Free Republic

WASHINGTON -- A Maryland Dem is trying to change House rules so that the chamber observes a moment of silence for every shooting victim in America, not just mass shootings and terror attacks. The House has recently observed moments of silence for victims of the October mass shooting in Las Vegas, the Halloween bike path terror attack in Manhattan, and the November mass shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Freshman Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) introduced H.R. 666 this week "to observe a 60-second moment of silence in the House for those killed by gun violence in the United...

Before the New Orleans Saints' victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, there was a peculiar moment leading up to the national anthem at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. In the Saints' previous game, a Week 4 win over the Miami Dolphins in London, the entire team kneeled before the anthem and then stood during the song. Some players were kneeling again before the anthem on Sunday -- before the flag was even unraveled -- and many fans booed the choice. What made the situation so odd on Sunday was the timing. The Superdome public address announcer requested a moment of silence...

The Phoenix City Council voted Wednesday to replace a longstanding tradition of prayer before meetings with a moment of silence prayer, preventing an address by a group with "Satan" in its name and averting a lawsuit over constitutional rights. The moment of silence prayer was offered as an alternate motion to a measure that would have allowed the mayor and councilors to take turns in selecting who gives the invocation. That measure would not have blocked The Satanic Temple's prayer scheduled for Feb. 17, city attorney Brad Holm said. More than 50 people, including religious leaders, gave emotional testimony, invoking...

I heard - one time only - on Chris Plant's program, that Obama talked over the momemt of silence yesterday at the Pentagon. Can anyone confirm this?

At 8:46 AM, in New York City and at the White House in Washington DC, there was a moment of silence to remember when the first plane hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. In New York, the NYPD, FDNY, Port Authority Police and the families of the victims were present, while in Washington the President and the First Lady led the moment. The cable networks all carried it, with ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “CBS This Morning” carrying it as well. The only national general news program to not carry the moment of silence was NBC’s ‘Today,”...

UN tribute to Kim leads to walkout of diplomats Dec 24,2011 The UN General Assembly yesterday paid a silent tribute to the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, sparking a walkout of ambassadors of Korea and other countries. At the start of the assembly Thursday, its president, Qatar’s Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, told the diplomats, “It is my sad duty to pay tribute to the memory of the late Kim Jong-il.” The president asked North Korean Ambassador Sin Son-ho to “convey condolences” and called on all envoys “to stand and observe a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of...

Just when you thought you’ve seen it all from the “Occupiers,” last night Occupy San Diego held a moment of silence “for the guy who shot at the White House” during a protest outside of the San Diego Police Department headquarters. (Apologies for the bad video quality; this seems to be the only version out there.)

AND NOW . . . amidst billowing clouds of fragrant, aromatic first- and second-hand premium cigar smoke. . . it is time for . . . that harmless, lovable little fuzz ball, the highly-trained broadcast specialist, having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have, from behind the golden EIB microphone, firmly ensconced in the prestigious Attila-the-Hun chair at the Limbaugh Institute of Advanced Conservative Studies, serving humanity simply by showing up, and he’s not retiring until every American agrees with him, do NOT doubt him, with shrieks of joy at the mere mention of his name...

<p>A student who objected to prayer being part of Bastrop High School's 2011 graduation ceremonies enlisted the help of the American Civil Liberties Union. However, another student whose role was to call for a moment of silence during Friday's ceremony led the audience in prayer despite the ACLU objections.</p>

Here is video of President and Mrs. Obama observing a moment of silence this morning at the White House in remembrance of September 11, 2001. . . . (VIDEO)

A lawsuit challenging the minute of silence that Texas schoolchildren observe every morning will be argued today in a federal appellate court.

CHICAGO — A federal judge has ruled that a state law requiring a moment of silence in public schools across Illinois is unconstitutional, saying it crosses the line separating church and state. "The statute is a subtle effort to force students at impressionable ages to contemplate religion," U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman said in his ruling Wednesday. The ruling came in a lawsuit designed to bar schools from enforcing the Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act. It was filed by talk show host Rob Sherman, an outspoken atheist, and his daughter, Dawn, a high school student.

CHICAGO - Today, Judge Robert W. Gettleman of the federal U.S. District Court in Chicago ruled that a state law mandating a moment of silence in Illinois public schools is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. He had previously put the Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act on hold while he considered the case filed by an atheist parent on behalf of his daughter. The Illinois General Assembly had passed the law to allow students the choice to simply reflect on the day’s activities or pray, and proponents argued that this did not compel religious practice. However, the court found...

From: OfficeoftheSecretary@usda.gov [mailto:OfficeoftheSecretary@usda.gov] Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 7:02 AM To: ALL-USDA-2K Subject: Patriot Day. September 11, 2008 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20250 In observance of Patriot Day, the United States Flag will be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset on Thursday September 11, 2008. September 11, 2001, lives in America's memory since 19 terrorists attacked our homeland. On Patriot Day, we cherish the memory of the thousands of innocent victims lost, extend our prayers for their families, and honor the heroic men and women who risked and sacrificed their lives so...

CHICAGO (AP) - A federal judge on Thursday barred school districts statewide from holding the daily moment of silence suitable for prayer that is required under state law. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman said he had given school districts time to object to his March 28 preliminary injunction on enforcement of the moment of silence law but received no objections. He therefore extended to the entire state the preliminary injunction originally designed to apply only to suburban Buffalo Grove District 214. The law passed by the Illinois General Assembly says every school district in the state must hold a...

How The Few Can Put Their Values Ahead Of The Many And Hurt Our Nation In the Process: Religious Liberty Again Under Attack RFFM.org Commentary by Daniel T. Zanoza It was a wonderful moment for the state of Illinois and, hopefully, a precursor to a wave that might sweep the nation. Late last year, the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill titled the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act. Then, state legislators overrode a veto by a Democratic Governor with an overwhelming bipartisan margin. It was something special. Elected officials overcame politics, and then the influence of special interest groups,...

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When high school freshman Dawn Sherman learned that Illinois had a new law requiring public schools to provide a moment of silence each day for "reflection and student prayer," she was outraged. Not because the law meant lost learning time in her honors math class -- which would be 15 seconds shorter -- but because "it was clear that we're supposed to sit and pray, or sit and watch other people pray," said Dawn, who is an atheist. Along with her father, Rob, the Buffalo Grove High student has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law, which some...

Do you think the "moment of silence" law for Illinois schools is unconstitutional? Yes 44.1% No 55.9% Total votes: 3282 Enforcing moment of silence blocked Lawyer: All school districts may be added to lawsuit By CARLA JOHNSON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published Friday, November 16, 2007 CHICAGO - An atheist talk show host's attorney said Thursday he may try to add all Illinois school districts as defendants in a lawsuit challenging a mandatory moment of silence in classrooms. Suing all 871 districts may be the best way to get a clear answer about the new state law's constitutionality, attorney Gregory Kulis...

CHICAGO - A federal judge refused Monday to temporarily bar schools from observing a brief period of prayer or reflective silence for students, but he allowed a lawsuit contesting the practice to move forward. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman told talk-radio host Rob Sherman, who filed the suit, and attorneys for school District 214 and the state to come back to court on Nov. 14 to explore the issue further. Sherman's 14-year-old daughter, Dawn, is a student in the district at Buffalo Grove High School. She and her father maintain that the new law is just another round in...