Americans United Hails Supreme Court Refusal To Intervene In North Carolina Prayer Case

[cleanhippie]

The U.S. Supreme Court today announced that it will not intervene in a controversy over sectarian prayer before meetings of the Forsyth County, N.C., Board of Commissioners. The justices’ action leaves in place an appellate court decision barring the county from regularly opening its meetings with Christian invocations.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, one of the groups sponsoring the lawsuit, said the high court was right not to intervene. Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, “When government meetings are opened regularly with Christian prayer, it sends the unmistakable message that non-Christians are second-class citizens in their own community. That’s unconstitutional, and it’s just plain wrong.

“All Americans ought to feel welcome at governmental meetings,” he continued. “The Constitution clearly forbids government to play favorites when it comes to religion.” The record in the Joyner v. Forsyth County case indicates that 26 of the 33 invocations given from May 29, 2007, until Dec. 15, 2008, contained at least one reference to Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ, Savior or the Trinity.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Janet Joyner and Constance Lynn Blackmon, two county residents and members of the Winston-Salem Chapter of Americans United. They are being represented by Americans United and the ACLU of North Carolina.

On July 29, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the county’s prayer practice is unconstitutional.

http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/americans-united-hails-supreme-court-refusal-to-intervene-in-north-carolina

[Goblinmonger]

1. I'm, frankly, shocked.

I would expect the current court to want to blur the line rather than leave this stand.

[Starboard Tack]

2. What about the national anthem and motto?

Anthem contains the words "In God is our trust."
And the national motto "In god we trust."
SCOTUS refused to hear objections to those.

[cleanhippie]

3. Indeed they did.

But I'm glad they can recognize a prayer when they see one, and them make the correct decision.