Shame in the Senate -- Updated

by shamanic

Props to Kathryn Jean Lopez at the Corner for posting this video and calling it "Not the Senate's best moment". Indeed: Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain from Nevada, was about to commence the morning prayer when several Christian protesters began praying loudly in an attempt to shout him down.

Three people who were not identified to the media were removed from the chamber's observation gallery. It does seem reasonable that one of the three was Gordon James Klingenschmitt, a former Navy Chaplain who once went on a hunger strike when he accused the Navy of prohibiting him from praying "in Jesus' name". Klingenschmitt made himself available to either write or dictate the copy of this press release, which stated his intention to be present for Zed's prayer. If I had to guess, I would imagine that another person removed was Janet Folger, who claims to host a radio program and who planned to hold some kind of Q&A with Klingenschmitt in the Capitol Rotunda afterwards, according to the press release. And perhaps the third was her producer? Just guessing here.

These people are not the best of America.

More reaction at Shakesville and No More Mister Nice Blog (which has the American Family Association's scare alert about the morning prayer).

Later I learn... that the rank speculation of my blogging was (as is so often the case) wrong. According to Eric Kleefeld at TPM Cafe, the protesters were the Pavkovic family of, it looks like, Mooresville, NC. I'm going to engage in a little more rank blogger speculation and guess that Ante Pavkovic from the Senate heckling is the same Ante Pavkovic getting slammed in this post as "quite simply, rude, crude, and socially unacceptable. Yet he claims to name the name of Jesus Christ."