The Town Council of Yucca Valley, California currently facilitates invocations at public meetings that may not always reflect the rich diversity of our community. While invocations are a deeply entrenched tradition meant to solemnize proceedings, and invocations which are “solemn and respectful in tone, that invites lawmakers to reflect upon shared ideals and common ends” are permitted according to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court has also warned against invocations that “denigrate nonbelievers or religious minorities, threaten damnation, or preach conversion.”* They may not preach any specific religious doctrine or offer contentious messages like those regarding abortion. The government should not favor one religion or belief over another, and different faiths, including atheism, should be given an opportunity to offer the invocation over time. 

Current invocations offered at Town Council meetings do not comply with these requirements. For example, at the November 4 Town Council meeting, the invocation preached explicitly against abortion and tacitly against trans rights, as well as calling audience members preparing to speak up for their First Amendment rights evil:

“We bring before your throne and into your nurturing, shepherding care our concerns for the most innocent, most defenseless among us – the unborn children in the womb – and we pray that you would restrain the evil that would seek to destroy these lives, even before they take their first breath in this world…And we pray for our children and teens and for their teachers. I pray that our children in California schools shall not be captured by deceitful, evil philosophies of man…We pray your will be done here on Earth as it is in Heaven, and we pray especially that Evil be restrained here this night and throughout our nation. Bring back peaceful, lawful discussion to the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.”

This was blatant proselytizing and denigration. While prayer is permitted, and the speech of individuals speaking cannot be censored, guidelines that invocations must focus on common values and solemnizing the occasion without proselytizing or denigrating any group must be enforced. This is not only a legal imperative; it also prevents alienating constituents. While these guidelines are included in the current policy, they are clearly not followed. 

Furthermore, the current Policy Regarding Invocations at the Town Council of the Town of Yucca Valley (Resolution No. 13-02) states that it draws speakers from “religious congregations with an established presence in the Town of Yucca Valley” on a first-come, first served or other random basis. However, the religious and spiritual traditions of our residents are far broader than what is represented by these established congregations. 

In the policy, there is a letter inviting religious leaders from these established congregations to speak. This includes the following:

“You are free to offer the invocation according to the dictates of your own conscience. To maintain the spirit of respect and ecumenism, the Town Council requests only that the prayer opportunity not be exploited as an effort to convert others to the particular faith of the invocational speaker, nor to disparage any faith or belief different than that of the invocational speaker.”

This recent invocation, as well as others, did not abide by this guidance. In addition, the letter’s call for “ecumenism,” which is defined as the principle or aim of promoting unity among the world's Christian Churches, directly violates the requirement not to favor any one religion.

We propose amending the current policy as follows to make it more inclusive and to ensure compliance with the Constitution, as clarified in Supreme Court rulings:

1)      Make anyone either residing in Yucca Valley or acting as a spiritual or religious advisor to a resident of Yucca Valley eligible to offer the invocation.

2)      Advertise this opportunity publicly, not only to established religious congregations.

3)      Select speakers in a transparent, random process. “First-come, first served” favors certain religions because it risks filling all slots with previously established, non-representative speakers.

4)      Remove the call for “ecumenism” in the invitation to speakers.

5)      Advise speakers that they should offer a prayer which is solemn and respectful in tone and that invites lawmakers to reflect upon shared ideals and common ends, and that they must not proselytize, denigrate nonbelievers or religious minorities, threaten damnation, preach conversion or advance any one belief. Speakers violating these guidelines would ineligible for future invocations.

6)      Make an announcement before every invocation that audience members are free to stand, sit or leave at any point.

7)      If compliance with these guidelines cannot be maintained, a moment of silence could be substituted for the invocation.

These proposed policy changes would encourage respectful, inclusive invocations which embrace a wide range of beliefs. Focusing on shared human values such as community, gratitude, wisdom, and the common good honor the diversity of our town and set the tone for government meetings which truly advocate for the constituents.  

This approach is not only respectful but reflects the American tradition of religious pluralism and understanding. By inviting invocations from a variety of religious and spiritual affiliations, we ensure that every voice is heard and respected. Indeed, similar policies have been successfully implemented in other cities across the nation, setting a positive precedent for Yucca Valley.

If we are to uphold our constitutional values and obligations and provide an equitable platform for all community members, it is essential that our town council takes decisive action. Acknowledging and respecting the beliefs of every resident is not merely aspirational but a legal imperative.

Join us in urging the Yucca Valley Town Council to adopt a policy that mandates inclusive invocations at all public meetings. By signing this petition, you are advocating for a community that honors all beliefs and fosters an environment where everyone feels respected and valued. Please sign and share this petition to be a part of this important movement for inclusivity and constitutional adherence in Yucca Valley.

* From the Justice Anthony Kennedy’s majority opinion in Town of Greece v Galloway (2014):

In rejecting the suggestion that legislative prayer must be nonsectarian, the Court does not imply that no constraints remain on its content. The relevant constraint derives from its place at the opening of legislative sessions, where it is meant to lend gravity to the occasion and reflect values long part of the Nation’s heritage. Prayer that is solemn and respectful in tone, that invites lawmakers to reflect upon shared ideals and common ends before they embark on the fractious business of governing, serves that legitimate function. If the course and practice over time shows that the invocations denigrate nonbelievers or religious minorities, threaten damnation, or preach conversion, many present may consider the prayer to fall short of the desire to elevate the purpose of the occasion and to unite lawmakers in their common effort. That circumstance would present a different case than the one presently before the Court.

The tradition reflected in [the previous case] permits chaplains to ask their own God for blessings of peace, justice, and freedom that find appreciation among people of all faiths. That a prayer is given in the name of Jesus, Allah, or Jehovah, or that it makes passing reference to religious doctrines, does not remove it from that tradition. These religious themes provide particular means to universal ends. Prayer that reflects beliefs specific to only some creeds can still serve to solemnize the occasion, so long as the practice over time is not “exploited to proselytize or advance any one, or to disparage any other, faith or belief.”