CNN - Federal judge strikes down National Day of Prayer statute
CNN reports: "A federal judge on Thursday struck down the federal statute that established the National Day of Prayer, ruling that it violates the constitutional ban on government-backed religion."

Comment: I'm not surprised by this ruling. Americans are a very legalistic culture, a very individualistic culture, and in the absence of a firm grasp of their own history, they are apt to resent the government telling them it's time to pray. There are entire generations of Americans now, failed by their educational system, who do not understand the difference between freedom of religion and freedom from religion. The Founders of the United States understood that difference and were quite capable of articulating the sentiment if they really wanted to found an secular republic that denied God in the public square. The fact that they asked prayerfully for the blessings and guidance of God as they founded their new republic should stand as a resounding refutation of this modern idea. You would think a judge would know better.