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West Bend, WI – After Liberty Counsel intervened on behalf of a local resident, a library director agreed to allow a flyer announcing a pro-life event to be posted on the West Bend Community Memorial Library bulletin board.

Mary Weigand wanted to inform residents about an annual Life Chain event, so she took an informational flyer to her local public library. A library employee in charge of the display accepted the flyer and indicated that it would be posted with the other community announcements. Later that day Library Director Michael Tyre called Weigand to inform her that library bulletin boards were reserved for educational purposes and the library policy prohibited religious items like her flyer, which stated:

WEST BEND’S 17TH ANNUAL LIFE CHAIN SUNDAY OCTOBER 7, 2007 1-2 PM
PARADISE DR. AND MAIN ST. STAND WITH US FOR UNBORN CHILDREN
HOLDING SIGNS WHICH READ: ABORTION KILLS CHILDREN
JESUS FORGIVES AND HEALS, ADOPTION THE LOVING OPTION
SIGN UP WITH YOUR LOCAL CHURCH
CONTACT PERSON OR CALL MARY 262-334-2984
EXTRA SIGNS WILL BE AVAILABLE ALONG THE LIFE CHAIN ROUTE
The Life Chain breaks no laws and can be done by both young and old alike.

Weigand contacted Liberty Counsel for assistance. Shortly after Liberty Counsel faxed a demand letter to the library, Tyre called Weigand, apologized for denying her request and indicated that her flyer would be posted. Her flyer was posted on both library bulletin boards.

The Life Chain is a national event where people quietly and prayerfully stand along roadsides for one hour on a Sunday afternoon with pro-life signs.

Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented, "When libraries or other government facilities create an open forum such as a community bulletin board, it is impermissible to discriminate against religious viewpoints."