Rendell Holds Gathering in Support of Religious Freedom

Amidst the growing religious intolerance in the US, and the planned but cancelled burning of Korans in Florida, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell invited religious leaders to join him in front of Independence Hall Saturday evening.

KYW's Kim Glovas reports the governor, flanked by rabbis, imams, ministers, priests, bishops and nuns, recommitted himself and the Commonwealth to upholding what the United States stands for: religious freedom.

Rendell quoted from Justice William Brennan:

"Tolerance and respect for all religions still sets us apart from most other countries and draws to our shores refugees from religious persecution around the world." Do we still have that tolerance and respect that Justice Brennan wrote about that sets us apart from other countries? I believe we do."

Governor Rendell also urged the 200 assembled on the lawn not to keep silent in the face of religious intolerance, but to speak up against it.