Michigan —
Thanks to FFRF’s watchdog work, prisoners of the Isabella County Jail in Mount Pleasant, Mich., will not feel pressure to conform to Christianity due to a religious quote posted at the entrance of the facility.
FFRF was informed that the wall of the entrance to the new Isabella County Jail prominently featured a quote from the bible. The quote, from Matthew 5:9, read, “Blessed are the peacekeepers for they shall be called the children of God.” FFRF pointed out that religious signage on government property such as county jails ran counter to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
“We hope you will agree that law enforcement should be even-handed and avoid any appearance of bias toward some citizens, and hostility toward others,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence explained in a letter to the jail administration.
While FFRF did not receive a direct response from the county, an article published by the Michigan news organization Morning Sign confirmed that the lettering had been removed. The article quoted Isabella County Sheriff Michael Main, stating that the quote “was not intended to promote or highlight any religion.”
