownback, has indicated he will attend.
A little background on Perry's choice of speakers for "the Response", from ThinkProgress:
...despite their outlandish beliefs and rhetoric, Perry features their support prominently on the event’s website.
ThinkProgress has compiled the top outlandish beliefs from pastors associated with Perry’s prayer rally:
– Oprah is a sign of the Apocalypse: In his channel on GOD TV, Mike Bickle called Oprah a “forerunner to the harlot movement.” Bickle also warned that traditional “marriage will be…defiled” as the “gay marriage agenda, which is rooted in the depths of Hell,” progresses.
– Blackbirds are dying because of gay soldiers: Dr. Cindy Jacobs recorded a video declaring a connection between the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the sudden death of blackbirds in Beebee, Arkansas as a divine punishment. She also called “girl-on-girl kissing” a “plague on society” and asked divine forgiveness for the violation of a woman’s “natural use.”
– The Statue of Liberty is a “demonic idol”: In various sermons, John Benefiel called the Statue of Liberty a “demonic idol.” He also expressed a belief that homosexuality is a plot contrived by the Illuminati “to limit the world population.”
...
– Gay rights movement from the “pit of hell”: Dwight McKissic denounced comparisons between the civil rights movement and the gay rights movement because the latter is a “satanic anointment…inspired by the anti-Christ” that comes from the “pit of hell.” McKissic also said that “God uses natural disasters to punish evil,” pointing to Hurricane Katrina because “New Orleans flaunts sin.”
HOLD UP THERE, Y'ALL! Did ol' Dwight there really say “God uses natural disasters to punish evil"? OMG! Isn't His High Holiness the Governor holding this Prayer Rally to pray for relief from a punishing Texas drought and heat wave of epic, Biblical proportions? Isn't drought, especially this one, a natural disaster? D'oh!
Sadly for Governor Goodhair, looks like there a few other big glitches in his glorious self-promotional prayer-a-palooza:
Christians Blast Perry for Overstepping Bounds With Houston Prayer Rally
Wed, Aug. 03, 2011
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been inciting outrage for his endorsement of a prayer and fasting event being held this Saturday in Houston from the most unexpected quarter--the Christian community.
Christian leaders have been blasting the Republican politician for allegedly using his public office to show preference for a particular faith.
...
More than two dozen leaders from various religious and community groups in Texas joined the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in issuing a letter Tuesday about what they perceive as the governor's public endorsement of one religion over another.
"By his actions, Governor Perry is expressing an official message of endorsement of one faith over all others; thereby sending an official message of religious exclusion and preference to all Texans who do not share that faith," the ADL said in its letter.
"We believe our religious freedom is threatened when a government official promotes religion, especially one religion over all others," the letter continues.
And then there's this:
Then there’s the question of attendance, whether Houston’s spacious Reliant Stadium, the prayer rally’s venue and home of the National Football League’s Houston Texans, will fill up on Aug. 6. Bearse says the number of registrants for “The Response” has grown from 6,000 RSVPs to 8,000 — a figure that still accounts for only a small fraction of the park’s 71,000-seat capacity.
“We are not really concerned with the quantity of people that come. It’s frankly more about the powerful event that will speak to those who do come,” said Bearse. “It’s never been about the numbers.”
The number of RSVPs is nearly equivalent to the more than 7,500 signatures on a critical open letter written by the watchdog group Texas Freedom Network, which is protesting the event organizers who Perry partnered with for the event, the American Family Association, a designated anti-gay hate group.
“If the turnout this weekend is as poor as it looks right now, that does seem to send a message. At some point pandering begins to look really cynical and transparent even to the folks who are being courted,” said TFN spokesman Dan Quinn. “I think most people get uncomfortable when they see politicians who so cravenly use appeals to religion to promote their own political careers.”
God damn it! Oops! I mean, gosh darn it!
Give the glory to Goodhair!
But really, what a sorry excuse for a leader - this huge public admission that he is too incompetent and ineffectual to perform the duties of his office and solve the state's problems. So pray, Texas. Pray. Pray for competent, rational leaders and to be delivered from the curse of the American Taliban.