Thousands of people filled a church Sunday night for "Justice Sunday II," an event organizers said wasn't necessarily about pushing for the confirmation of John Roberts for the U.S. Supreme Court, but more about supporting justices who don't have radical agendas.
"We've seen a conservative president get re-elected, the conservative ConGREssional base expand. The (Supreme) Court is part of a cultural problem," said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, the organization responsible for "Justice Sunday II: God Save the United States and this Honorable Court!"
The second in a series of demonstrations televised for broadcast at churches across the country included in its list of planned speakers U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and conservative Christian activist Phyllis Schlafly.
Perkins said the rally was intended to help educate evangelical Christians about the Supreme Court and to encourage them to talk to friends and elected officials about what they want for the Court.
Mike Miller, 54, of Gallatin who attended the rally, said he believes Supreme Court justices try to create laws with their rulings instead of interpreting the Constitution.
"Activist justices — we're trying to find out what we can do to stop that activity," he said. "Our laws are based on the Ten Commandments."
Protesters also gathered outside the host church, Two Rivers Baptist Church.
"We are here because we believe the future for women lies in a Supreme Court that represents all people in this country," said NOW regional director Kathy Austin.
The first "Justice Sunday" event, held in April at a church in Louisville, Ky., was aimed at stopping a potential filibuster of several nominees for the federal bench.
A speaker at that event, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, had threatened to try to change Senate rules to prevent certain filibusters if Democrats persisted, a move applauded by the rally organizers. Weeks later, 14 Senate Republicans and Democrats forged a compromise. Some conservatives accused Frist of allowing it to happen.
"There will be repercussions," Perkins said at the time.
Frist, a surgeon, wasn't invited to address "Justice Sunday II" because he angered the events' organizers by voicing his support for expanded human embryonic stem cell research.
Across town from the rally Sunday, another group was speaking out to counter what they saw as an extremist message.
"This is so Americans can see the 'Justice Sunday' sponsors and Tom DeLay don't have any exclusive hold on religion," said Glenn Smith, an organizer of "Community of Faith and Unity Gathering."
