For apparently the first time ever, daily prayers by a state legislative body have been silenced by the threat of a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union.
Hawaii’s state Senate — made up of 24 Democrats and one Republican — voted to halt its daily invocations, which were given by members of different faiths. The final invocation had been given in the Hawaiian language.
There was fear of a costly lawsuit, and the Democrat majority leader told The Associated Press that censoring the prayers was necessary “to adhere to the Constitution.”
In fact, silencing the voluntary prayers is contrary to the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of religion. No one was required to take part in the prayers. Free choice permitted those who wished to participate to do so and imposed no penalty on those who did not.
It is regrettable that such non-compulsory expressions of religious faith continue to come under attack.