Witches, Brooms, and Prayer
A recent decision by the United States 4th Circuit Court of Appeals held that a county resident who practices Wicca can be excluded from a list of clergy who are invited to offer a non-denominational prayer for the County Board of Supervisors (i.e., Commissioners). The plaintiff, Cynthia Simpson (represented by the ACLU), who prefers witchcraft and witch over Wicca (wouldn’t you too, I mean Wicca is too prissy) is a member of Reclaiming Tradition of Wicca and part of a local Broom Riders Association (I wonder if they have a corporate sponsor?). Simpson demanded Chesterfield County let her “pray,” or she would file suit. Thankfully, Chesterfield County held firm forcing Simpson’s ACLU-blessed suit. After winning in the lower court (what was that judge thinking?), a panel of three 4th Circuit judges wisely reversed and ruled against Simpson.
The Court’s ruling was grounded on a U.S. Supreme Court case called Marsh v. United States. In Marsh, the Court held that a Nebraska Legislature could have a prayer given by a state-paid minister of a Judeo-Christian faith as long as “the prayer opportunity had not been exploited to proselytize or advance” a particular religion. This decision is one that the liberal legal elite and policy groups are dying to have the Supreme Court re-visit and overturn.
The liberals are disappointed that Wiccans are not part of the Chesterfield County and 4th Circuit’s idea of legislative religious parity. See here and here.
Plainly, the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause do not prohibit governmental bodies from deciding what type of religious worship they use to commune with the Almighty God and assist them in fulfilling their duties as the people’s not a person’s representatives. The Constitution says “We the People” not “I the Person.” Now that is a distinction with a difference.