Loud cheers broke out at the county's Government Center when the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners decided last night to appeal a federal judge's decision to ban sectarian prayer before board meetings.
Mike Sparks of Winston-Salem smiled as he spoke about supporting the commissioners' vote.
Sparks was part of a crowd of about 800 people gathered inside and outside the building to watch the commissioners' meeting on several televisions placed throughout the government center.
"The government represents the will of the people," Sparks said. "Historically, there have been prayers at public meetings. Why is it unconstitutional now?"
Judge James A. Beaty ruled Jan. 28 that Forsyth County was violating the U.S. Constitution by allowing prayers with sectarian references before county commissioners' meetings.
Commissioners voted 4-3 to appeal Beaty's ruling after receiving assurances from groups supporting the fight that they would pay the legal bill.
Robert Harrison of Winston-Salem also said he was excited by the commissioners' decision.
"It was important because of religious freedom," Harrison said. "The freedom to pray in the name of Jesus is very important."
People started arriving at the government center about 2 hours before the 6 p.m. meeting. They quickly filled the commissioners' chambers and several other overflow rooms inside the building.
Some people wore white stickers with red letters that said, "In the Name of Jesus, We Pray," and "Freedom of Prayer."
The crowd standing in the lobby applauded when 10 of the 12 people who spoke during the meeting's public session supported appealing Beaty's ruling.
Most of the crowd was silent when two speakers urged the commissioners to end the legal fight.
Several in the crowd quietly criticized Commissioner Walter Marshall when he defended his position against the appeal and attacked the Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative Christian legal group who had paid the county's legal costs and promised to pay for the county's appeal.
Before the commissioners' voted, Carol Haywood of Winston-Salem said she wanted them to appeal the judge's ruling. She said that her pastor at Northridge Baptist Church in Rural Hall urged the congregation to attend last night's meeting.
"This country was founded on Jesus, God and prayer," she said.
Richard Settle of Clemmons also said that the commissioners should maintain sectarian prayers at their meetings.
"If think if someone is Muslim and prays, that is all right with me," said Settle, a member of Center Grove Baptist Church in Clemmons. "If someone is Buddhist and prays, I'm all for it. But don't prevent me from praying."
jhinton@wsjournal.com
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