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Blog: Commissioners Splitting Hairs in Circumventing Legal Ban on Prayers
Vowing, as they obviously have, not to let legal restrictions prohibiting prayers in public buildings stand in the way of approving Commissioner Frazier’s weekly prayer sessions in a room located in the basement, they’ve pulled out all stops and skullduggery to justify it.
But where they stumbled over themselves by establishing a policy on the use of rooms that would blanket, not only her right to reserve a room , but for any and all employees as well (for whatever purpose), was that the court rulings speak only to public buildings, sans any exceptions-stated or inferred-for interior spaces/rooms.
To his credit, Commissioner Shoemaker, a practicing attorney, voted against that new policy, as aware as he surely was of the pitfalls of the board’s total disregard of the applicable legal precedents. (No wonder he was voted out as Vice President for breaking, as he often does from the pack.)
However, I would never delude myself into believing that the present board would ever reverse that policy, short of an injunction issued by a court compelling them to cease and desist from offering sectarian prayers at the opening of public meetings and/or authorizing prayer meetings at any location within the COB.
But nothing short of divine intervention, with God speaking directly to Frazier and admonishing her to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” and to confine your prayers to me in private.
And even then, she’d probably opt to be martyred like Joan of Arc, short of being willing to also be burned at the stake.
So it goes with religious zealots, who “wear their religion on their sleeves.’”
Quote of the week: “Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don’t have brains enough to be honest.” Ben Franklin
Native
10:18 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
Oh c'mon David, give it up. There is no law prohibiting prayer, just ones against discriminating against one faith over others.
Neil Ridgely
12:25 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
County employees have been free to pray solemly at their desks long before Rob'em Frazier decided to make this all an issue to stroke her own political vanity.
Native is right that there is no law that prohibits prayer - it it protected by the US Constitution and was one of the basic concerns of our founding fathers in establishing the basis for our freedoms.
However, it is also clear that the founding fathers did not want the religious beliefs of some imposed on others; so in their great forsight they also created a separation between church and state. In so doing they prohibited public prayer sessions such as those Frazier threatens to have; the placement of the Ten Commandments on public properties and belief in the Bible and / or Koran as a requirement for employment.
Ms. Frazier has dragged the County into an unnecessary controversy and it is one that will be resolved in the courts. I do hope she is pleased with herself but she's sure no Joan de Arc.
Native
6:56 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Separation of church & state is a myth. The founding fathers did not prohibit public prayer sessions, they in fact prayed every day in government sessions (like our current board). Once again Neil, you are dead wrong.
newsjunkie
3:50 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Native, forget the constitution for a minute. The person in charge of a group of people should know better than to do what Frazier did. One time I had a boss who brought his daughter to the office to sell cookies. Guess how many people purchased cookies - 100%. Why? Those who worked for him were afraid to say "no" for fear it would impact their relationship with the boss.
Frazier is free to invite her family, friends and neighbors to pray with her but it is just inappropriate to "invite" (read: coerce) the county employees. From a strictly business position, it was just wrong.
She chose to seek a government position. If she wanted to prosthelytize and surround herself with people of similar religious views she should have sought employment with a faith based organization.
Native
6:57 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Just like a liberal, wanting to forget the constitution.
newsjunkie
8:11 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Please don't resort to name calling because you are unable to defend your position. Let me state my point simply: What Frazier did was wrong for reasons that have nothing to do with one's interpretation of the constitution.
Native
8:15 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Sorry pal, I didn't realize "liberal" was a dirty word! Neil & Buck would probably debate you on that. ;-)
Native
8:17 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
And, there is nothing to defend. Frazier's position on public praying is nothing new to government. In fact it was done by the founding fathers on up to today in congress. Look at the prayer breakfasts for example. She did nothing wrong!
Buck Harmon
9:50 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
This entire exercise has nothing what so ever with the management or perceived leadership of Carroll County. It is merely a deceptive illusion to cover up or distract from the inability to govern properly. The BOC should focus on serving the public first, political, personal agenda's tend to prevail in apathetic communities like those in Carroll. Frazier will cost taxpayers in legal fees for no good cause.
Native
1:47 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
You're right, the prayer sessions have nothing to do with that other then to pray & hope for better things & guidance. Where you're wrong is that it is not an illusion, a coverup, or a distraction. Except maybe to liberals (sorry, didn't mean to invoke that dirty word). ;-)
Buck Harmon
10:01 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I can understand why you can't, don't use your real name native....
Friedhard
9:28 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012
"Separation of church and state is a myth" classis T party /Santorum thinking. Unamerican. Move to Iran.