September 2, 2002

Discrimination alleged in Van
___TYLER--A lawsuit was filed against the city of Van Aug. 19, alleging that that town unconstitutionally disallowed the use of a city building for a prayer meeting.
___Charles and Michelle Moore were permitted to use the Van Community Center in February for an event that drew almost 100 people and included worship songs, prayer and preaching. Repeated subsequent requests to use the facilities were denied, however.
___The Moores say the mayor eventually wrote them a letter explaining that the center "is not available for any type of religious service meetings."
___"The law is very clear: If a city permits its facilities to be used for a wide variety of purposes, it cannot legally reject a request to permit religious meetings from taking place," said Stuart Roth, senior counsel with the American Center for Law and Justice, which filed the suit in United States district court in Tyler.
___Mayor E.L. Raulston told reporters he did not have a comment.

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