The Democratic National Convention has curtained off several “interfaith” spaces for prayer, but the only sign of religion in any of the spaces is — you guessed it — Islam.
Convention-goers looking to get in touch with the god of their choice can visit the “Interfaith Prayer Room” on the first floor of the Wells Fargo Center, which consists of a series of antiseptic-looking spaces sectioned off by curtains. A sign hangs over the first space, which is simply an empty room. Save for the sign, you might expect to find a bed and a heartbeat monitor inside à la a hospital emergency room.
The second area has a few chairs and some prayer mats. A third large space is set up to accommodate Muslims, with a mat set up on the floor presumably facing Mecca and a sanitizing station so Muslims can wash before they pray.
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A fourth space is another large empty room. Aside from Islam, no sign of any other religion was present.
Kind of surprising for a so-called interfaith prayer area. If they can set up a huge hand-sanitizing station and figure out which way is Mecca, seems like grabbing a copy of a Bible or a crucifix wouldn’t be a huge deal. Or a drum for the new age types. Or even some incense to help out Hindu believers. How about a pen and paper for believers who prefer to journal their prayers? Or a Jewish prayer book?
The spaces were also devoid of praying people, with the exception of one woman wearing Birkenstocks and a Bernie Sanders T-shirt plopped on the floor next to some chairs, casually swiping through her iPhone.
The prayer room is flanked by a “quiet and recovery room,” also empty except for some chairs, and a space for nursing mothers (inexplicably occupied by two men when this reporter walked through).
A few volunteers standing outside declined to provide information on the Interfaith space, saying they were only in charge of the lactation tent. “I’m going to excuse myself,” one woman said. “I can’t give you any information on that.”
This report, by Rachel Stoltzfoos, was cross-posted by arrangement with the Daily Caller News Foundation.
