Meeting prayer changes rejected 

By SAMANTHA MARCUS / smarcus@lacrossetribune.com

The La Crosse Common Councils Committee of the Whole on Tuesday rejected making any substantive changes to the citys policy on having an invocation to open its monthly meetings.

The council considered altering the policy after Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation warned the council the prayer was unconstitutional.
A Scottsdale, Ariz.-based conservative Christian organization later offered free legal defense if the city adopted a policy strictly adhering to its template, which it called proven to pass constitutional muster.

But the council, after considerable debate and public testimony often resorting to hyperbole on both sides only approved the Alliance Defense Funds policy in part, potentially jeopardizing the groups offer.

Tuesdays debate really came down to whether the prayer should be conducted before or after the gavel, and the council voted 9-7 to have the prayer and pledge of allegiance recited after meetings are called to order.

I am a strong supporter of the invocation ... and I believe we should not denigrate the importance of the prayer and pledge by putting it outside the body of our agenda, said council member Lorraine Rose Decker.

Pulling the prayer out of the regular meeting would be a concession to the atheist outfit, and a failure to recognize the council gets its authority from God, said the Rev. Jeff Thomson, pastor of Onalaskas River of Life Church.

The very conscience that you use when you make decisions from here is a gift from God, he told the body.

City Attorney Stephen Matty said because the council altered the Alliances template, hes not confident its offer of free legal defense will stand.

There will probably be a challenge someday but so be it. We need to go forward, Decker said.

Council member Dick Swantz said he and council member Marilyn Wigdahl still plan to introduce a resolution next month calling for a moment of silence rather than clergy-led prayer.

Hes not running scared from the Foundations threats, Swantz said, adding he thinks this was just an opportunity to respect and celebrate the communitys growing diversity.