Two years ago, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners decided to replace the moment of silence at their meetings with an invocation prayer.

And now the economic development committee has approved a resolution to put up the words “In God We Trust” behind the area where the commissioners sit.

The resolution will now go to the full commission for a final vote.

“We need all the help we can get,” Commissioner Juan C. Zapata said in support of the resolution during the economic development committee’s afternoon meeting. Added the committee’s chairwoman, outgoing Commissioner Lynda Bell: “Amen, brother.”

If you need help, then go to experts. Go educate yourself. Spend more time in the office if you need to. But putting a religious sign behind you isn’t gonna fix any of your problems.

Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, issued a statement Thursday evening condemning the vote. “Whatever symbolic victory Commissioners feel they might secure by mandating that ‘In God We Trust’ be emblazoned above the dais may come at the cost of making some members of our community feel alienated and unwelcome by their own county government,” he wrote.

It won’t matter. These commissioners don’t care about anyone but themselves. But if you’d like to send them a polite, respectful email urging them to vote against the proposal, you can find their contact information right here.

(Image via Shutterstock. Thanks to Brian for the link)



