ACLU to Quincy: Knock it off with the ten-foot-tall statues of Catholic saints outside a municipal building

The ACLU of Massachusetts says Quincy should cancel plans to frame the entrance of the city's new public-safety building with massive statues of Saint Michael and Saint Florian, because both the state and federal constitutions prohibit governments from favoring one religion over others.

In a letter to Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch and the city council today, the ACLU writes:

This display would violate the constitutions of Massachusetts and the United States and fails to reflect and respect the pluralism of the Quincy community. Such a failure would be particularly acute at a public safety building, where all Quincy residents should feel safe, welcomed, and equally respected by their government. ...

First, the purpose of the statues is plainly religious. Although Mayor Koch has attempted to justify the statues as symbolizing the "universal concept" of good versus evil, saints are specific to certain sects of Christianity. They are neither ubiquitous nor secular. Additionally, Mayor Koch has "emphasized the centrality of the figures to officers and firefighters, many of whom he said carry medallions and prayer cards bearing the saints' images." ACLUM strongly supports each person's right to exercise their own religion, including to venerate saints if they choose. However, the issue here is whether a government entity may impose religious symbols upon all who work in, visit, or pass by the public safety building. And the answer to that question is, resoundingly, "no."

Second, placing larger-than-life statues of Catholic saints in front of a public building unequivocally advances one religion to the exclusion of all others. It conveys the message that Quincy is a Catholic community and that non-Catholics do not belong or are less valued. It is especially troubling to send this kind of message at the public safety building, where all Quincy residents should feel safe and welcomed to speak with and seek assistance from their public safety officials.

The ACLU also noted the particularly troubling imagery of the Saint Michael statue, which shows him standing on the neck of an anguished figure that supposedly represents the devil:

Such violent imagery is particularly abhorrent in light of the murder of George Floyd and other acts of police brutality throughout this country. As one City Councilor who is himself a retired Quincy Police Lieutenant already noted, this image "made me think of brutal force and I don't want citizens to connect this statue with the way our Officers treat anyone." This looming figure will subvert the very purpose of the public safety building, as it will only provoke fear and mistrust of law enforcement.