Minnesota jail ‘repaints and repents’ over display of decalogue
Inmates and others at Minnesota’s Itasca County Jail will not have religion forced upon them in the form of a massive Ten Commandments display, due to the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s intervention.
Following a number of complaints from area residents and taxpayers, FFRF recently sent a legal complaint letter about various religious phrases at the jail, including the massive biblical edicts painted on a wall. Statements promoting religious belief or the bible, such as “‘Within the covers of the bible are the answers for all the problems men face.’ — Ronald Reagan,’” were even inscribed above cellblocks. In order to protect the First Amendment rights of incarcerated individuals, FFRF wrote to Jail Administrator Lucas Thompson demanding that the Ten Commandments display, as well as the other religious quotes, be removed.
“Constituents — including prisoners — have the right to be free from government proselytization,” FFRF Legal Fellow Hirsh M. Joshi wrote. “By suggesting that the bible holds ‘the answers for all the problems men face,’ the jail sends a message — to a captive audience — that those who practice Christianity during their stay will get favored treatment over those who do not.”
To fulfill its constitutional obligations under the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause — and to respect the religious diversity of all prisoners — the jail needed to remove the Ten Commandments display and any quotes promoting religion, FFRF asserted.
Thankfully, FFRF’s efforts won the day.
FFRF’s victory made front-page news in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “The oversized display was discovered during tours of the new northeast Minnesota facility. The Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Found-ation had received 20 complaints by the end of April, many contending the displays were unconstitutional.”
The right-wing Epoch Times also commented on FFRF’s ability to get the commandments display removed. “A two-story mural featuring the Ten Commandments and historic religious quotes, including two from former President Ronald Reagan, at a new county jail in Minnesota, has been painted over due to pressure from the same group that won a federal court ruling against recognizing Good Friday as a state holiday.” The article notes that Itasca County Sheriff Joe Dasovich did not want to paint over the religious displays, but did so on the advice of legal counsel.
“We told the county to ‘Repaint and Repent,’ and they got the first part right,” quips FFRF’s Joshi, adding, “Now, it’s up to county officials to regain the trust of their constituents. Today, the wall between state and church remains standing.”
