South Jordan and The Sneetches

I live in South Jordan which is a suburb of Salt Lake City.  It is a really great place to live, so my critique is said as one who is happy to be a citizen of South Jordan.

I went to my first city council meeting this evening. I was surprised and dismayed to find they open such meetings with a prayer.  One of the council was asked to pray.  He stood up and gave an off- the cuff prayer that would have been perfectly appropriate for any evangelical or LDS church meeting in South Jordan.

However, in this hall containing  an American governmental body, which is supposed to represent all Americans, the prayer struck me as vulgar and crass. I have never seen such an un-American action taken under the guise of some sort of patriotic fidelity.

The event reminded me again why separation of church and state is so important.  In that prayer, the government of South Jordan reminded its citizens which team is "correct".  It drew a line as to who is in and who is out.  The "other" may be welcomed, but only at the discretion and grace of those of the proper faith.

It is not the position of government to side with a religion... or to show preference to Sneetches with stars or without.

Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches

Had bellies with stars.

The Plain-Belly Sneetches

Had none upon thars.

Those stars weren't so big.  They were really so small

You might think such a thing wouldn't matter at all.

Please South Jordan, do your duty and represent all of us.