Prayer appeal OK'd: Plyler agrees to go along with his party

(By Wesley Young, Winston-Salem Journal) - After hearing emotional appeals both for and against, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners voted 4-3 last night to appeal a federal judge's ruling that county meetings cannot begin with prayers that include the name of Jesus or otherwise show affiliation with some particular faith.

Dave Plyler, the chairman and swing vote on an otherwise evenly split board, aligned himself with fellow Republicans Debra Conrad, Richard Linville and Gloria Whisenhunt to appeal the case to the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Opposing the appeal were Democrats Beaufort Bailey, Ted Kaplan and Walter Marshall.

"I think we need to make it clear to the community that we have always made a practice of having an open door to all religions," Conrad said after the meeting. "I certainly hope we win the appeal."