The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California has demanded that Lancaster officials stop invoking Jesus' name during opening prayers for government meetings, or face possible legal action.
The ACLU states the practice is "clearly unconstitutional" in a letter addressed to Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris and the City Council.
In the letter sent last week, ACLU lawyer Peter Eliasberg said sectarian prayers make "members of a variety of faiths feel like outsiders in their own community."
He urged the officials to respond by Friday, or else, "you will likely face legal action, which would almost certainly result in a court order forbidding sectarian prayers at your City Council or other official government meetings, and requiring you to pay the plaintiffs' attorneys fees."
The letter cited numerous cases in which the U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts ruled as unconstitutional the practice of opening meetings with sectarian prayers unconstitutional.
In 2002, the California Court of Appeal upheld a Superior Court ruling that a prayer given by the city of Burbank "in the name of Jesus Christ" violated the First Amendment. It ordered the city to stop opening its meetings with sectarian prayers, and to inform anyone conducting a prayer that sectarian prayers are prohibited.
Lancaster City Attorney Dave McEwan declined requests for an interview, saying he needed more time to examine the issue, according to news wire service reports.
Eliasberg said he sent the letter in response to complaints from Lancaster residents.
"It's really disappointing that a City Council would engage in something that's so blatantly unconstitutional and which many, many court cases have held as unconstitutional," Eliasberg told City News Service.
An online petition to honor Parris for having "defied a threatening letter from the ACLU, by daring to pray publicly 'in Jesus name' himself, before a city council meeting" is available at the Pray in Jesus Name Project Website.
Contributing source: wire service reports.
Comments
Its pretty pitiful that people are so anxious to get the state to support their religious convictions even outside appropriate venues. What's wrong with praying in church? Your home? Your car? Walking down the street? Why does the state need to be involved?
@Al.... Yes, why does the state have to be involved in our speech? "Jesus" is not an illegal word!
"What's wrong with it Al is that it violates the heart and soul of the first ammendment of the United States Constitution!
"Congress shall make no law respecting (regarding) an establishment of religion, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF: OR ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH..."
Satan is not an illegal word either. Can I pray in His name?
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!