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South Carolina Legislator Says Lord's Prayer In New Display Law Is "Poison Pill"

By Howard M. Friedman

Last month the Governor of South Carolina signed a bill permitting schools and local governments to post a Foundation of American Government display comprised of 12 documents, including the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer. (See prior posting.) Yesterday's Augusta (GA) Chronicle carries a column by South Carolina state senator Shane Massey who was one of 12 members of the state Senate to vote against including the Lord's Prayer in the permitted documents. He says that the inclusion of the Lord's Prayer, added through an amendment offered by Sen. Brad Hutto, a Democratic opponent of the entire bill, is a "poison pill" that now makes the law "constitutionally suspect". The amendment, which Republicans found it difficult to vote against, was, Massey says, one of several offered in an attempt to kill the bill by opponents who originally objected to inclusion of the 10 Commandments in it.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on August 04, 2008 (boomark / email).