It struck me a bit odd this week that President Obama decided to turn back decades of White House tradition going back to Harry Truman in toning down the observance of the national day of prayer.   As noted here, there were no public events at the white house.  Ordinarily this might not be anything to worry about, but it seems to fit a pattern of the last three months that makes the Forgotten Man wonder why our new President doesn't seem to care much for religion and especially catholics.  For example, despite protestations, he appointed Harry Knox to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.  To read why this matters, go here and you will read about Knox badmouthing the Pope.  Need another example, go here, and then ask yourself why it was so important that our President needed to cover up Jesus so it wouldn't be seen in the background when he spoke? 

In all three of these instances, President Obama went out of his way to minimize religion.  The Forgotten Man has always kept to himself on this topic and could frankly care less if our President is 'religious'.  Once again, it seems like he has more important things to do than send strong signals about is disdain for religion.  There is someone that is happy about all of this.  "It's not his job to tell people to pray," said David Silverman, national spokesperson for the organization American Atheists. "We are very happy he did away with the George W. Bush-era celebrations and party, but we wish he wouldn't do it at all. ... When church and state are separate, separate is separate," he said.

Of course there is nothing in the Constitution about separation, but that's a post for another day.