SAINT PAUL, Minn., August 1, 2002 (LSN.ca) – Jesse Ventura, Minnesota’s staunchly anti-religious governor, has inadvertently proclaimed Oct. 13-19 as Christian Heritage Week. The proclamation, submitted every year by Virginia-based Christian Heritage Ministries, quotes Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Patrick Henry and George Mason as statesmen “who did not hesitate to express their faith.”“Somehow it got in the wrong pile,” spokesman John Wodele said. “It would not [otherwise] have been approved.” Ventura has always refused to sign religion-related proclamations in the past, although he did sign one from an atheist association. His office tried in vain this week to undo the mistake. Tom Prichard, president of the Minnesota Family Council, called the error “poetic justice.” He has criticized Ventura for not signing the recent National Day of Prayer proclamation and for disparaging religion in a 1999 Playboy magazine interview. “Inadvertently, or providentially some might say, he’s recognized the role of faith and religion in our society,” he said. “We’ll gladly accept that.”
To read the Minnesota newspaper report see: https://www.startribune.com/stories/1384/3132463.html