Court to hear argument on prayer at government meetings

Court to hear argument on prayer at government meetings, Lawyers Wednesday readied arguments for the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of opening government meetings with prayer -- almost always Christian.

A town board in upstate New York, a suburb of Rochester, has opened its meetings for years with a Christian prayer led by a Christian cleric. But a federal appeals court ruled the prayers unconstitutional, finding they endorse Christianity.

Now the Town of Greece is set to argue at the Supreme Court that the prayers are constitutional, citing the high court's 1983 ruling in Marsh vs. Chambers. The 6-3 Marsh ruling said prayers at the beginning of sessions at the Nebraska Legislature, or any state legislature, are constitutional.

A number of powerful figures are supporting the town's case, including Republican members of Congress and the Obama administration.

Eighteen states have filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the town's argument -- Indiana, joined by Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

The town board practice was challenged by two women who said anyone who wanted to participate in government meetings was subjected to Christian proselytizing.