Still a Controversy.

When I was in second grade, there was always a moment of silence before we got the day started; it could be used for prayer (to whomever you believe in) or to curse the quiz on times tables we had later that day. However, all this ceased when it was made clear that prayer in schools was "a violation of the separation of church and state." Coincidentally, when the prayer stopped, violence and behavioral issues exponentially increased.

A few years ago, Kanye West, one of the most controversial--and conceited--rappers to date, released a song called "Jesus Walks." He was the aim of much disapproval by those around him, pointing out in the song, "N*ggas can rap about anything except for Jesus..." His mentor, Jay-Z, wrote and produced a song on his fifth (and supposedly final) album called "Lucifer." On the track, he prays to God that he is forgiven for all his sins, as well of those sins of his fallen friends. The single never made it mainstream. This concept isn't just in the rap community. A pop song currently on the radio laments, "How we got into this mess/is it God's test?"

I say that to say this: prayer in schools is disconcerting, but pop culture sings about it regularly. That makes no sense. Today's youth is said to be easily influenced by the music they hear...however, why is the positive message overlooked, but the negative message spreads seemingly through osmosis. Was it coincidence that the woman that pushed so adamantly for the removal of school prayer died tragically, and soon, after the law was passed?

Is the separation of church and state separating the innocence from our youth? The saying goes that God looks after fools and babies, where do the new generation of prayerless souls fit?