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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994/09/19 RESOLUTION URGING THAT PRAYER BE RETURNED TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.i. ,ttachmeA- 7. NORTH CAROLINA HARNETT COUNTY RESOLUTION URGING THAT PRAYER BE RETURNED TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS The Harnett County Board of Commissioners at the September 19, 1994 meeting, considered the following resolution: WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States article (1) states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."; and WHEREAS, our nation was founded on the freedom OF RELIGION and was not founded on the freedom FROM RELIGION; and WHEREAS, through time, court decisions and certain interest groups have contributed to the deterioration of those religious beliefs and ideals to the extent that prayer has been banned from the public school system; and WHEREAS, the Commissioners believe that reinstitution of prayer in the public schools will move this nation toward those religious ideals and beliefs upon which this nation was founded; and WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners urges all cities and counties across this State to join in an effort to reinstate prayer in the public schools by passing similar resolutions and uniting in a "grass roots" movement for that purpose; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Harnett County Board of Commissioners strongly urges that prayer be returned to the public school systems of this nation and invites all cities and counties across this State to join in an effort to reinstate prayer in the public schools by passing similar resolutions and uniting in a grass roots movement for that purpose. Duly adopted this 19th day of September, 1994 upon motion by Commissioner Bowden , seconded by Commissioner Hill and it passed with the following vote: Ayes 5 Noes 0 Absent 0 ATTEST: 1���`'� Vanessa W. Young erk HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 7 4LSO-r/rel1Z,. , Chairman °a _; BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS H.L. SORREU., JR. Chairman BEATRICE B. HILL, Vice- Chairman JOSEPH T. BowDEN DAN B. ANoREws WALT TITCHENER COUNTY OF HARNETT P.O. BOX 759 • LILLINGTON, N.C. 27546 (910) 893 -7555 May 15, 1995 The Honorable Scott Armey Denton County Commissioner, Pct. 3 P. O. Box 292243 Lewisville, Texas 75029 -2243 Dear Commissioner: COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE NEJL EMORY Wm. A. (TONY) WILDER, Assistant CLERK TO THE BOARD VANESSA W. YOUNG The Harnett County Board of Commissioners adopted the enclosed resolution urging that prayer be returned to the public schools. Sincer 1 Neil Emory County Manager NE: kb Enclosure Harnett County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision of services. SCOTT ARMEY May 4, 1993 Denton County Commissioner Precinct 3 Harnett County County Courthouse P.O. Box 759 Lillington, NC 27546 Dear County Commissioners, ApY,�9ED �t o caato� E You may recall in July of last year I sent you a copy of a resolution along with a letter requesting Harnett County to join with Texas Counties in our grassroots movement to encourage the return of voluntary prayer to our public schools. We have had considerable response to our call for support of reinstating prayer in public schools with approximately 196 counties from 27 states across the country passing similar resolutions. This number does not include the 165 Texas counties that have joined our effort. In Texas, this number represents almost two- thirds of Texas' 254 counties. I have attached a list of all of the counties around the nation that have notified Denton County of their actions. If Harnett County has acted on this resolution, but is not listed, please send me a copy of the resolution that you have passed. I am sure you have seen that the issue of public school prayer has risen_to_ the forefront of national debate. Many encouraging things are happening both in Washington, D.C. and in state capitols across the country. U. S. Congressman Ernest Istook from Oklahoma is currently drafting a constitutional amendment relating to school prayer, and U. S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich has stated that he wants a vote on the issue before the Fourth of July of this year. We need to continue to build our support at the grassroots level in every state to send the message to our legislators in Washington, D.C. that the American people hold the right to observe voluntary prayer in our public schools as an inalienable right which should have never been taken from us. Our grassroots effort is building a great deal of momentum, but we need your help. I hie you will join our grassroots effort by approving the enclosed resolution. If we can get a majority of the nation's counties to join this effort, we will have a significant impact on our U.S. Representatives when they consider this issue in July. P.O. Box 292243, Lewisville, TX 75029 -2243 - (214) 219 -7138 Not Paid for at Taxpayer Expense May 4, 1995 Page 2 I have enclosed another copy of the resolution as well as a list of the counties from around the country that have notified me of their support for this effort. I am very grateful to those counties who have already acted on this request, and want to extend my personal appreciation for their expedient efforts on this important issue. Also, please be sure to forward me a copy of the resolution once you have taken action on it so that my files will be up to date. I hope to testify before the Congress later this Summer, and the strength of our message is in its numbers. If you have already acted on the resolution, please contact your neighboring counties to encourage their support as well. Thank you very much for your consideration and please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need additional information regarding this request. Sincerely, 67�� Scott Armey Denton County Commissioner, Pct. 3 SRA /lkp Enclosures RESOLUTION URGING THAT • PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE PRAYER BE RETURNED TO THE ' COMMISSIONERS COURT PUBLIC SCHOOLS • DENTON COUNTY ' JUNE 22, 1893 The Commissioners. Court of Denton County, Texas meeting in special session the 22nd day of June 1993, considered the following resolution: WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States Article m states, •Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...'; and WHEREAS, our nation was founded upon by many different religious beliefs and ideals of settlers from other countries; and WHEREAS, the framers of our Constitution sought to protect everyone from one mandated elate religion; and WHEREAS, our nation was founded on the freedom OF RELIGION and was not founded on the freedom. FROM RELIGION; and WHEREAS, through time, court decisions and certain interest groups have contributed to the deterioration of those religious beliefs and ideals to the extent that prayer has been banned from the public school system; and WHEREAS, the Commissioners Court strongly believes that reinstitution of pre' tr In the public schools will move this nation toward those religious Ideals and beliefs upon Uch this .nation was founded; and WHEREAS, the Commissioners Court urges all cities and counties across this State to join In an effort to reinstate prayer in the public schools by passing similar resolutions and uniting in a 'grass roots' movement for that purpose; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Denton County Commissioners Court, Denton County, Texas strongly urges that prayer be returned to the public school systems of this notion and invites all cities and counties across this State to join in an effort to reinstate prayer In the public schools by passing similar resolutions and uniting in a grass roots movement for that purpose.. q DONE IN OPEN COURT, this 22nd day of June, 1993, upon motion by >< . Uib.na.� seconded by - . i'ao.r,.n. W I�a�� . and F members of the Court beinoand votina-lave•. rrecmm r OTT ARMEY, COMMISSIONER Praolnet i ". ATTEST: TIM HODGES, County Clerk and Ex-Officio Clark of the Commissioners Court of - Denton /county, Tem') 1 i Wr& .J :NDV JACOnS, COYYISSIONER DON HILL. Praeinel 196 counties ALABAMA Calhoun Crenshaw Walker Wilcox ARKANSAS Clay Cleveland Conway Faulkner Greene Perry Phillips Pope White FLORIDA Baker Clay Gilchrist Gulf Hillsborough Madison Nassau GEORGIA Calhoun Colquitt Douglas Glynn IDAHO Jefferson Lemhi ILLINOIS Clark Lawrence Logan Mason Stephenson INDIANA Daviess Orange Washington from 27 states as of 5 -4 -95. IOWA MISSISSIPPI OHIO OREGON Van Buren Franklin Adams Tillamook Lamar Carroll Wallowa KANSAS Lincoln Columbiana Perry Guernsey PENNSYLVANIA Cheyenne Harrison Elk MONTANA Morrow Bedford Graham Muskingum Carbon Linn Daniels Portage Elk Montgomery Lake Tuscarawas Greene Neosho Van Wert Indiana NEBRASKA Jefferson KENTUCKY OKLAHOMA Potter Cedar Schuylkill Ballard Richardson Adair Venango Carter Stanton Alfalfa Fulton "-Valley___, . Atoka SOUTH Lawrence Beckham DAKOTA Marshall NEW MEXICO Bryan McCreary Caddo Douglas Pulaski Catbon- Canadian Harding Robertson Cherokee McCook ' NEW YORK Choctaw Pennington LOUISIANA =. Cimarron Montgomery Coal TENNESSEE Assumption Cotton Avoyelles NORTH Craig McMinn Bienville CAROLINA Creek Bossier Custer - VIRGINIA Calcasieu Alleghany Delaware Concordia Anson Dewey Appomattox Evangeline Beaufort Garfield Caroline Lafayette Burke Garvin Lancaster Lafourche Caldwell Grady Page LaSalle Camden Grant Tazewell Pointe Coupee Craven Harper Rapides. Currituck Haskell WEST St. Bernard Dare Hughes VIRGINIA St. Charles Davidson Jefferson St. Helena Duplin Kay -- Brooke St. James Graham Le Flore Gilmer St. Landry Granville' Marshall McDowell Vermilion Halifax McIntosh Ritchie Washington Hyde Noble Wayne Webster Jones Oklahoma Webster West Carroll Macon Okmulgee Wood Martin Osage MICHIGAN Onslow Pawnee WYOMING Pasquotank Pittsburg Clare Perquimans Pontotoc Park Missaukee Randolph Roger Mills Montcalm Rockingham Sequoyah Oscoda Rowan Stephens Presque Isle Washington Texas St. Joseph Yancey Tillman Wagoner Woodward NOTE: We believe other counties have acted on this resolution, but have not notified us.