Pastors Kicked Out Of U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Over "Appeal To Heaven" Theme Of Meeting
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The wall of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) in Washington D.C. says IN GOD WE TRUST, but apparently God is not welcome in the building.
After being granted the use of the Congressional Auditorium in the CVC for an event on February 25, a group of Pastors planning a meeting dedicated to racial reconciliation was told on Friday - five days before the event - that unless they eliminated "AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN" from the theme, the use would be revoked. Congressional Oversight Committee Staff required that the theme be changed to "A Discussion of [or Appeal for] Legislation."
The host of the meeting, Bishop E.W. Jackson, says, "We never misled anyone about the theme. Congressman Bob Goodlatte secured the auditorium for us, and he knew what the theme was. The event was created as a positive and unifying response to the incidents in Ferguson and Staten Island which sparked protests and riots around the country."
"Given the ugly rhetoric by the likes of Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan, we thought they would welcome our call for unity, healing and reconciliation," says Mr. Jackson. "But instead we faced suspicion and resistance."
The Pastors were told that Congressional Oversight Committee senior staff were "monitoring" their promotional material, and would not allow the ministers to use the room unless "Appeal To Heaven" were replaced with a legislative theme.
"When you tell us we have to change the nature of our meeting or be kicked out, you have already kicked us out," said the Bishop. "We will not compromise the purpose of the event, so we had to move it. Many government officials have forgotten that government exists to serve the will of the people, not the other way around."
REKINDLE THE DREAM will still be held at 7 PM on the original date - February 25th. The new location is the Hilton Washington at 1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009. RSVP at [email protected] or call 757-375-6444.
E.W. Jackson is Bishop of THE CALLED Church, Marine Corps Veteran, 2013 Republican Nominee for Lt. Governor of Virginia, President of STAND [www.standamerica.us] and Senior Fellow for Family Research Council.
S.T.A.N.D.
Contact: Sandy Adams
Tel. 757-375-6444
E-mail: [email protected]
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150223/177091
SOURCE STAND
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