Mayor Don Reimal said Thursday he is prepared to go to court for his belief that prayer should continue prior to Independence City Council meetings.
“They’re going to have to sue us. We’re not going to stop,” Reimal said Thursday at the monthly Independence Ministerial Alliance meeting, referring to a letter he received in June from the Freedom From Religion Foundation based in Madison, Wis. “If it comes to a lawsuit, we’re going to need your support.”
Upon receiving the letter, Reimal said he immediately forwarded it to the city’s legal department. According to the foundation’s Web site, the complaints over claims of illegally and routinely opening city council meetings with prayer were made on behalf of area residents and taxpayers, as well as the foundation’s 14,000 members across the United States.
“The prayers being offered do not fall into the narrow exception of constitutionally permissible government-sponsored prayer laid out by the Supreme Court,” wrote Rebecca Kratz, the foundation’s staff attorney, claiming that the prayers turn non-Christians into “political outsiders.” “The prayers currently given during council meetings impermissibly advance Christianity and lead a reasonable observer to believe that the council is endorsing not only religion over non-religion, but also Christianity over other faiths.”
Reimal said, “A letter is not going to stop it,” adding that the prayers before council meetings have taken place at least since the 16 years he has served on the council.
A sign-up sheet is routinely given to Independence Ministerial Alliance members at their monthly meetings, who then furnish community leaders to provide the prayer before meetings. The prayer, Reimal said, is open to all faiths, including Islam and Judaism.
“We don’t restrict it,” he said.
