A woman who practices a religion rooted in witchcraft is suing the Chesterfield
County Board of Supervisors for refusing to add her name to a list of clergy
invited to open board meetings with a prayer.
The American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of
Church and State filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court on behalf of
Cynthia Simpson, a Wiccan.
The lawsuit claims that the board discriminated against Simpson based on her
religion by inviting Christian clergy to deliver invocations while refusing to
allow her to do so.
"The county's treatment of Ms. Simpson amounts to the marking of Wicca
with an official badge of dishonor," the lawsuit says. "It represents
nothing less than overt, official governmental disapproval of a religious
tradition."
Simpson, 47, said three factors caused her to proceed with the lawsuit.
"One is that it's clear to me that I was not allowed to do this solely
because of my religion," she said in a telephone interview. "To
receive that kind of treatment from my government is very worrisome."
Further, she said government officials refused to return her numerous phone
calls, and did so without regard for the possibility that refusing her right to
give an invocation could force the county to use taxpayers dollars to legally
defend its decision.
"There is a third option here," Simpson said. "They can stop
doing the invocations."
The lawsuit accuses the board of violating the First Amendment's freedom of
religion and separation of church and state clauses, as well as the
constitutional guarantee of equal protection.
"The county supervisors shouldn't be sponsoring prayers at all, but when
they do, they certainly can't play favorites," said the Rev. Barry W.
Lynn, executive director of Americans United.
Chesterfield County Administrator Lane Ramsey said the board can invite
whomever it wishes to give the invocation.
"We feel confident the position the Board of Supervisors has taken is a
defensible position," he said.
According to the lawsuit, the county board routinely opens meetings with an
invocation by guest clergy. Simpson asked the board to add her name to the list
of volunteers for that duty earlier this year.
Simpson said Friday that her prayer would have been non-sectarian and would
likely have centered on the cycle of seasons, a key element of her religion.
County Attorney Steven L. Micas sent Simpson a letter denying her request. He
wrote that the invocations "are traditionally made to a divinity that is
consistent with the Judeo-Christian tradition. Based upon our review of Wicca,
it is neo-pagan and involves polytheistic, pre-Christian deities."
The lawsuit said county supervisors ridiculed Simpson and her faith. An Oct. 5
article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch quoted Supervisor Renny B. Humphrey as
saying "I hope she's a good witch like Glinda," the witch in
"The Wizard of Oz." Humphrey also said: "There is always
Halloween."
The article also quoted Kelley E. Miller, the board chairman, as saying,
"It's a mockery. It is not any religion I would subscribe to."
Miller did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Wicca is a religion based on respect for the earth, nature and the cycle of the
seasons. Wiccans consider themselves witches, pagans or neo-pagans.