Thank you, I’d like to start by thanking the council for having me here today. I’m honored to be able to open today’s meeting. Today is the first regular city council meeting of the year, and I cannot think of a more wonderful way to begin the year with a show of unity and willingness to listen. In other cities and other states, when atheists such as myself request to give an invocation of this kind we have had to fight to be heard. But here in Lubbock, we were welcomed. I applaud the city council for their open mindedness in having me here today. Today, I will not ask you to bow your heads as I speak with you, but rather keep them raised and look around to your neighbors. We do not all agree, we come from different backgrounds we believe different things, we have different traditions and cultures, but we all share this community in common. This city represents us all, we call ourselves the friendliest city in America, and I have always found this to be true. It’s why whenever I moved here to go to college, 11 years ago, I fell in love with the city and I never wanted to leave. No matter what our differences, Lubbockites have an ability to come together and treat each other with respect and dignity. We help strangers put on a tire when they have a flat, and we never ask what religion they are. We take time out of our day to pull people out of the snow and the mud because we all know what the Lubbock weather can be and we’ve all been there. We talk to each other in line at United to pass the time, never caring what side of the aisle our neighbor is on. We invite one another to break bread with us at our BBQ’s if someone looks hungry, and we don’t stop to concern ourselves with who they voted for. And we encourage our children to play together and make new friends at the park without worrying about what that child’s culture is. We share our riches, and we share our sorrows, this city’s strength is in its ability to come together, this is what it means to be from Lubbock. We find a way to connect, no matter what the barriers placed before us. An invocation is defined as calling upon someone or something to offer help or support. Most people are probably used to these invocations taking the form of prayer. However, in the spirit of the 42 percent of Lubbock citizens who identify their religious affiliation as none, I would like to ask the council to look within themselves and invoke their own capacity for compassion, civility and reason, and let these things guide you as you reach decisions that are beneficial for all of us who share this community. I ask that this council consider all points of view, and all of Lubbock’s many citizens when deciding on how our city will move forward. As you look around to your neighbors, I encourage you to look beyond the differences and find that which unites us. Let our city be an example of how people from all walks of life can live and work together with the respect and dignity each one of us deserves. As an atheist, I am proud to call Lubbock home, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak before my community. I would like to end my time today by thanking the council and everyone in attendance today by having the courage to listen.

Tracey Benefield - Atheist Community of Lubbock