A Girl in Shelby County says prayer at graduation. And soon all hell breaks loose in the letters to the editor of the Shelby County Sentinel-News.

Apparently, the school board voted to remove prayer as an item from the formal schedule of graduation to conform to the Constitution (damn you Constitution!). But since prayer can be initiated by students in settings like graduation as a matter of free speech, a student said a prayer. Of her own volition. Or something like that. Sounds kind of boring, no matter, and I’m pretty sure the prayer wasn’t something juicy like, “Dear Heavenly Father, You are the creator and sucker of donkey balls, In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

The most reasoned letter on the subject comes from W. Paul Olsen, Esq.

But I’m not interested in thoughtful. I’m all for the bat-shit insane.

And that’s why today’s moment of zen-tucky comes from Allen Spencer of Shelbyville:

Put God first
By Allen Spencer

I read the article on the girl who said a prayer at the SCHS graduation saying we need God and we need prayer. How can anyone say anything against this?

We claim to be a Christian country. In surveys almost 70 percent of Americans will tell you that they are Christians, although that’s not the truth. If it were, a lot of things we allow in this country would not be tolerated.

Prayer is not a religious activity; it is a form of worship. God says in First Thessolonians pray without ceasing. Jesus taught others how to pray.

Take a good look at this country and tell me we don’t need God. We are leaving God out of everything because it might offend somebody. We use the word diversity for non-believers. It’s time people start worrying about what God thinks and not what others think. I don’t know much about Supreme Court rulings or amendments but when it comes to God it’s either right or wrong, saved or lost, there’s no gray area.

Too many people use fancy words trying to prove their point or how educated they are. That might impress man but not God. God’s looking for people to tell the truth at all costs. We are to pray because there is power in the name of Jesus. When you believe and use that name things happen. The devil knows this and that’s why he uses others to try to keep you from praying and using Jesus’ name.

Christians need to be bold and stand up for what is right. I’m sure God is well pleased with the young lady who did his will. Personally, I don’t care what others think. I’ll speak the truth or pray wherever and whenever knowing the one who will judge me and everyone else sits on his throne in heaven.

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That thieving horde of politicians in Washington that styles itself the U.S. Senate also prides itself on a tradition and nurtured culture of decorum.

And those circumstances make the open disdain we’re seeing of Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) these days all the more remarkable.  First came this exchange between Bunning and Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) that received wide coverage inside the Beltway:

Bunning: “Regular order!”

Byrd: “Who said that?”

Bunning: “I did.”

Byrd: “Who are you?”

Bunning: “I’m a senator.”

Byrd: “You’re a great baseball man.”

Bunning: “I’m a senator; I have the same rights as you.”

Byrd: “Yeah, man, you’re a senator.” [Ends by laughing hysterically at Bunning.]

And here’s the exchange between Bunning and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke from yesterday, where Bunning comes off as a raving lunatic from the era of the Red Scare and Bernanke gets “tart” with the old man in the end:

The strongest criticism came from Republicans.

“When I picked up my newspaper yesterday, I thought I woke up in France,” Senator Jim Bunning, Republican of Kentucky, said at the hearing. “But no, it turns out socialism is alive and well in America.”

Bunning complained that Paulson would be gone in January, while most lawmakers “will be sitting at the table” left paying the bill.

“You want an unlimited amount and some of us at this table don’t like an unlimited amount of federal dollars,” Bunning said in a particularly testy exchange. “Do you really think we can believe exactly what you are saying, Secretary Paulson?”

“I believe everything I say,” Paulson replied. “I’ve been around markets for a long time.”

“So have I,” Bunning angrily responded. “Where will the money come from if, in fact, we have to use the backstop?”

After Paulson replied that he did not think any money would be needed, Bunning said, “That doesn’t answer my question. Where is the money going to come from?”

“From the government,” Paulson said.

“And who is the government?” Bunning asked.

“The taxpayer,” Paulson said.

Paulson suggested that if Bunning did not like the plan, he should vote against it.

“I will do everything I can to stop it,” Bunning said, referring to the Treasury’s plan.

“And maybe you can come up with a better plan,” Paulson tartly replied.

I’ve never met the man, but I [heart] James Brown, editor of the Glasgow Daily Times. My shallow affections stem in toto from this July 12 oped he penned [see screen capture below]. And, beyond doubt, no truer lede  will be written this year in Kentucky; I also note that the story’s URL ends with “topstory”.