Reply #12: Prayer has been banned in many instances. [View All]

[DemBones DemBones]

Nobody is making that up.

Schooldays used to begin with a Bible reading, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance. When I was in high school, the Supreme Court (acting on a case filed by atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair) banned prayer and Bible reading in public schools.

It had long before been ruled that kids did not have to participate in the Pledge, and I think it was also ruled that kids could opt out of prayer and Bible reading, too, as in leave the room during those activities.

We also had prayer before school sports events. That's been banned. We had prayer at graduation and we had baccalaureate, which was basically a prayer service, at some point prior to graduation. Private colleges and other private schools still do, even many that are not affiliated with a particular religion, but those prayers have been banned from public schools and I suppose baccalaureate has, too.

Of course no one can stop kids from silent prayer in school or stop them from organizing before or after school group prayer like Meet Me at the Flagpole.

Some people don't think that's enough and they complain about it, just like we complain about things we don't like. They have a right to free speech, even if we disagree with it. You must admit this particular e-mail was mostly accurate about the facts -- some people are forced to work on Easter and other Sundays and on Christmas and few have Good Friday off anymore -- and not nasty. If only that were true of all right wing mailings. . .