Supreme Court debates opening government meetings wth a prayer
"God save the United States and this honorable court," began a Supreme Court hearing last week that debated whether government meetings should be allowed to open with a prayer.
Two women in Greece, New York, are suing the upstate town, claiming the opening prayers at its Town Board public sessions are overwhelmingly Christian.
It’s a long-standing conundrum, especially at this time of year, as non-Christian minorities and atheists object to public prayers and holiday displays.
CNN reports that the court’s conservative majority appeared to have the votes to allow the public prayers to continue in some form, but both sides expressed concerns about treating all Americans equally.
The attorney for the plaintiffs suggested that the town policy should give chaplains guidelines, including that they stay away from points about which people are known to disagree, and not ask attendees to physically participate in any way.
Indeed, Justice Sonia Sotomayor worried about the effect on local citizens who choose not to stand and bow their heads when asked during a public prayer.
"You think any of those people wouldn’t feel coerced to stand?" she asked.
Cheryl
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