Crowd Stunned After Valedictorian Rips Up Speech, Recites Lord’s Prayer

The Washington Times ^ | 6/5/13 | Jessica Chasmar

[marshmallow]

A South Carolina valedictorian garnered wild applause after he ripped up his pre-approved speech and delivered the Lord’s prayer at his high school graduation on Saturday.

The act was apparently in protest of the Pickens County School District’s decision to no longer include prayer at graduation ceremonies, Christian News reported. Officials said the decision was made after the district was barraged with complaints by atheist groups.

But that didn’t stop Roy Costner IV of Liberty High School. He ripped up his graduation speech for all to see, before he started talking about his Christian upbringing, Christian News reported.

“Those that we look up to, they have helped carve and mold us into the young adults that we are today,” he said. “I’m so glad that both of my parents led me to the Lord at a young age.”

[driftdiver]

stunned? They clapped loudly

[MrB]

Stunned?
I heard the reaction was more of a roaring approval.

[RetiredArmy]

Yup. This was posted yesterday and it was very good.

[Vigilanteman]

It sure would have been fun to have been a fly on the wall watching some athiest head explode . . .

[Resolute Conservative]

Another subtle attempts at re-writing facts.

[grobdriver]

Officials said the decision was made after the district was barraged with complaints by atheist groups.

So if they are barraged by Christian groups... they'll change their minds for next year?

No... I didn't think so.

[Venturer]

Tell the atheist groups to go to hell, that’s where they want to be anyway..

Why does anyone give a good damn what an atheist has to say.

Everything offends them, and that’s good.

If you offend an atheist you are doing God’s work.

[Salvation]

Do you have the thread url from yesterday?

[wbill]

Fun to watch youth rebel by being more traditional and conservative.

Stories like this give me hope for the future.

[Jack Hydrazine]

This is called a Silent Running ping!

“Silent Runnning (On Dangerous Ground)” (1985)
by Mike and The Mechanics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep7W89I_V_g

Take the children and yourself
And hide out in the cellar
By now the fighting will be close at hand
Don’t believe the church and state
And everything they tell you
Believe in me, I’m with the high command

Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?
Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?

There’s a gun and ammunition
Just inside the doorway
Use it only in emergency
Better you should pray to God
The Father and the Spirit
Will guide you and protect from up here

Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?
Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?

Swear allegiance to the flag
Whatever flag they offer
Never hint at what you really feel
Teach the children quietly
For some day sons and daughters
Will rise up and fight while we stood still

Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?
Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?

Can you hear me running (can you hear me calling you?)
(Can you hear me) hear me calling you?
(Can you hear me running) hear me running babe?
(Can you hear me running) hear me running?
Calling you, calling you

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Running_%28On_Dangerous_Ground%29

[Servant of the Cross]

stunned? They clapped loudly

Yea. And it's the Washington Times, not a liberal rag?! What a stupid headline that contradicts the very first sentence of the article ...

A South Carolina valedictorian garnered wild applause ...

[thackney]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3027768/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3027654/posts

[American in Israel]

I think he meant to say the rabble cheered, but the 3 or 4 in the crowd of Media Elites were stunned.

[mardi59]

I applaud this young man. He is going to receive many blessings in life.He will be added to my prayer list. God bless him.

[Jack Hydrazine]

According to Mike Rutherford (from Mike and The Mechanics), the song is about a guy who's traveled light-years away, out in space somewhere, and he's ahead in time. Therefore he knows what's going to happen to his wife and kids back home, on Earth. And he's trying to get the message to them to say what's going to happen, the kind of anarchy, the breakdown of society, to tell them to be prepared

[jughandle]

Somehow I believe there were no atheists present to be offended.

[mmichaels1970]

stunned? They clapped loudly

And from what I've heard, even the school administrators weren't particularly "stunned". I believe they were fully supportive. I sense their saying "well, there's nothing we can do to him now" with a mischievous gleam in their eyes.

[Jack Hydrazine]

I think it was the school officials who their beebers stuned!

[baddog 219]