March 5th / 7th, 2010
"A Moment of Silence Please"
Last week, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners turned back the
clock, and turned the Constitution on its head by voting to appeal the Court's
ban on sectarian prayer. Forgetting that we are a pluralistic society
founded on the separation of church and state, a majority of commissioners
decided to force Christianity on everyone within ear shot of their meetings.
Chairman Dave Plyler cast the swing vote in favor of pursuing an appeal,
knowing that his decision was buttressed by the NC Partnership for Religious
Liberty, who pledged up to $300,000 toward the County's legal fees. But no
guarantee was made to cover any legal costs exceeding that amount, so should
the appeal drag out, Commissioners may have to ask taxpayers to foot the bill
for the difference.
All of this could have been avoided a long time ago had Plyler and company
simply offered a moment of silence prior to each meeting. It's good enough
for schools and athletic venues, so why not County government gatherings?
Instead, Forsyth County commissioners, backed by a religious group with
deep pockets decided to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight for
the right to say Jesus at public meetings. Not only was this a misguided use
of money which would have been better spent helping the poor and homeless,
it also leaves Jews, Muslims, agnostics, and atheists out in the cold.
Perhaps someone should remind these narrow-minded crusaders that Jesus
invoked God's name on BEHALF of others, not to the exclusion of them.
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