From today's editorial page of The Mercury:
THORNS to a group calling itself Americans United for Separation of Church and State for threatening to sue Pennsylvania because the state Senate routinely opens its sessions with a benediction. As has been the custom for hundreds of years, the Senate invites religious leaders to open its session with a prayer. The prayers are non-denominational and great care is taken to invite representatives of all religions to participate. The Washington, D.C.-based Americans United says any prayer in a public setting is unconstitutional. Tell that to Congress, where the House and Senate also begin their sessions with prayer. This is an attempt by a fringe group to impose its views on the majority of Pennsylvanians. Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati said he will fight any attempt to change the Senate tradition of inviting representatives of Christian, Jewish, Islamic and other religious traditions to offer the benediction. He also noted that the opening prayer on Tuesday was given by Sensei Anthony Stultz of the Blue Mountain Lotus Society, a Buddhist group in the Harrisburg area.
You can read more about the brewing controversy in an article by Tom Barnes of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
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