Monson Vote Ends Prayers at[Municipal]Meetings(Small Maine Town Can't Afford MCLU Lawsuit)

BangorDailyNews ^ | September 21, 2004 | Diana Bowley

[fight_truth_decay]

Maine Civil Liberties Union prompts council's change

MONSON - It has long been a tradition in March for residents in this small Piscataquis County town to bow their heads in prayer before they act on the town's budget for the year. That tradition is no longer. Monson selectmen voted last week to discontinue the practice of including prayer in municipal meetings. The move was prompted by a request from the Maine Civil Liberties Union for the town to cease including sectarian prayer in its public meetings.

The MCLU said it had received complaints from Monson residents who felt discouraged from attending and participating in their town meeting because of overtly sectarian references to "Jesus Christ" and "God, the Father."

Monson selectmen "lamented a long time" over the issue in executive session last week before they decided to stop the practice of prayer at the annual town meetings, Monson Town Manager Judy Doore said Monday.

The selectmen thought they were facing a lawsuit and discussed the opinions of their town attorney before voting, the town manager said."They [selectmen] felt they had an obligation to the folks who had historically enjoyed prayer," Doore said.

On the other hand, the board could not justify the expense of fighting the issue through a lawsuit, especially when the costs would be borne by those same folks, she said. It was not the intent of the town to offend anyone, she said.

The prayers usually are offered by local clergy, who use their own prayers.

The MCLU advised town officials in an Aug. 18 letter that official prayers that include references to the doctrines or deities of one particular faith or belief said at municipal public meetings are unconstitutional.

"When towns show a preference for particular religious denominations, it threatens the tradition of religious liberty that has played such an important role in this country since its founding," MCLU attorney Zachary Heiden said in a prepared press release issued Monday. "The constitution guarantees all Americans the right to be free from government endorsement of particular religions. This means that cities and towns cannot give particular religions an official role."

Monson is not the only Maine community that offers a prayer before government meetings. The Dexter Town Council opens its monthly meetings with a prayer given by local clergy.

"We're going to keep having a prayer until I'm directed not to do it again," Dexter Town Manager Robert Simpson said Monday. "In this day and age with all the issues we're dealing with, this seems rather insignificant."

In Guilford where prayers are conducted before the annual town meeting, Town Clerk Michelle Nichols said no one has ever challenged the activity in her community.

"This has always been a tradition in our town," she said.

The Maine House and Senate both open their sessions with prayer and invite clergy from all denominations to participate, said state Rep. James Annis, R-Dover-Foxcroft.

"I have not heard anyone express displeasure with the opening programs," he said Monday.

Asked Monday how the prayers said at municipal functions in Maine were any different from prayers said before the opening of U.S. Senate and U.S. Congress sessions, Heiden replied, "It's tough to say." His guess was that the prayers said at those sessions are not overtly sectarian.

MCLU volunteer attorney Angus Ferguson, who worked on the Monson case, wrote that the use of the words "Jesus" or "Allah" in an official prayer that opens a town meeting implies government preference or sponsorship of a particular religion, which is clearly prohibited by the U.S. and Maine constitutions.

[fight_truth_decay]

Getting to know Monson:
Census 2000 (last time they needed to know) population 666

The following are churches or non-profit ministries based in Monson as of July 2004:

AIIA Institute - an international apologetics ministry, offering a reasonable defense of the Christian faith

Monson Community Church - a local church on Main Street in Monson.

Monson United Church of Christ - a local church on North Guilford Road in Monson.

Monson was incorporated as a town February 8, 1822 from a grant from the Legislature of Massachusetts to Hebron and Monson Academy, with a provision that a certain number of settlers should become residents of this township within a specified time. Monson Academy offered a grant of 100 acres to actual settlers.

Monson was for many years a slate mining town (1870), and an important part of Monson history is a related Scandinavian immigration to Monson in the late 1800s. A Finnish Hall is located just south of town on Route 15. An old Swedish Lutheran Church (today Good Samaritan Mission) is currently listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The grave markers of both John F. Kennedy & Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in Arlington Cemetery are made of black slate from Monson, Maine, and were also engraved there. The abandoned slate quarries and land once owned by Monson Maine Slate Co. was sold to Kennedy Slate in 1988.

The kicksled was introduced to Monson by Mr. Gust Johnson, a Swedish blacksmith. This became a unique and extremely popular sport in town, it being a great thrill to fly downhill and over icy lakes on a kicksled. Unfortunately, plowed and sanded roads retired this delightful pastime(progress continues).

Moosehead Manufacturing, a large furniture making operation is Monson's largest industry. Other residents are employed in actual woods operations, or in nearby wood and textile mills. A significant number run small business of their own, including lodging facilities for Appalachian Trail hikers passing through town - last supply point south of the 100-Mile Wilderness leading to Mt. Katahdin

Why the history on a Monson?
Monson Town Historian Althea Haggstrom French wrote at the town's 175th anniversary: "Monson was fortunate as many of the first settlers were educated as well as having a strong religious background which had a tremendous effect on the growth of the town."

"The first public building to be built in the village was a small schoolhouse. This building known as the Centre School was utilized not only as a school but also where meetings and religious services were held."

"The small settlement known as "Cademy Town" was incorporated on Feb. 8, 1822 as the Town of Monson. The incorporation of Monson would bring about the Construction of many buildings in the center of town, which included the erecting of the Congregational Church in 1831, the Baptist Church in 1845 and Monson Academy in 1847."
"In March of 1860, the first Monson Academy burned. Construction of a new building was underway. when on a Sunday in May, the word fire was heard again. When the sun set that evening the fire had destroyed the Congregational Church, homes, stores and two hotels. A total of 40 buildings lay in ashes. One can only imagine what the people were feeling. Certainly one of hopelessness and despair but with the strength, hope and faith in God, people began to build a new and better town.

Now, the town risks being sued if the folks in Monson continue to thank God, as did their ancestors at the opening of municipal meetings.

Any legal eagle want to take on the MCLU for the little town of Monson, Maine?

[Hank All-American]

I'm on the other side of the country and not licensed in the state. But this sounds like a perfect case for the ACLJ. They should get in touch with Jay Sekulow.

[California Patriot]

We should be filing every suit we can against these thugs.
Bankrupt them.

[ApesForEvolution]

The CLUs must be prosecuted under RICO statutes NOW!