Objections Raised To Pentagon's Speaker For National Day of Prayer

AP reported yesterday that the Military Religious Freedom Foundation is objecting to an invitation extended by the Pentagon to evangelist Franklin Graham to speak on May 6 for the National Day of Prayer. MRFF president, Mikey Weinstein, says that Graham has offended Muslims who work for the Department of Defense by describing Islam as "a very evil and wicked religion." Weinstein, while not objecting to the National Day of Prayer, does object to the close ties between the Pentagon and the National Day of Prayer Task Force, a private group that organizes Christian event for National Day of Prayer. Graham is this year's honorary chairman of the Task Force. Last week a federal judge held that the statute authorizing a National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional, but did not enjoin this year's activities while an appeal is pending. (See prior posting.)