Al McAffrey

For Immediate Release:
July 2, 2009
Contact: info@almcaffrey.com

McAffrey Soundly Rejects Kern’s Proclamation; Calls For an Apology

Oklahoma City, OK – “I completely identify with the deep faith that many Oklahomans hold dear,” State Representative Al McAffrey said. “But Mrs. Kern’s proclamation does nothing but assault the very freedom to exercise our religious beliefs.” McAffrey pointed out the overwhelming evidence that our country was founded on the significant principal of religious freedom. “I’m appalled that Mrs. Kern chose to use a state proclamation to attack the freedom of many Oklahomans who do not share her faith or her views,” McAffrey said. “It’s simply appalling.”

McAffrey said that Kern made several statements that cannot be substantiated whatsoever. “To blame our economic woes on a national moral crisis is ludicrous,” McAffrey said. “Our economic woes are a direct result of bad financial practices and a lack of regulation on Wall Street.” McAffrey also noted Kern’s misrepresentation of the quotes and factual evidence. “Mrs. Kern uses her proclamation to accuse President Obama of not recognizing our National Day of Prayer; that is an absolute lie,” he said. “On May 7, 2009, President Obama proclaimed a National Day of Prayer and encouraged all Americans to “come together in moments of great challenge and uncertainty to humble themselves in prayer.”

Aside from the misrepresentations of the facts presented by Kern, McAffrey said he was dismayed at the blatant disregard for American history. “Sitting at my computer for 10 minutes, I found that two of the quotes she uses that are attributed to James Madison and Patrick Henry were fabricated. These quotes appear nowhere in the writings or records of either man and there’s no evidence to suggest they ever said such things,” he said.

McAffrey pointed out that any studious observer of American History would know that both James Madison and Thomas Jefferson were avid supporters of religious freedom. In fact, it was Jefferson who first enumerated the idiom ‘Separation of Church & State,’ which is typically traced to a letter he wrote in 1802 to the Danbury Baptists, in which he referred to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution as creating a "wall of separation" between church and state. “Mrs. Kern’s complete disregard for American history is appalling and inexcusable,” McAffrey said. “Obviously the author of this proclamation failed to properly research the issues being addressed.”

McAffrey noted that of the 11 quotes used by Kern throughout her proclamation, six of them were erroneous, taken out of context, or proven invalid due to evidence that the author’s intended meaning was dissimilar to the use of the quote. “I find it embarrassing that an Oklahoma state legislator would produce such an ill-researched proclamation. This was an obvious publicity stunt aimed at grabbing some headlines,” McAffrey said. “It’s pitiable that with all the major challenges facing our great state, some of our state leaders are more interested in making news headlines than making strides toward strengthening the economy, improving our public schools, and ensuring that all Oklahomans have access to quality, affordable and sustainable health care.”

McAffrey is publically calling for Kern to rescind her proclamation and apologize for the discrepancies and misrepresentations of the facts. “I believe it’s her duty to the people of her district and all Oklahomans to rescind this proclamation and consider researching the facts before rewriting it,” McAffrey said. “She owes Oklahomans of all faiths a sincere apology.”

Al Mcaffrey is a State Representative, representing District 88 in the Oklahoma State House of Representatives.

For more information:
http://okhousedems.com/2009/05/07/kern-ritze-use-false-quote-to-push-bill/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-National-Day-of-Prayer/

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Oklahoma Citizens' Proclamation for Morality
By Sally Kern:

We the People of Oklahoma, Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessing of Liberty; to secure just and rightful Government; to promote our mutual Welfare and Happiness, do establish this proclamation and call upon the people of the great State of Oklahoma, and our fellow Patriots in these United States of America who look to the Lord for guidance, to acknowledge the need for a national awakening of righteousness in our land.

WHEREAS, “It is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand” (John Adams); and

WHEREAS, “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by Religion and Morality” (John Adams); and

WHEREAS, “Our Constitution was made only for a Moral and Religious people” (John Adams); and

WHEREAS, “We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government…but upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God” (James Madison); and

WHEREAS, “Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God (Benjamin Franklin); and

WHEREAS, “God who gave us life gave us liberty and can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God” (Thomas Jefferson); and

WHEREAS, “Whether any free government can be permanent, where the public worship of God, and the support of Religion, constitute no part of the policy or duty of the state” (Joseph Story); and

WHEREAS, “We hold sacred the rights of conscience, and promise to the people…the free and undisturbed exercise of their religion” (Roger Sherman); and

WHEREAS, “This great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians” (Patrick Henry); and

WHEREAS, “When you…exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed upon your mind that God commands you to choose just men who will rule in the fear of God” (Noah Webster); and

WHEREAS, “The principles of genuine Liberty and of wise laws and administrations are to be drawn from the Bible” (Noah Webster); and

WHEREAS, the people of Oklahoma have a strong tradition of reliance upon the Creator of the Universe; and

WHEREAS, we believe our economic woes are consequences of our greater national moral crisis; and

WHEREAS, this nation has become a world leader in promoting abortion, pornography, same sex marriage, sex trafficking, divorce, illegitimate births, child abuse, and many other forms of debauchery; and

WHEREAS, alarmed that the Government of the United States of America is forsaking the rich Christian heritage upon which this nation was built; and

WHEREAS, grieved that the Office of the president of these United States has refused to uphold the long held tradition of past presidents in giving recognition to our National Day of Prayer; and

WHEREAS, deeply disturbed that the Office of the president of these United States disregards the biblical admonitions to live clean and pure lives by proclaiming an entire month to an immoral behavior;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we the undersigned elected officials of the people of Oklahoma, religious leaders and citizens of the State of Oklahoma, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world, solemnly declare that the HOPE of the great State of Oklahoma and of these United States, rests upon the Principles of Religion and Morality as put forth in the HOLY BIBLE; and

BE IT RESOLVED that we, the undersigned, believers in the One True God and His only Son, call upon all to join with us in recognizing that “Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord,” and humbly implore all who love Truth and Virtue to live above reproach in the sight of God and man with a firm reliance on the leadership and protection of Almighty God; and

BE IT RESOLVED that we, the undersigned, humbly call upon Holy God, our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer, to have mercy on this nation, to stay His hand of judgment, and grant a national awakening of righteousness and Christian renewal as we repent of our great sin.

Signed on the second day of July in the year of our Lord Christ Two Thousand and Nine.