No Prayer for Ft. Walton Beach City Council
No Prayer for Ft. Walton Beach City Council Save Email Print
Posted: 1:43 PM May 28, 2008
Last Updated: 1:43 PM May 28, 2008
Reporter: Alex Denis


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Several weeks ago a volunteer board member for the Community Redevelopment Agency in Ft. Walton Beach expressed discomfort about a tradition at the group's meeting.

The woman, who is a Canadian citizen, said she didn't feel comfortable praying or saying the Pledge of Allegiance at the CRA meeting.

The Fort Walton Beach City Council met Tuesday evening to decide weather a pledge and prayer should be mandatory at every meeting.

The wall clearly states in God we trust, but that's not the message the Fort Walton Beach City Council gave Tuesday when they voted against a motion to make a moment of silence or an invocation mandatory at any meeting conducting city business.

Councilman Mike Minich said, "I don't think we should legislate anymore that you have to pray anymore than we should tell you that you can't pray."

The council was split on the decision to do away with prayer 3-3. The city's mayor, Mike Anderson, broke the tie by voting against a mandatory moment of silence.

As for requiring a mandatory Pledge of Allegiance, with all participants required to stand, the board passed that unanimously. Many of the audience members were pleased with that decision.

"The pledge, being standardized, if it's not already in all city meetings I think to do otherwise we set ourselves up for a fall."

Tuesday night's vote was strictly informational. From here the board will instruct the city's attorney to draw up the legal ordinance, and then move forward from there.

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Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 2, 2008 at 09:57 PM
Fort Walton Beach City Council meetings will continue to be opened with an invocation. However, it is at the appointed committee meetings that an invocation will not be mandatory.

Posted by: mary Location: crestview on Jun 1, 2008 at 12:26 PM
Why would all the other board members let a Canadan have so much influence. Maby we should send all of the Borad Menbers to Canada. I will buy all of them a one way ticket. Shame on you

Posted by: Felton Location: Crestview on Jun 1, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Why would there be a non resident non citizen on any type of board. Tell her to go back to Canada

Posted by: Wesley Location: Fort Walton Beach on May 29, 2008 at 07:04 AM
I will say that it is a sad world once this nation has given up on prayer. The fact that a Canadian citizen could influence our law makers this much is apauling. This nation was built on prayer and when we throw prayer out the window this nation will crumble. I will gladly help pay for a bus ticket to Canada for this woman and i am sure there are others who agree. On this thought I leave you: If we let forein people make americas laws we might as well be part of their country Right?