Protesting "The Response"

This is a cause about which a lot of people feel strongly.

While no one will argue with Rick Perry's right to believe what he chooses, quite a few people will argue with his opting to use his political position to host a prayer rally.  Especially when he decided to invite all forty-nine other State Governors.  All but one (Kansas) had the brains to plead a prior engagement.  Oh...and Florida, who attended via the modern science of video.  We saw a copy of that invitation, sent out on his Governor's Office letterhead.

The real fun was outside.  The Christians in the hall lined the balconies of the stadium, staring down at us, while the "praise music" poured from the external speakers.

There were quite a few disparate groups gathered outside, protesting Governor Goodhair's abuse of his political office.  It wasn't just us atheists.  There was a large contingent from the LGBT community.  They are outraged that the Guv allied himself with the American Family Association, a group that spews hatred of homosexuality...and tries to "pray away the gay."  Uh huh.  Like that works!  I wish I had taken notes, as I can't remember some of the groups' names, due to the heat, humidity and CRS.  But, the rolling billboard from FFR (Freedom From Religion) was nice, as was their plane with the banner.  The anti-death penalty folks were there, and those who wish to protest Perry's anti-immigration stand.  There were quite a few liberal Christians, who are just as worried as the rest of us about keeping the Constitutional separation of church and state.

Then, there was the Anti-Protest...three sorry citizens across the street with a megaphone.  The girl left fairly soon, saying she had a Christian boyfriend, and that's why she was there.  The preacher seemed to have a bondage fetish, and the other individual just waved a picture of an embryo to support his anti-abortion position.

So, we did a little chanting, a little yelling, a little sign-waving, and a good time was had by all.