Wilkes-Barre City Council will be hosting its next council meeting on Tuesday, July 16 [not July 11 as I had previously believed]. I encourage local church/state separation advocates to attend this meeting with prepared comments objecting to council’s tradition of government-led prayer.
I first addressed this issue and members of council during the June 13, 2013 city council meeting. Council chair Bill Barrett, following my remarks, said council would research and ‘get back to me’ concerning whether council would continue its tradition of prayer.
Approximately one month later, I have heard nothing from council members despite extensive media coverage and a recent letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent to council.
I hope to be joined by locals who wish to help remove government-led Judeo-Christian prayers from city council meetings. Get up from behind your keyboard, prepare a short statement (or even offer an impromptu statement if you wish), take a public stand against religious impositions in government, and tell members of Wilkes-Barre City Council you object.
Interested parties who may not want to offer statements for whatever reason are still encouraged to attend. Witness the events of the July 16, 2013 council meeting which may include other objectors (or supporters) of government-led prayer. Bring a camera or an audio recorder to record the council meeting. Support, in whatever form, which takes little effort, would be very much appreciated.
If all goes well, council may even remove prayer from its public meetings and I will instead offer a speech thanking council, affirming the secular character of the United States, and explaining why removal of prayer was the right decision. I will have two speeches prepared and will deliver statements regardless of whether council continues prayer. Hopefully I will not have to read another speech objecting to prayer.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment below or contact me through the contact form on this website.