Do you believe your right to be atheist in public is protected by the constitution?

I agree. these young man are doing nothing wrong, but they are being lead by a few zealots who are telling them to do. Some of this sound like what those Baptist wacko's who went to Haiti would come up with.

For Matt81, Harry Lamar, my12floz, bbd, and others; you do not need to pray for me to night, or have God bless Me, or invokwe Jesus for me. I will take my chances with my God, with with my prayers, in the privacy of my house or in my church.

And for Windjammer: Butt out big guy. I am in no way an atheist. And, I do not impose my beliefs on anyone, nor should anyone impose their's on me.

As I said previously, anyway you describe this proposal, it is still prayer. Why not just do what the KSHSAA position states: have a moment of silence, meditation, and personal thoughts. Plus have what ever you are going to have in a private place--a class room or hallway, but not in the gymn, foyer, or commons area, and have it completed before the start of scheduled sanctioned events.

We had one more agree, and are getting close to many other regionals being filled. Thanks again. With regionals being tomorrow, I just wanna say good luck to everyone!

CLASS 6A -- Saturday, February 20, 2010
Manhattan High School – Michael Ashpole, Witchita Heights
Overland Park-Blue Valley Northwest High School –
Shawnee Mission West High School – Ben Randolph, Shawnee Mission East
Wichita Northwest High School –

CLASS 5A-- Saturday, February 20, 2010
Kansas City-Turner High School –
Newton High School –
Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights High School – Andrew Laib, Emporia
Wichita-Bishop Carroll High School –


CLASS 4A -- Friday and Saturday, February 19-20, 2010
Chanute High School – Zac Sparr, Rose Hill
De Soto High School – Ryne Cokeley, St. James Academy
Holton High School - Brett LaMar, Silver Lake
Pratt High School –


CLASS 3-2-1A -- Friday and Saturday, February 19-20, 2010
Hoisington High School -
Marion High School - Michael Vander Linden, Burlington
Norton-Norton Community High School -
Rossville High School - Colton Gentry, Rossville

Michael Vander Linden

Next they are going to want us to get rid of the national anthem in case a citizen of another country is in the crowd.........

We are now accepting applications.

This post is represented by Brett LaMar, the co-founder of Wrestlers for Christ.
I just heard word from my father that the prayer I do before every tournament, that started off with over 1,000 straight injury free matches, has to be stopped by tomorrow. The first thing that popped into my mind is that there is absolutely no way that a person of any authority can tell me or any of my fellow wrestlers, coaches, managers, or officials when and how we present our prayer. Who has the authority to do so other than that guy named God? If you have a legit problem with this issue and you are really wanting this to stop, then come approach me center mat, and try to tell me and the other 100 wrestlers,officials, coaches, managers, and parents that it is illegal to do what the Constitution has guaranteed us to do. Why does this really bother people? Is it really offending you that much that you can't stand to see it?
I'll tell whoever is listening. Tomorrow I am going to invite people down for a prayer before we wrestle, and we are going to pray for a loved one from this State's wrestling family that has passed away recently, and we are going to pray for no one in our families and closest friends to ever have to experience something like that again that happened to the Newton community on Tuesday. Then I'm going to pray for safety, and for the well being of every student-athlete that has the guts to stick it out this long to be here on the regional mats today, and for the coaches who have worked day in and day out trying to prep their kids up for this big weekend, and for those coaches not to lose one of their wrestlers they care so deeply about, and for the officials that have showed up countless hours every Friday and Saturday working their butts off. I am then going to pray for all of those people and for their safety and I am going to look up to the Lord and thank him for keeping those people safe. That is what this prayer is about and I want to know whom-evers concerns they have about any thing I said.
God Bless to all. You will all be in my prayers.

Brett LaMar, SLHS

This is something that is NOT forced on anyone. If they would like to participate they are incouraged to do so. This is done durring the time when we wrestlers are warming up anyways so if you or your wresler doesn't believe in this practice, do not participate and continue to warm up. I think this is a great way to make everyone closer to not just God but to each other as team mates. I know it has helped my team out tremendously, and we are a rather close team and everyone gets along. I say we should have this at more tournaments and if you dont want to watch it, show up 10 minutes later, its should not be a problem for someone to practice thier religion in public because someone else doesn't belive the same. Good idea and God bless EVERYONE!! and AMERICA!

Let your light so shine before men,that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Benelli, can you read? Do you understand what the word word voluntary means? The dictionary states:

Voluntary- proceeding from the will or from one's own choice or consent.

No one has to join in the prayer if you do not want too. No one is being brain washed. Kids at Catholic Schools still have their own opinions about faith. A simple voluntary prayer is not going to change anybody's faith or opinions.

These are high school kids expressing them selves through way of prayer and wrestling. It is something great that Michael and Brett have started and I'll bet that more people want to see it continue rather than have it shut down. I know I would.

Brett's post says it all. Now that's a young man that we all can be proud of. Even you, Contrary.

I am not understanding where you are coming from, even if a prayer is put over the loud speaker it does not dictate that people have to join in. On the contrary it is nothing more than an invitation for a moment of silence and reflection for people of any faith. (Also you are only making this cause stronger by working against it saying anything only makes the Christains feel persecuted .. )

That's the point, you ARE trying to impose your beliefs on people. You believe they should not have a public prayer and you are trying to impose that belief on others by sending them to a private place.

I did not say you are an atheist, I asked if you felt you have a constitutional right to act as one in public. I believe you do,and I believe they have a right to pray when and where their faith dictates to them that they should. If you find it distasteful, don't watch. I promise there are no ritual sacrifices or anything.

Once again, with all the problems our young people face today, it's sad when it is viewed by anyone as a problem that some of our best take a moment of fellowship to pray for safety and sportsmanship.

Pretty amazing that 200,000 people had enough respect to shut up and stand at attention when the Daytona 500 had their prayer invocation, then the national anthem. I guess we only have 2 here in Kansas that are that disrespectful.........

Folks, all I can say, when idiots like this get you down, is to remember the SILENT MAJORITY.

There is not a constitutionall right to be free from offense.

In other words, you have the right to be offended. But your being offended does not trump my right to free speech or the free expression of religion.

As long as its not organized by the school system who cares. But I would hope that the same people who support this would also be as tolerant of the Muslim wrestlers(there may be a few in Kansas) also having their prayer meeting, or the Gay wrestlers (there may be a few in Kansas, maybe more then Muslim wrestlers) having their informal parade.

I think most would, but gayness (if that's a word) does not enjoy constitutional protection so there is a distinction.

I'm guessing neither of those groups were in attendance at Daytona?

Why in the world would you want to take away something so positive! In a world where so much negativity is occurring it is great to see that our youth can still come together and pray for positive things to come to them and those around them! I know my son kneels down before every match and asks that both wrestlers are kept safe and a good match is wrestled. Glad to see our youth stand up for something they believe in!

If they were in attendance, I bet they respected the rest of the folks who chose to take part.

Let me add another comment. This solemn moment is something that these kids should take to heart. What really hacks me off is when some kid goes to the corner of the mat before his match starts, does his prayer thing, points to heaven, then acts like a total punk, headslapping, shoving his opponent into the bleachers, throwing a fit when he loses, etc. I don't believe that is what the Good Lord told him to do during his prayer. You see it every weekend on TV with the pro guys. And it rubs off on our kids. If you are going to honor the Good Lord with a prayer, give him a little more honor by not acting like an idiot after the prayer.........

Did I just hijack the post, or does that make sense to anyone else?

I will attend a 4A regional today, a 5A regional tomorrow, and probably the 4A finals tomorrow night. I will see some good wrestling, and I will enjoy myself. If they call for a moment of silence, meditation, and personal thoughts, I will join in. Do not attack my thoughts or my patriotism. I am believer, and I may be the only responder on this particular forum who has carried a gun and gone to far far away bad places.