prayerI’ve been posting a lot of articles from other sources lately, but honestly, this time I just couldn’t resist. I think this story might bring new meaning to the question, “What would Jesus do if He were photographed while praying?”
http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/01/colo-lawmaker-k.html?loc=interstitialskip
Colo. lawmaker kicks photographer during prayer
Upset that news photographers were taking his picture during lawmakers' morning prayer, a rookie Colorado legislator gave a Denver photojournalist a swift kick in the knee today, the Rocky Mountain News reports.
Colorado Springs Republican Douglas Bruce, an anti-tax crusader sworn in this afternoon to fill a state House vacancy, kicked RMN photographer Javier Manzano, who had crouched before Bruce as he stood for the chamber's morning prayer.
"Don't do that again," Bruce snapped before shoeing Manzano.
Afterward, Bruce defended his knee-jerk reaction, saying he had warned the photographers against taking his picture during the prayer and Pledge of Allegiance.
"In 21 years, I don't think there has ever been an instance where I had to do something to stop somebody from behaving in such a coarse and disgusting way," Bruce told reporters.
House rules give photographers unrestricted access during prayers or any other activities on the House floor.
Asked later whether he planned to apologize, Bruce said: "I think the Rocky Mountain News photographer ought to apologize to the House and to me and to all the people whom he disrupted. He needs to get a lesson in manners and decorum."
Manzano declined to comment, his paper says.
Update at 7:24 a.m. ET: Legislators from both parties are criticizing Bruce.
"Violence towards anyone, on the House floor or on the street, anywhere - it's atrocious, it's inappropriate, I don't know how many negative words I can say towards that," House Minority Leader Mike May, a fellow Republican, tells the Rocky Mountain News. "This isn't over. We're exploring what the appropriate response is as a body."
The local CBS affiliate has footage of Bruce kicking the photographer.
