Thursday, November 15, 2007

More Uproar Over a Governor's Public Prayer

I posted earlier about the Governor of Georgia holding a prayer vigil for rain. Many news sources have published articles condemning this action. The latest comes from an editor of the University of Georgia's student newspaper, Red and Black. This article is linked below and is an excellent example of a college student's lack of knowledge of our Founders' beliefs and actions in areas related to the First Amendment. I suggest you read the article and also the comments. It is good insight into our situation today and the diverse opinions about the First Amendment's meaning. Unfortunately, many of these heartfelt opinions are not based on history and the actual meaning (i.e. the words) of the Constitution.

Rain Vigil Not a Practical Solution

2 comments:

CrypticLife said...

The main thrust of her argument was that praying is purposeless, a political grandstanding play, and insulting to those trying to find actual solutions to the problem.

The church-state angle is not necessary to these arguments. For what it's worth, I think you're correct to the extent that you say this isn't unconstitutional. I just think it's distasteful.

History Matters said...

Thanks for the comment, crypticlife. I think you are correct about the main thrust of her argument. However, I was responding to the fact that she emphasized the Church/State issue by using 5 paragraphs to make her points about separation of church and state. Granted, they were short paragraphs, but the emphasis provided by the white space was intentional, I assume.

I also agree with your summary, and I have tried to make that point elsewhere on this blog. Issues like this should be argued on the basis of taste and intent, not by raising the "unconstitutionality" of the action or event.