Wednesday, May 12, 2010



Seniors not allowed to give thanks before meals

We read:
"Senior citizens are no longer allowed to pray before meals at the Port Wentworth’s Ed Young Senior Citizens Center near Savannah, Georgia. Local officials say the meals are now provided with federal money and therefore the seniors are not allowed to pray before meals.
WSBTV reported:

On Thursday, the usual open prayer before meals at the center was traded in for a moment of silence.

Tim Rutherford, Senior Citizens Inc. vice president, said some of his staff recently visited the center and noticed people praying shortly before lunch was served. Rutherford said his company provides meals like baked chicken, steak tips and rice and salads at a cost of about $6 a plate. Seniors taking the meals pay 55 cents and federal money foots the rest of the bill, Rutherford said.

“We can’t scoff at their rules,” he said of federal authorities. “It’s a part of the operational guidelines.”

Source

Religion is often a great comfort to the elderly so this is quite vicious

Update:

The light of publicity has worked its usual magic. Center managers have backed down. Port Wentworth Mayor Glenn "Pig" Jones made a fuss and the seniors can now pray out loud before meals. See here

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks to the total "PC-ization" of this nation of weak fools, a food service company now decides whether constitutional rights (freedom to worship) should be observed? Someone should take a "very close" look at this company's govt contract.

Bobby said...

Do we need another constitutional amendment to protect freedom of religion? Is the first amendment not enough?

Anonymous said...

Bobby, the first amendment is absolutely enough because it gives people the right of expression of their religion. Many people are very quick to dismiss that fact.

Anonymous said...

Tim Rutherford says we can't scoff at their (the feds)rules. But he is not smart enough to understand that the feds cannot make rules like that? The man should be working at McDonalds or unemployed.

Bobby said...

"Bobby, the first amendment is absolutely enough because it gives people the right of expression of their religion. Many people are very quick to dismiss that fact."

---I know, it's just that the government seems to act like it either doesn't exist or that it means freedom FROM religion. Seriously, the feds are treating religion like it's radioactive. As long as no old person is forced to pray or listen to a prayer, I don't see what's the big deal.

Anonymous said...

These seniors were never prohibited from praying over their meals. They were, however, apparently deprived the opportunity to have a group prayer shared aloud.
While the restriction was stupid we should be clear about what actually occurred.

Anonymous said...

It's PC-crazy America - what do you expect!! Oh yes, ignore that and piss on Canada and Europe! Makes you feel better, doesn't it!

Anonymous said...

If the senior citizens themselves who are using the service decide to pray together as a group, and the managment is not making it a requirement for recieving the service, then the government is not establishing any religions.

Anonymous said...

"I never will, by any word or act, bow to the shrine of intolerance or admit a right of inquiry into the religious opinions of others."
Thomas Jefferson

Anonymous said...

Hopefully, to be consistent, TJ was at the same time implying the inclusion of the non-religious and/or anti-religious opinions of "others"??