[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 117 (Wednesday, September 27, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1608-E1609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REGARDS TO REVEREND CURTIS TURNER, AND PRAYER AT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 
                                 GAMES

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. BOB BARR

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 27, 2000

  Mr. BARR of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Reverend 
Curtis Turner, the pastor of the New Testament Baptist Church, in 
Ellenwood, Georgia.
  Recently, Rev. Turner led nearly 4,000 high school football fans in 
the Lord's Prayer, at the Paulding-East Paulding football game, which 
is the county's largest attended game each year.
  Rev. Turner and churches throughout the country, particularly in the 
South, have engaged in these prayers in protest of the U.S. Supreme 
Court's June misguided ruling, which concludes that student-led prayers 
at games and other events sanctioned by public schools are 
unconstitutional. Rev. Turner is planning on attending and leading the 
Lord's Prayer at other Friday night high school football games 
throughout the season. Also, he is gathering one million signatures in 
support of House Joint Resolution 66 introduced by Congressman Ernest 
Istook (R-Okla.). The resolution proposes an amendment to the 
Constitution of the United States restoring religious freedom.

[[Page E1609]]

  It is absurd to argue that allowing students voluntarily to say a 
brief prayer at a football game after school hours violates anyone's 
rights or is violative of our constitution. The First Amendment was 
never intended to eradicate religion from public life, and I commend 
the efforts of Rev. Turner for standing up for the sound values that 
form the foundation of our nation.

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