It wasn't until the Jackson Board of Aldermen added a moment of silent prayer to its regular meeting that most people realized there wasn't one.
Mayor Paul Sander said aldermen took a cue from the group who -- unhappy about a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against school-sanctioned prayers -- organized its own prayer at a Jackson High School home football game last month.
The aldermen wisely checked on the legality of a moment of silence and got the OK.
The new addition to the bimonthly meetings is a good one. It gives citizens the opportunity to, in their own ways, ask God's blessing on the proceedings or at least have a moment to reflect on what is about to happen.
America took God out of schools and public meetings, and things haven't changed for the better. What can it hurt to let him back in?
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.