SUN JOURNAL NEW BERN: Prayers hushed at county government meetings

February 7, 2012
The Cowardly Commissioners!
RIVER BEND – Craven County Board of Commissioners didn’t start their Monday meeting here with a prayer.

It may not have been the first time for the board but it was unusual. It is expected to now be the norm on the advice of the county’s lawyer, Jim Hicks.

In January, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal of an American Civil Liberties Union suit against Forsyth County Board of Commissioners. That let stand a 2011 ruling by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that a government group’s prayer policy allowing mostly Christian prayers violates the U.S. Constitution.

Hicks, who represents Craven, Pamlico, and Jones counties and six area municipalities, said the ACLU has already contacted him regarding policies of two of his clients, including Jones County.

Hicks said, “Most elected officials are very, very frustrated” with the lower court decision but “it is not new law.” The Supreme Court has allowed prayer using only the name of God as the deity, not Jesus, which would be only for the Christian religion.

CONTINUED:http://www.newbernsj.com/news/hushed-104169-meetings-prayers.html