Almost fresh from an assisted living facility over in Georgia:

Senior Citizens Inc. officials said Friday the meals they are contracted  by the city to provide to Ed Young visitors are mostly covered with  federal money, which ushers in the burden of separating church and  state.On Thursday, the usual open prayer before meals at the  center was traded in for a moment of silence.

The dilemma is being  hashed out by the Port Wentworth city attorney, said Mayor Glenn "Pig"  Jones.

Tim Rutherford, Senior Citizens Inc. vice president, said  some of his staff recently visited the center and noticed people praying  shortly before lunch was served. Rutherford said his company provides  meals like baked chicken, steak tips and rice and salads at a cost of  about $6 a plate. Seniors taking the meals pay 55 cents and federal  money foots the rest of the bill, Rutherford said.

"We can't scoff  at their rules," he said of federal authorities. "It's a part of the  operational guidelines."

Rutherford said the moment of silence was  introduced to protect that funding. He said although the change may  have been misinterpreted, perhaps his company could have done a better  job selling it.

"It's interpreted that we're telling people that  they can't pray, but we aren't saying that," he said. "We're asking them  to pray to themselves. Have that moment of silence."

We aren’t telling them that they “can’t pray.” No, not at all. What we are doing is telling them that if they pray, they and all of their friends will lose the money that paid for their food. If we tell this to them with the right words, they won’t mind. Only 45% are religious anyway.

Government money in a democracy is a dangerous thing.