Prayer breakfast allowed by judge

EAST POINT - A U.S. District Court judge says East Point Mayor Patsy Jo Hilliard can hold a prayer breakfast Saturday, but she can not do anything to give the impression the annual event has the city&#39;s blessing. <br> <br> The ruling Monday from Judge Thomas Thrash appeared to satisfy both sides in the dispute. <br> <br> Five city residents had filed suit together with the American Civil Liberties Union. The plaintiffs say the prayer breakfast ``made non-Protestants feel like outsiders in their own city.&#39;&#39; The breakfast was first held in 1997. <br> <br> The plaintiffs claimed the event receives unconstitutional city support, including publicity on city stationery, processing of donations for the breakfasts by employees on city time and payment of breakfast expenses by the city. <br> <br> East Point City Manager Michael Miller admitted that city employees had done those things in the past. But he says it stopped when he took office two-and-a-half years ago. <br> <br> Thrash ruled that Hilliard was entitled under the First Amendment to participate in the prayer breakfasts, but she can not not use city funds, employees, facilities or supplies to subsidize or facilitate them. <br> <br> Also the judge says she can not call it ``the Mayor&#39;s Prayer Breakfast,&#39;&#39; because that implies the event is officially sanctioned. He says ``Community prayer breakfast,&#39;&#39; would be all right.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/1/200460