Posted by
Playful Walrus on Monday, December 29, 2008 12:54:17 PM
Edward Tabash of Beverly Hills, chair of the national legal committee of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, wrote in to complain about a recent editorial in the Los Angeles Times that said a government-recognized "day of prayer" is okay:
For a governor to declare such a day is for the state to officially endorse prayer.
That is not the same thing as adopting a national religious denomination. For many years AFTER the adoption of the First Amendment, some states had official state denominations. So a day of prayer is no big deal.
It sends a message that nonbelievers are lesser in the eyes of the political community than those who believe in a supernatural being.
Hardly. I wonder how he feels about states and municipalities recognizing various days, such as "AIDS Awareness" days or The Great American Smokeout? Do such declarations mean that those who do not participate are lesser in the eyes of the political community?