Texas is facing unprecedented droughts and wildfires that have consumed more than a million acres. Combating climate change could mean staving off conditions that would make droughts and fires on this scale much more common. So Rick Perry, the Texas governor, is taking swift action to remediate the climate by … calling for three days of "prayer for rain."
No, he's not a Cure fan. Well, maybe he's a Cure fan. But he means actual prayers for actual rain:
WHEREAS, the state of Texas is in the midst of an exceptional drought, with some parts of the state receiving no significant rainfall for almost three months, matching rainfall deficit records dating back to the 1930s … NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICK PERRY, Governor of Texas, under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Texas, do hereby proclaim the three-day period from Friday, April 22, 2011, to Sunday, April 24, 2011, as Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas. I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal way of life.
Huh, praying for a less jacked-up climate. Why didn't we think of that?
Now, that's not all he's doing — he also asked the feds for help. But it's the prayer action that's getting the attention, possibly because the government NOT telling you what to pray for is kind of a major thing here in the U.S. of A. (Of course, Texas is having a rough time of it right now, so do what you need to do.)