NO GRACE AT VMI

The Supreme Court has let stand a lower court ruling The New York Times > News > banning VMI Supper Prayers:

The court rejected an appeal by a current and former superintendent at the nation's oldest military college defending as constitutional the tradition of offering a brief, nondenominational prayer before the evening meal.

Justice Antonin Scalia wrote a dissent that Chief Justice William Rehnquist joined. Scalia, a conservative who supports government accommodation of religion, said the appeal raised ``weighty questions'' that ``deserve this court's attention.''

What do the prayers say?

The prayers at VMI, founded in 1839 as a state-funded military college in Lexington, Virginia, were written by the school's chaplain. He composed a separate supper prayer for each day.

The prayers, read by a cadet, begin with ``Almighty God,'' ``O God,'' ``Father God,'' ``Heavenly Father,'' or ``Sovereign God.'' Each day's prayer was dedicated to giving thanks or asking God's blessing.

The prayer, which lasted less than 30 seconds, was part of a supper roll call ceremony held every night except Saturday. The cadets were not required to recite the prayer.

Let's see, 'Congress shall make no law'. Hmmm. When did VMI become Congress. When did they make a law?