http://www.polklawblog.com/archives/legal-status-of-prayer-at-school-board-and-lakeland-city-commission-meetings-part-ii Commentary from Polk County, Florida attorney Kemp Brinson Mon, 26 Sep 2011 20:03:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.polklawblog.com/archives/legal-status-of-prayer-at-school-board-and-lakeland-city-commission-meetings-part-ii#comment-437 Kemp Brinson Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:46:07 +0000 http://www.polklawblog.com/?p=615#comment-437 My spam filter inappropriately swallowed both of your comments. So I just whisked both of them through moderation. Thank you for your thoughts. My spam filter inappropriately swallowed both of your comments. So I just whisked both of them through moderation. Thank you for your thoughts.

]]> http://www.polklawblog.com/archives/legal-status-of-prayer-at-school-board-and-lakeland-city-commission-meetings-part-ii#comment-203 Rod Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:29:02 +0000 http://www.polklawblog.com/?p=615#comment-203 Thanks, Kemp. Somehow a longer post of mine got swallowed yesterday. It does look like there will need to be more court clarification of the issue. It is frustrating that "tradition" is the only justification that our locals can find to continue this devisive practice. Thanks, Kemp. Somehow a longer post of mine got swallowed yesterday. It does look like there will need to be more court clarification of the issue. It is frustrating that “tradition” is the only justification that our locals can find to continue this devisive practice.

]]> http://www.polklawblog.com/archives/legal-status-of-prayer-at-school-board-and-lakeland-city-commission-meetings-part-ii#comment-197 Rod Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:12:50 +0000 http://www.polklawblog.com/?p=615#comment-197 Thanks, Kemp, I was looking forward to this second part. It appears to be a well thought out piece and it's interesting to follow your analysis. It does seem like it will require more court action if prayers are to be found unconstitutional at government meetings in the way Madison thought so. He predicted the endless bickering over the issue if prayers were used...and he was right. What is somewhat frustrating for the non-believer like me is that tradition is used to justify the practice, inspite of the fact that an author of the Constitution fought its initial practice in the first place. How the courts have so far deemed the prayers to not be promoting faith is beyond me. Just read the comments of those on blogs and letters to the editor and it is apparent they DO see the continuation of these prayers as a victory and validation of their salvation fantasies. Comments as to problems when "we push God out" and others who think atheists should just "leave the room", all attest to a lack of understanding of the purpose of a secular constitution. Courts put up with this for "tradition"? Sigh.... Thanks, Kemp, I was looking forward to this second part. It appears to be a well thought out piece and it’s interesting to follow your analysis. It does seem like it will require more court action if prayers are to be found unconstitutional at government meetings in the way Madison thought so. He predicted the endless bickering over the issue if prayers were used…and he was right. What is somewhat frustrating for the non-believer like me is that tradition is used to justify the practice, inspite of the fact that an author of the Constitution fought its initial practice in the first place. How the courts have so far deemed the prayers to not be promoting faith is beyond me. Just read the comments of those on blogs and letters to the editor and it is apparent they DO see the continuation of these prayers as a victory and validation of their salvation fantasies. Comments as to problems when “we push God out” and others who think atheists should just “leave the room”, all attest to a lack of understanding of the purpose of a secular constitution. Courts put up with this for “tradition”? Sigh….

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