Lawsuit Targets Public Library Policy That Muzzles Community Discussion
by Allie Martin
September 6, 2005
(AgapePress) - An Ohio library is being sued for a policy that requires opposing viewpoints on controversial speech in its community room. The lawsuit argues that the policy violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Earlier this year Liberty Counsel applied to use the community room of the Newton Falls Public Library for a program on traditional marriage. The application was denied because of a policy that says if a program deals with a controversial subject, all sides of the issue must be presented. Liberty Counsel president Mat Staver says that policy is unconstitutional.
"It's unbelievable that libraries still continue to have these unconstitutional policies that find that religious speech is something that cannot be discussed in a community room that's open to everyone else in the world," Staver states. The attorney says public libraries "ought to get the clear message" that has been widely known for many years -- and that is, "any community room that's open to the public cannot discriminate against the Christian viewpoint."
Despite the existence of that message, Staver is convinced that a large portion of public libraries maintain policies in opposition to that. Local citizens, he says, should play a part in educating those libraries about what is right and proper.
"I would encourage everyone to check out your library community room meeting policy, because I would bet that probably 50 percent of the [libraries] in the country [have] similar policies that restrict religious discussion," he says. Such policies, he asserts, are not only unconstitutional, they are "ticking time bombs."
"We ought to make sure that none of these discriminatory policies exist," he adds, "[and] that religion doesn't have to be checked at the library door."
Staver says the government cannot force citizens to violate their conscience in order to express their viewpoint.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
