St. Tammany News

A Tuesday evening rally at the Slidell City Court took on the flavor of an old-time revival meeting, as more than 100 Slidell residents gathered to decry the American Civil Liberties Union's demand that a portrait of Jesus be removed from the courthouse wall.

The ACLU has stated that the picture serves as a religious display and violates the establishment clause of the 1st Amendment that calls for the separation of church and state.

Grant Pichon of St. Luke the Evangelist Church displays a quote from the gospel of St. Paul. (Staff photos by Anne Lautzenheiser)

The picture is a copy of a 16th century Russian icon holding one of the gospels, with quotes in Cyrillic about judging fairly. If it is not removed, the organization said it would bring a lawsuit against the city.

The muggy June evening couldn't dampen the spirits of the crowd, which prayed and cheered as State Rep. A.G. Crowe and a contingent of local ministers implored those listening to show their support.

Crowe has called the ACLU's actions "religious terrorism," and when he took the podium he did not hesitate to state his feelings on the matter.

"The people of Slidell will not take the stuff that's been dished out," he said, to a roar of approval.

Mayor Ben Morris, at a City Council meeting being held that same night, voiced his own displeasure.

"I find them no different than the book-burning Nazis or the Taliban," Morris said of the ACLU.

Crowe began planning the event after receiving numerous e-mails and phone calls from supporters, expressing their disbelief over the matter. He contacted two area ministerial alliances, which notified church members and began circulating petitions.

Attendees at the rally ranged in enthusiasm from the mildly interested to the fervently devout. Grant Pichon stood quietly, dressed in a sandwich board bearing a Biblical quote, while shouts of "Jesus, Jesus", "hallelujah" and "amen" greeted each of the speakers.

Ken Thompson of the Community Christian Concern was encouraged by the turnout, comparing it to a protest march from an earlier decade.

"It's not quite the 60s, but it's close," he said. "You don't often see this kind of thing in Slidell."

Thompson went on to point out that the protesters were not necessarily there to fight the ACLU, but to support the city's leadership.

"We're here to support Judge Jim Lamz," Thompson said.

The ACLU had originally given Lamz a deadline of June 27 to remove the picture. Lamz had asked for a two-week extension to research the history of the portrait and also to find an independent observer to give a qualified legal opinion on the constitutionality of the issue.

The new deadline is now Monday, but Lamz was expected to announce his decision Saturday.

"This is not a good-faith extension," said Lamz in a statement.

Crowe introduced a resolution in Baton Rouge on Monday to support the rally and said he is strongly contemplating a lawsuit to seek a declaratory judgment if the ACLU moves forward with its legal action.