Via Religion Clause, the City Council prayer policy of Lancaster, California has been challenged in a new lawsuit. Just last month, the town's residents voted to allow sectarian prayers to continue in a ballot referendum. A majority vote, however, does not allow the violation of constitutional rights. Plaintiff Shelley Rubin, Chairwoman of the Jewish Defense League, argues that the opening invocations have done just that.
The complaint says Rubin attended the Lancaster City Council's April 27 meeting and was "extremely upset and disappointed by the reference to Jesus Christ" in an invocation delivered by Bishop Henry Hearns…pastor of Living Stone Cathedral of Worship in Littlerock.
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"This is not one religion versus another religion," [attorney Roger] Diamond said. "This is about keeping religion out of government. … I argue that we are on the side of religion, because we're protecting it from government."
