A city in California has agreed to remove a decades-old sign listing the town’s houses of worship after atheists complained and threatened to file a lawsuit.
Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey said the sign will be replaced with one that lists churches in addition to non-religious, non-Christian organizations.
“This redesign will ensure our signage is informative and representative by incorporating our community’s civic, social, faith-based and philanthropic organizations,” Mr. Bailey said in recent statement, as reported by the Coronado Times. “I understand this is a sensitive topic, however, a new directory/signage will be reinstalled after this project is complete and it will be inclusive of all organizations, including our faith-based ones.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a secular organization based in Madison, Wisconsin, sent Mr. Bailey a letter threatening to file a lawsuit if the sign was not removed.
Liz Cavell, the lawyer that wrote the letter, said the church directory “raises serious constitutional concerns under the Establishment Clause” of the First Amendment, reported the San Diego Tribune.
The picturesque church directory has been a mainstay in Spreckels Park for decades.
The sign lists the names and addresses of 10 local churches on wooden planks and flanks a bed of flowers. A representative signboard reads “Graham Memorial Presbyterian,” with the address listed below in bold white font.
Residents of the San Diego Bay resort city overwhelmingly disapprove of the move, according to the Coronado Times, and have voiced their displeasure with phone calls to the city manager’s office and social media posts directed at the mayor.
Charles LiMandri, head of the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, said the atheists’ case has no merit and offered to help the city with any potential litigation.
He said removing the sign could itself be a violation because it shows “hostility toward a religion.”
“I’m not sure at this point why they need to do anything,” Mr. LiMandri told the Union Tribune.
• Bradford Richardson can be reached at brichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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