President Barack Obama will proclaim May 6 as National Day of Prayer, the White House said Friday, despite a ruling by a Wisconsin federal judge the day before that it is unconstitutional.
“We have reviewed the court’s decision, and it does not prevent the president from issuing a proclamation,” spokesman Matthew Lehrich said.
The decision by U.S. District Judge Barbara B. Crabb of the Western District of Wisconsin found that the National Day of Prayer violates the First Amendment prohibition against laws respecting an establishment of religion.
Freedom From Religion Foundation of Madison, Wis., had sued the administration of George W. Bush and later that of Obama in an effort to block the presidents from making their annual proclamations inviting Americans to set aside a day for prayer or meditation.
I’ve read analysis of the court decision that says the court ruled that any law [i]requiring[/i] the proclaimation of a Day of Prayer is unconstitutional; however there is nothing prohibiting the president from doing so of his own free will. Obama’s advisors seem to have the same interpretation of the ruling.