SAN ANTONIO -- Opposition to Governor Rick Perry's Call for Prayer aims to keep religion out of government. Monday, News 4 WOAI reported that Governor Perry sent letters to the other 49 governors, asking them to meet in Houston in August, to pray for our nation "in crisis."
Now, the Secular Coalition for America is sending its own letters to the governors. The group's officials say the prayer rally would marginalize millions of secular Texans, and are asking governors to keep church and state separate.
News 4 WOAI weighed in all around town to get San Antonio's reaction to Perry's Call for Prayer.
"Our Constitution was based on the Bible," commented Donna Floyd, as she was packing up from her afternoon shopping trip in Alamo Heights. "There is no such thing as separation of church and state." Floyd is hopeful that all 49 governors on Perry's list will join in for a massive prayer rally. "I'm going to be praying for that. In fact, we did pray for that in our Bible study last night."
A few miles down Broadway, we caught up with Mandy Flores, as she was taking her six year old daughter Emily for a day at the museum. We asked what she thought about Perry's Call for Prayer.
"I think it could be offensive to some people, but I do think it's a good idea," said Flores. "It's good for [Perry] to express that he has faith. And it's really up to the people. It's not a mandatory thing."
Just South of downtown, we met Scott Mays. The feed store worker gave us his interpretation of the church and state portion of the Constitution.
"Thomas Jefferson did not want the Anglican church dictating a state religion," commented Mays. "That was all that was behind the separation of church and state. And this group you're talking about has misconstrued what is really written. It's not there."
On the far South side, muffler shop owner Jesse Llanes says in a time of terrorism, natural disasters, and financial debt, America can only find hope and healing on its knees.
"I don't see how it would hurt," said Llanes. "A prayer is just a prayer, and it would really help us if we all get together and pray."
