DEFENDING PRAYER IN SCHOOL

[Ttulipss]

FROM: Jerry Falwell
DATE: October 26, 2001

DEFENDING PRAYER IN SCHOOL

On Monday, Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) said he sees no problem with
ignoring the U.S. Supreme Court ban on organized school prayer "at
this very crisis moment in our history." He defended a decision to
have a Protestant minister open a middle school assembly with prayer
last week.

"Any time you have a crisis that faces you either in your personal
life or as we have now in our country, reaching out to a Supreme
Being is a very normal act," said the governor, who attended the
school assembly in Palestine.

You will recall that last year, the High Court ruled in a Texas case
that organized prayers before high school football games were
unconstitutional. In fact, the Court has outlawed organized school
prayer since 1963.

Many, including me, believe that fateful decision launched the onset
of descent in American education. Our nation's schools have
replaced God with moral relativism and situational ethics in the
nearly four decades following that decision. Subsequently, our
children learn that there are no absolute truths, no moral
authorities, no governing principles to design their behavior.

Gov. Perry said on Monday that he is ready to make school prayer a
campaign issue as he seeks election next year to a full four-year
term. Prior to the September 11 attacks on our nation, this might
have been an unwise campaign approach. But not now.

The suicide attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., and the
failed attack that resulted in a downed plane in Pennsylvania, have
motivated Americans to reconsider the secular path down which our
nation has embarked. Many have seen the error of this downward
trajectory. They now see our need for God in the conduct of our
nation.

I'm not saying every American must be forced to pray. I'm simply
saying that those Americans who embrace prayer as a way of life - as
a way of literal sustenance - must not be prohibited from this
quest.

"Why can't we say a prayer at a football game or a patriotic event
like we held at Palestine Middle School?" Mr. Perry asked. "I don't
understand the logic of that. I happen to think it was
appropriate."

To that, millions of Americans say AMEN!

Of course, there are those who ardently object.

Samantha Smoot of the Texas Freedom Network, which monitors the
activities of religious groups in education, is one of those
individuals. She told the Associated Press this week that, while
school prayer "is a tempting issue for a politician," it "isn't
until later that voters start thinking, What if it isn't my God
they're worshipping, or my prayer?"

That's an empty argument. I'm probably seen as one of the most
conservative religious leaders in the nation - a dangerous religious
fanatic in the eyes of some - but I have absolutely no problem with
a student or religious leader of any faith leading a prayer at
school. Prayer in school is not designed to alienate students
because of their differences. It is designed to unite students and
focus their attention - even if just for a moment each day - on the
fact that this nation was founded by men who honored and revered God
and that we continue in their tradition.

Gov. Perry noted that Congress and the Texas Legislature open their
sessions with prayer, and suggested that public schools should be
able to do the same. He correctly said that it was "very
confusing," why our nation permits this double standard.

We have seen the course of secularism in our schools and it is
obviously time for a change. It is high time our nation once again
favors its people of faith by allowing our public school students to
be exposed to prayer and the pursuit of faith.

Those who would like to express their thanks to Gov. Perry for
taking this courageous stand may do so by visiting his Web site:
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[buckeyemomma]

We definately do need prayer back in the schools. I wish more government officials would try to help
Thanks for sharing