Heather Clark – January 27, 2021
BOSTON — The Satanic Temple (TST) has filed suit against the City of Boston to challenge its practice of allowing council members to choose those who present the invocation during public meetings rather than accepting requests from community members. The group’s legal challenge comes after it was denied requests to participate in 2016 and 2017.
“This case is not a challenge to legislative prayers, generally; and it is not a challenge to offensive prayers, particularly,” the complaint, filed on Sunday, states. “We take no issue with the fact that the City permits many congregations to invoke Jesus before council meetings. We just want an equal opportunity — one guaranteed by the Constitution — to invoke Satan.”
It explains that the City allows its council members to select those who will pray during council meetings, but in doing so, most of the invocations presented are either Christian, Muslim or Jewish.
“As a result, the City broadcasts two constitutionally impermissible messages: those religions who make the cut are endorsed and are therefore insiders of the politically favored community; those who don’t make the cut are not endorsed and are therefore outsiders from the politically favored community,” the lawsuit states.
The Boston chapter of TST had requested in 2016 and 2017 to be able to present an invocation at an upcoming meeting but was told that it lacked sponsorship from a councilor.
In 2018, TST Co-Founder Malcom Jarry sent an email to then-Council President Andrea Campbell to demand inclusion but was again informed that speakers must be invited by a council member as there is no waiting list.