WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to Dr. James Dobson’s offensive comments about President Obama at a National Day of Prayer event in Washington yesterday, Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance released the following statement:

“While Dr. James Dobson’s remarks about the president during yesterday’s National Day of Prayer event at the United States Capitol were inappropriate and shocking, sadly they were not new or unexpected. We have watched with dismay for years as the National Day of Prayer has been taken over by religious exclusivists. The so-called ‘National Day of Prayer Task Force’ uses this day, and the attention it receives from politicians and the media, to pursue a right-wing religious agenda. Because of this, government endorsement of the Task Force’s events does significant harm to the religious diversity and religious freedom that is the bedrock of American life.

“Last week, Interfaith Alliance sent a letter to the president and all fifty governors, urging our nation’s leaders to not participate in events sponsored by the National Day of Prayer Task Force and to ensure that their celebrations of the day would truly unite all Americans. While I regret that it had to come in such a heinous and offensive manner, I hope that Dr. Dobson’s remarks serve as a wake-up call for our leaders so that many more of them will participate in commemorating an inclusive National Day of Prayer in the future.“