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TEXAS: Prayer Rally Suit Dismissed

The atheist group suing to stop Texas Gov. Rick Perry's prayer rally have lost their case.

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit that sought to stop Gov. Rick Perry from sponsoring a national day of Christian prayer and fasting, ruling Thursday that the group of atheists and agnostics did not have legal standing to sue. U.S. District Judge Gray Miller said the Freedom From Religion Foundation argued against Perry's involvement based merely on feelings of exclusion but did not show sufficient harm to merit the injunction it sought. The governor has done nothing more than invite others who are willing to do so to pray," Miller said. Rich Bolton, who argued for the group, said he is considering an appeal. "I wonder if we had a Muslim governor what would happen if the whole state was called to a Muslim prayer," said Kay Staley, one of five Texas residents named as plaintiffs in the suit. "I think the governor needs to keep his religion out of his official duties."

Perry says that the event's hate group sponsor, the American Family Association, have not yet given him his "marching orders" as to his role during the rally.

Tony Perkins On Prayer Rally Lawsuit

"The Freedom From Religion Foundation takes the opportunity to bash our friends at the American Family Association as 'rabid' for their stance on homosexuality, even going so far as to claim that AFA violates the so-called 'protected class' of gays and lesbians. There is no such thing as a protected class of homosexuals. The Obama administration may have created that perception with its agenda, but the concept isn't rooted in law. Regardless, the White House is creating an environment of hostility in America, where you can't even speak up about traditional morality, Christianity or even prayer without fear of being sued or harassed. If that's 'tolerance,' I'd hate to see how they define 'prejudice.'" - Family Research Council head Tony Perkins, via press release.