Posted on 12/02/2005 8:15:32 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The Bush administration is siding with a Christian group in its lawsuit demanding rights to conduct prayer services at public libraries.
The case concerns a Contra Costa County policy allowing the public to use free meeting rooms at its libraries, but prohibits "religious services and activities."
The Sierra Club, Narcotics Anonymous and even the East Contra Costa Democratic Club have utilized the county's library facilities. The Faith Center Church Evangelistic Ministries, however, was denied access because of its religious preaching.
"Because the county refused to permit Faith Center to use the meeting rooms solely because of the religious perspective of the activities at its meetings, the county engaged in impermissible viewpoint discrimination," the Justice Department wrote the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Monday.
The case started last year after the faith group told the county that it wished to hold a "prayer, praise and worship" service that would be open to the public. The group held one session last year at the Antioch library before the county banned it from having others.
The church group sued, demanding equal treatment and claiming it was being discriminated against because of its speech. A federal judge sided with Faith Center, and blocked the county from discriminating against religious organizations.
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors appealed the decision to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The county argued that religious groups have a right of free access to public library facilities, but allowing prayer services would mean taxpayers would be subsidizing religious exercises.
The Bush administration is not a party to the case, but submitted a friend-of-the-court brief, which it routinely does in church-state cases. It said the government "has an interest in enforcement of First Amendment principles providing equal treatment of persons irrespective of their religious beliefs."
"Our policy says no religious services. That's where we believe the line is appropriately drawn," said Kelly Flanagan, Contra Costa County deputy counsel.
The Alliance Defense Fund, which is defending the church group, called the county's policy a "blatant" First Amendment violation.
The case is Faith Center Church Evangelistic Ministries v. Glover, 05-16312.
This is just damn goofy.
Public schools are temporary houses for churches, why are libraries so special (other than the fact that probably 99% of librarians are left-wing dolts.)?
This here is a religious group. You have to have a lot of faith to believe all the lies the Democrats are putting out these days.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Mark Desaulnier and Federal Glover go out of their way to block any christian activities on any county property.
It's not the location, it's the arrangement that begs the question.
Many public schools are utilized as houses of worship during non school hours but they are rented, not provided for free. This case has gotten this far because the county gave the group free space for non library use. When the county changed its policy, the group complained. The county got where it got because it failed to charge rent for the use of it's public facilities thereby any outside use was at public expense.
The religious group and the courts are nitwits in this case but Contra Costa County only has itself to blame.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.