The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii has criticized Mayor Jeremy Harris for including a church service as part of the traditional Honolulu City Lights program. City Lights’ church
service upsets ACLUBy Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.com"It's not a place for government to promote a religious service," said Brent White, legal director of the ACLU.
Information on the candlelight service at Kawaiahao Church to be held on Saturday as part of the Honolulu City Lights program is posted on the city's Web site. News releases and thousands of invitations were sent on Harris' stationary encouraging the public to attend the holiday event, White said.
"It is clearly impermissible in the Constitution and entirely inappropriate for the city to advertise services for a particular church," he said.
The mayor could not be reached for comment.
Though the church service has been held in previous years, White said this was the first time it was brought to his attention.
On Monday, White received a copy of an invitation that was sent to a member of the Palolo Valley Neighborhood Board.
He questioned whether the city was planning the event with members of Kawaiahao Church. If so, "that's entangling the church with the state."
The ACLU supports Kawaiahao Church promoting its own services, White said.
"However, it becomes a problem when the city advertises and promotes a religious service and thus gives the appearance of endorsing that particular religious service," he said.
In essence, the mayor "is thumbing his nose at the Establishment Clause which requires the city to remain neutral in matters of religion," White added.
In the letter, he urged the mayor to remove information of the Kawaiahao Church services from advertisements, press releases, invitations and the city's Web site.