By Tia Lyons
The El Dorado City Council literally took a stand Thursday against a Wisconsin-based foundation that demanded that the city remove from its governmental Internet sites any promotion and references to the 40 Days of Prayer in El Dorado campaign.
During a regular council meeting, Mayor Frank Hash said he recently received a threatening letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation of Madison, Wis., requesting that the city’s website and Facebook page be scrubbed of any 40 Days of Prayer promotions.
“What they’re saying is a government entity shouldn’t be promoting religion,” Hash said.
Aldermen disagreed, and in a dramatic display of unity, they unanimously voted to re-post the 40 Days references to the City Hall and El Dorado Police Department Facebook pages.
Each alderman stood during roll call and emphatically voiced an “aye” vote. The communitywide 40 Days of Prayer campaign, launched on Sept. 27, calls on citizens to pray on a designated topic and scripture each day to help curb violent crime in El Dorado and unite the community in peace.
After receiving the letter, Hash said he decided to err on the side of caution and remove city-generated postings pertaining to 40 Days from the City Hall and El Dorado Police Department’s Facebook pages.
Hash said the letter was sparked by a complaint from a local member of the FFRF.
City Clerk Heather McVay and Police Chief Billy White said that while city-generated postings, which included prayer topics, were halted per Hash’s orders, related comments and items posted by citizens remained.
The issue has generated chatter throughout the community and on the City Hall Facebook page in recent days.
Shortly after the city council vote on Thursday, the 40 Days prayer topic for Thursday, which focused on children, was reposted to the City Hall Facebook page.
Several comments popped up commending the city council, while a few called into question the constitutionality of the council’s action and the separation of church.
At least one comment referred to a potential lawsuit from FFRF.
Hash said during the council meeting that the FFRF is believed to have filed similar lawsuits in other cities in Arkansas.
“It’s gotten off to a good start, and it’s running strongly,” Hash said, referring to 40 Days.
City Attorney Henry Kinslow said he has been trying to contact Mark Hayes, director of legal services for the Arkansas Municipal League, about the matter.
“On Facebook, can someone who is an atheist or agnostic post comments?” Kinslow asked. Several other city officials answered yes.
Alderman Vance Williamson made the motion to repost the material to the City Hall and EPD social media pages.
Hash cautiously inquired about the legal ramifications of such an action, and Kinslow said he would try to speak with Hayes by early next week.
“This is something we decided to come together and do for our city. We can’t just buckle down to folks,” Alderman Willie McGhee said.
During the vote, Alderwoman Judy Ward, who spearheaded the effort to launch 40 Days here, was the first council member to stand during roll call, drawing laughter and murmurs of approval from the audience. Her fellow aldermen followed suit.
In a related matter, McGhee announced that a Stop the Violence Rally and Peace Walk is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Oct. 31 on the parking lot of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 1018 Wilson.
He said the public is invited to attend.
Alderwoman Dianne Hammond said West Side Baptist Church, 2400 West Hillsboro, will be honoring first responders in the community at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday.
She said the public is invited, and food will be served.
Several local churches have planned such services in recent weeks, and Hammond noted that she as heard from several emergency responders in the community who have said that being invited to and attending the services is pulling them away from Sunday worship services at their respective churches.
“They said they appreciate it, but they have their own churches. Maybe if they’re invited to other churches once a month,” Hammond suggested.