Posted on 11/22/2015 1:18:42 AM PST by Swordmaker
Scheduled town hall meeting to be held at church
STOCKTON, Calif. (KCRA) —The city of Stockton is being threatened with a lawsuit because of a prayer rally, and a scheduled town hall meeting that is set to be held at a church.
"As long as there is crime and homicides in Stockton, I'm going to continue to lead the city in prayer," said Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva.
Silva said he does not believe he did anything wrong when he held a 12-hour prayer rally in Stockton last week.
"I don't think I did anything wrong. My city had its 40th homicide. So we are in desperate need of immediate action. Residents want something done and want to feel safe, and if I have to give them hope and prayer, that is what I will do," said Silva.
The group Stockton Area Atheists and Freethinkers said prayer rallies are unconstitutional.
The city attorney, along with Silva and the City Council, received a letter Thursday from a law firm in Washington, DC, threatening to sue the city.
"They are saying that I'm in violation (of) church and state for hosting a prayer rally for the city of Stockton and giving the key to God," said Silva.
Silva made a symbolic gesture on Monday, giving a key to the city to God during the prayer rally. The key is supposed to be passed around to different church congregations.
The atheist group said the city's plan for a town hall meeting at a church --the Christian Life Center -- is a violation.
"We don't want (the town hall meeting) to be held at a church. There are plenty of other places it could be held," said group member David Diskin.
But Silva said he is looking out for the city's finances.
"Residents should know if I used a city facility like the arena or Bob Hope Theatre, I would need to pay thousands of dollars in fees," Silva said.
The group that filed the lawsuit is giving the city's attorney seven days to respond, hoping they will move the venue for the town hall meeting.
"We are giving them a chance to side with the Constitution," Diskin said.
The meeting is scheduled to be held Nov. 30.
" GULSTAN: STOCKTON'S MAYOR IS UPSETTING SOME PEOPLE AFTER HE GAVE THE KEY TO THE CITY TO GOD.
GULSTAN: AN ATHEIST GROUP SAID THEY MAY SUE THE CITY. WHY THIS GROUP IS SO UPSET OVER WHAT THE MAYOR DID IN A SYMBOLIC GESTURE? THEY ARE UPSET ABOUT PRAYER RALLIES AND A TOWN HALL TO BE HELD AT A CHURCH. THEY SAY PRAYER RALLIES AND THE KEY TO GOD IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
GULSTAN: THE MAYOR SAYS AS LONG AS THE CITY NEEDS HELP HE WILL CONTINUE LEADING PRAYERS FOR THE CITY.
MAYOR SILVA: "AS LONG AS THERE IS CRIME AND HOMICIDES IN STOCKTON I WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD THE CITY AND PRAYER."
GULSTAN: HE SAID HE BELIEVED HE DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG WHEN HE HELD A 12 HOUR PRAYER RALLY.
MAYOR SILVA: "I DON'T THINK I DID ANYTHING WRONG. MY CITY HAD THE 40TH HOMICIDE LAST NIGHT SO WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF IMMEDIATE ACTION. THE RESIDENTS WANT SOMETHING DONE AND THEY WANT TO FEEL SAFE. IF I HAVE TO GIVE THEM HOPE THROUGH PRAYER, IT IS SOMETHING I HAVE TO DO."
GULSTAN: THE GROUP STOCKTON AREA ATHEISTS AND FREETHINKERS, SAY PRAYER RALLIES ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL RECEIVED THIS LETTER FROM A LAW FIRM THREATENING TO SUE THE CITY.
MAYOR SILVA: "THEY THINK I AM IN VIOLATION OF CHURCH AND STATE FOR HOSTING A PRAYER RALLY FOR THE CITY OF STOCKTON FOR GIVING THE KEY TO GOD."
GULSTAN: THE GROUP SAID THE CITY IS HOLDING A TOWN HOME MEETING AT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTER AND THE FLYER HAS THE CITY SEAL.
ATHEIST REP: "WE DO NOT WANT IT TO BE HELD AT A CHURCH."
GULSTAN: HE SAID THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER PLACES THE MEETING COULD BE HELD. MAYOR SILVA SAID HE IS LOOKING OUT FOR THE CITY'S FINANCIAL AREA
MAYOR SILVA: "IF I USE A CITY FACILITY LIKE THE ARENA, THE BOB HOPE THEATER, THE CIVIC, I WOULD NEED TO PAY THOUSANDS IN FEES FOR THAT."
ATHEIST REP: "WE HAVE GIVEN THE CITY ATTORNEYS SEVEN DAY'S TO RESPOND AND WE HOPE THEY WILL AND MOVE THE VENUE TO ANOTHER PLACE THAT IS EQUITABLE FOR EVERYONE. WE ARE GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO SIDE WITH THE CONSTITUTION."
GULSTAN: THEY WANT THE VENUE CHANGED OR CLAIMS A LAWSUIT COULD FOLLOW. THAT MEETING IS NOVEMBER 30 AT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTER. WE SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THE KEY THAT WAS PRESENTED TO GOD IS AT THAT CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTER --
Sounds like atheist morons need a remedial course in Constitutional rights and the First Amendment.
“Shall (not) ...prohibit the free exercise thereof...”
I live right up the road in Lodi, this area needs a lot of prayers!
So does the whole state of California. The demons need to be exorcised from Sacramento on down.
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