CA: Prayer meal stirs protest (Santa Clarita)

LA Daily News ^ | 5/12/05 | Eugene Tong

[NormsRevenge]

SANTA CLARITA -- A hastily formed organization advocating the separation of church and state admonished Mayor Cameron Smyth for lending use of his title to a prayer breakfast to be sponsored today by a Christian men's group headed by a conservative Republican activist.

"I am charging Cameron Smyth with misuse of his official title of mayor," Bruce McFarland told the City Council on Tuesday. McFarland is a member of Santa Clarita for Separation of Church and State, formed earlier this week as Smyth prepared to attend the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast sponsored by The Dunamis Group.

"The title and honor of 'mayor' is bestowed to use as an official representative of the city of Santa Clarita. ... The mayor is using his official title to support and promote a private noncity organization. Apparently, the city of Santa Clarita has no code of ethics for members of the City Council."

McFarland and many members of Santa Clarita for Separation of Church and State also are officers of the Democratic Alliance for Action, a grass-roots Democratic group.

"I'm surprised by some of the harsh words said about the prayer breakfast," said John Grannis, a Dunamis officer. "This is not a partisan event. ... This is a form of religious expression that is protected by the Constitution."

McFarland noted that Grannis and group President Joe Messina are officers of the local California Republican Assembly chapter, a GOP activist group. Smyth, a former aide to the late conservative state Sen. W.J. "Pete" Knight, R-Palmdale, frequently is aligned with Republican causes.

"Cameron Smyth received a big gift from The Dunamis Group -- a well-publicized event with hundreds of likely supporters," McFarland said. "The Dunamis Group also got a gift: The mayor allowed them to use his title for their own benefit. I guess that's what's called quid pro quo."

Smyth dismissed charges that his participation violates a government tenet framed by the nation's founders. No public funds have gone into the event, and City Attorney Carl Newton has argued that the event's name does not reflect City Hall endorsement.

"(In 2000,) there was a prayer breakfast held during (then-Mayor) Jo Anne Darcy's tenure," Smyth said, noting there was little opposition then. "Is it politically motivated?

"I urge you to read the Constitution. I have a copy in my office. Nowhere does it say there is a separation of church and state. ... It's a freedom from state-sponsored religion. I will fight to support that constitutional right."

City Councilman Bob Kellar, who served as mayor last year, defended Smyth.

"This is a frequent occurrence for all council members," Kellar said of attending functions hosted by local churches and religious groups. "There are no orders taken there."

Smyth, 5th District county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich and television journalist Larry Carroll are featured speakers at the $25-a-head Hyatt Valencia event to be hosted today by the men-only Dunamis organization, formed a year ago to prepare professionals to preach Christianity and perform community service.

Dunamis officials have said the prayer breakfast, though evangelical in mission, is open to the public, and there will be no proselytizing.

Some of Smyth's critics said they were urging him to be inclusive and sensitive to residents who are not Protestant Christians.

"I believe in the power or prayer. But I understand the title of mayor belongs to the office and not the mayor," said Patti Sulpizio, a member of both the Democratic alliance and the Separation of Church and State groups. "I urged (Smyth) to hold an all-community prayer event -- free to all -- at one of our local parks."

Smyth's response to his critics: "I appreciate your point, but I must respectfully disagree."

[NormsRevenge]

McFarland and many members of Santa Clarita for Separation of Church and State also are officers of the Democratic Alliance for Action, a grass-roots Democratic group.

[NormsRevenge]

http://www.daa.org/

Part of the "True Majority Action" network, another slime bucket org backed by folks like Ben of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

[Cornpone]

If this jerk is serious about separation of Church and State then he needs to get involved against the real threat and fight groups like CAIR, MAS, ISNA and other US Muslim fronts for the Muslim Brotherhood...otherwise the Mosque will become the State...what idiots...

[handy old one]

I think this group needs to be taken for a long walk off a short dock.

[muawiyah]

These guys really are going to force all the rest of us to step back to an earlier era where human sacrifice was a common part of religious practice and just grab them and toss them into an open volcanic vent.

They just don't know how good they've got it with Christianity in the ascendancy.

[wk4bush2004]

OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!!

THESE LIBERALS NEVER LEARN WHEN TO SHUT UP, DO THEY?

[BigFinn]

"This is not a partisan event. ... This is a form of religious expression that is protected by the Constitution."

Take that and eat it Mr. Farland.

[Americanexpat]

What a maroon, guess he dosen't know people in church groups vote too.

[jwalburg]

No.

The party that claims God is on its side?

[Kuksool]

And liberals wonder how they can woo faith based voters. They clearly don't get it.

Besides, it is common for politicians to hold prayer breakfasts. Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and other RAT commonly attend prayer meetings with African-American pastors, especially during election season. Do these left loonies complain? Nope, they are hypocrites.