Can you imagine the howls of righteous Fox Christian indignation if a Muslim high school valedictorian defied school policy and and said a Muslim prayer. The usual suspects on Fox Christian News would be appalled and calling for the kid to be waterboarded at Gitmo. Or, say, if a gay student broke into Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." There would definitely be talk about how the evil "gay agenda" is being foisted on innocent, young, heterosexual, Christian youth. But when a South Carolina public high school valedictorian tossed his pre-approved school speech and burst forth with a hearty "Our Father" (Protestant version) to thunderous applause, Fox News went positively orgasmic (chaste and Christian, of course) with praise for this young Christian soldier who defied school policy. Starting with ace Christian (and very heterosexual) culture clubber Todd Starnes and making its way to Fox News Insider, the "extraordinary" story was told with hosannas in the highest. And this morning, Christian warrior princess Gretchen Carlson validated and praised this "brave" civil disobedience. Praise Jesus and Roger Ailes!
After showing video in which Roy Costner IV said the Lord's Prayer, former Miss America and Jesus BFF Gretchen Carlson remarked that it was "brave." Costner told Gretch that evil atheist organizations were messing with the town just because they pray before school board meetings. Of course, this being Fox & Friends, what was presented wasn't quite the truth.
The reality is that there had been complaints about how students were leading Christian prayers to open monthly meetings of the school's board of trustees - in other words, school sponsored prayer which has been ruled unconstitutional. There have been complaints about other questionable practices which seem to violate the First Amendment such as discriminatory hiring (devout Christians only need apply), use of Christian themed school posters, and Christian praise music sung in classes such as "Jesus Christ, You are my Savior" sung in second grade classes.
Costner, after noting that the school was ordered to have only sectarian prayer for graduation, said that the community is fully supportive of Christianity. After Gretch asked him why he decided to violate the policy, Costner started preaching about how God is so important in his life and that taking him out of school will hurt the school because without God, students get ornery. The chyron: "Sacred Speech, Teen Defies School Prayer Ban."
After Gretch read a school statement in which the administration said that they can't punish the student, a grinning Costner said that he was scared but he believes that some of the school administrators were really supporting him during the prayer but "due to their positions," they couldn't admit it. But they did say that they "respect him for what he did." Gretch told Costner that she has something in common with him. Not only was she a valedictorian, but she believes that "you should stand up for what you believe in" because "it makes you a better role model for your eventual children that you may have." She congratulated him "for taking a stand."
So all you valedictorians out there - just let loose with whatever you want to say because Gretchen Carlson says that you "should stand up for what you believe in." As long as you're Christian that is. Anybody else is going to hell...especially Muslims....
Bravery is doing something like this in the face of overwhelming opposition. Reciting a Christian prayer to a (mostly) Christian audience does not come close to qualifying, regardless of what clearly unenforced rule he thought he was breaking.
Fox “News” hypocrisy? Of course.
The Krischun right would have a collective coronary if a Muslim prayer was spoken, no doubt.
This kid is being used by conservatives for political purposes.
But, bravo to him for giving the school the finger and exercising his First Amendment rights. The school cannot promote one religion over the other, but if we do not support his Free Speech rights, we are no better than the hypocrites at the Fox Propaganda Network.