To the Anonymous Emailer in Bell County: Thank You

Bell County Kentucky ain't Louisville. It's deep in the mountains, bible and coal country. But at least one person there is a member of the reality-based community.

From the Herald:

Bell County school officials have ended the tradition of having a minister lead prayer over the public-address system before high school football games because of a complaint from a Wisconsin-based group that promotes the separation of church and state.

Friday's home game against Lexington Catholic was the first in decades that didn't include a prayer before the game, said Bell County Superintendent George Thompson.

"People were kind of jolted when we did the National Anthem and then kicked off" without the prayer, Thompson said.

With its many conservative churchgoing Christians, Kentucky has been fertile ground for clashes over the separation of church and state, most notably about posting the Ten Commandments in public buildings.

SNIP

The complaint in Bell County came by way of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, based in Madison, Wis.

The foundation says it represents the views of non-believers and works against government endorsing or promoting religion.

Annie Laurie Gaylor, its co-president, said the foundation received an email Aug. 5 about the prayer before Bell County High football games.

"All in attendance are asked to bow their head and the prayers have Christian overtones. Please check out this clear violation," said the email, which Gaylor provided.

Nearly all the complaints to the foundation are anonymous because people fear retaliation if they are identified, Gaylor said.

I am disappointed that this issue was not taken up by the Kentucky chapters of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, American Atheists or the ACLU, but I'll take my victories where I can get them.