Vital Link Prayer at Courthouse -- Commission Keeps Cool

I am pleased to report that the Lake County Commission avoided any establishment of religion this morning. The commissioners took up a request from Vital Link organizer Marvin L. Joray of Wentworth to grant permission for his group to, as Mr. Thompson reported Saturday, gather for prayer around the courthouse flagpole on Thursday, May 7. The commission did not issue any resolution of support for the establishmentarian National Day of Prayer or exhort the good citizens of Lake County to participate in this religious activity. Commission Chair Bert Verhey simply noted (rather quietly—speak up, Bert! we need to hear you in the back row!) that the county has approved this request in previous years, got the motion and vote for approval, and moved the commission on to more exciting matters.

The May 7 flagpole prayer promises to be a long one: the event is scheduled to run from noon to 1 p.m. Perhaps the full hour should accommodate members of all faiths who wish to offer prayers to the deities of their choosing at this inclusive public event.

Guess I'd better start working on my prayer for the secular humanist portion of the program. Perhaps some Steinbeck... or better yet, some words from Barack Obama himself....