Bill Donohue

Russell Shaw, a prolific Catholic spokesman and author, has died at the age of 90. He was the former Secretary for Public Affairs of the National Catholic Bishops/United States Catholic Conference.

Last year he told me he was not doing well, and asked if I would still promote his latest book, Turning Points: How Thirteen Remarkable Men and Women Heard God’s Call and Responded to It. I was only too happy to endorse it, and to feature it in the July/August edition of Catalyst, the Catholic League’s journal.

Russ served on the board of directors of the Catholic League in the 1990s, and then moved to our board of advisors. I used to joke with him that he is a “walking encyclopedia of Catholicism.” It wasn’t much of a stretch.

Russ had a reserved manner, but it belied a fierce devotion to his calling, namely to accurately and passionately discuss the affairs of the Catholic Church, past and present. His commitment to the mission of the Catholic League—fighting anti-Catholicism—was never in question.

When the notorious ABC-TV show, “Nothing Sacred,” aired in the late 1990s, some on our board of directors questioned whether we should be hammering away at it. Not Russ. He stood by my side, knowing how pernicious this dissident-happy portrait of Catholicism was. ABC, a Disney product, tried to stop our attacks on the show, but did not prevail. We eventually won and the show was withdrawn.

Russell Shaw will be missed. His legacy is secure and the Catholic Church is its beneficiary.

Bill Donohue

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wasted no time sending a message to the city’s faith communities: on his first day in office, he said they would not be afforded heightened protection at their houses of worship. Indeed, he rescinded an executive order to this effect signed by his predecessor, Eric Adams.*

Most of the news stories on Mamdani’s decisions affecting religious liberty focused on his rulings overturning Adams’ executive orders on Israel, but too many neglected to cite his policy on houses of worship.

It is true that he has scratched a definition of anti-Semitism that includes opposition to the existence of the state of Israel, a definition accepted by 40 nations, including the European Union and Canada. It is also true that he has given the green light to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which is designed to cripple Israel’s economy. Scurrilous as these two decisions are, his executive order affecting churches, synagogues, mosques and temples hit a wider section of New Yorkers.

Adams did not overreact last month when he directed the New York City Police Department to provide stronger protection for houses of worship. His executive order of December 2, which authorized enhanced protection “of both houses of worship and persons exercising their rights to free assembly and free speech near houses of worship,” was occasioned by what happened on November 19.

It was on that evening that a crowd of 200 anti-Jewish protesters assembled outside Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue screaming, “Death, death to the IDF” [Israel Defense Forces], “globalize the intifada,” and “take the settler out.” Others yelled, “We need to make them scared.” And what was Mamdani’s response? A spokesman slammed the synagogue for abusing “these sacred spaces” by “promot[ing] activities in violation of international law.”

This should concern all New Yorkers, not simply Jews. Catholics should be particularly troubled, given all the protests that have taken place during Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in recent years; the cathedral has also been vandalized.

In August 2025, I wrote an 18-page report, “The Inauthenticity of Zohran Mamdani.” Regarding his position on religious liberty, I noted that “a Lexis-Nexis search reveals he has never addressed this subject.” I also mentioned that “He is very protective of Islam, but a search of his remarks objecting to anti-Catholicism, or anti-Christian words or deeds, failed to turn up one comment.”

It should be noted that at his inauguration, clergy from the Muslim, Protestant, Hindu, Jewish and Sikh communities were invited on stage, but there was no Catholic priest in attendance. Typically, the archbishop of New York is in attendance, but Cardinal Timothy Dolan was not invited. This speaks volumes about Mamdani’s purported interest in “diversity.” His idea of “inclusion” apparently stops at the door of Catholics.

Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee introduced a bill that directs $5 million in federal funding to protect religious sites and fight hate crimes against people of faith. It is outrageous that New York City has a mayor who finds such a policy morally objectionable.

Contact Mamdani’s press office: pressoffice@cityhall.nyc.gov

Be sure to read our “Mamdani Watch” file, regularly updated, that is posted on the front page of our website, www.catholicleague.org

*It was subsequently reported that Mamdani, bowing to pressure, quietly reinstated Adams’ executive order on this issue.

Bill Donohue

Last year before we erected our nativity scene in Central Park, I told the staff that this was the first time in 30 years that we have displayed our crèche that I was concerned it may not be safe. Regrettably, I was right.

On December 26, a video was posted on Instagram showing a man (assisted by two others) draping a large keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian nationalism, on the shoulders of the statue of Our Blessed Mother; he tried to place a Palestinian flag in the hands of Joseph, but failed.

We contacted the New York City Parks Department, which granted us the permit. We are asking the police to follow through. We did not make a public statement until today, January 5, the day our crèche was taken down. We did not address this incident earlier because we did not want to encourage others to finish the job.

New York City is a hotbed of left-wing radicals who despise religious liberty, and it does not lack for government officials for leadership. We expect to be very busy in 2026, defending our First Amendment rights.

The Catholic League’s 2025 Year in Review is now available. It contains an overview of some of our most important battles and victories over the last year. To read it, click here.

Unsurprisingly, in-coming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has stacked his inaugural committee with hard-core leftists, many of whom have no use for Catholics and Jews. Here’s a look at some of his choice picks.

Alvaro Lopez—NYC Democratic Socialists of America

Lopez is a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) electoral organizer. He has been heavily involved in the anti-Israel movement. He has helped organize two pro-Hamas rallies in New York. Online he has described people ripping down posters in support of the Israeli hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas as “heroes.” Lopez has written several pieces that have appeared in the hardcore Socialist rag, Jacobin. From his writing, it is clear Lopez is a true believer in the most radical positions promoted by the DSA. Many of the policies championed by DSA conflict with Catholic teachings and would infringe on religious liberty.

Ana Maria Archila—NY Working Families Party

Archila has served as co-director of the New York Working Families Party since 2023.  Prior to this role, Archila mostly worked in advocating on behalf of illegal immigrants. Additionally, she played a major part in the witch hunt against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Archila was one of two women protestors who confronted then Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) in the Senate elevator live on CNN, challenging him for his support of Kavanaugh. The incident left Flake shaken and led to his wobbling in support of Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

Beth Miller—Jewish Voice for Peace

Miller is the political director of Jewish Voice for Peace, a pro-Hamas organization which has received considerable funding from George Soros. Miller has frequently expressed support for terrorists, spread incitement, and celebrated violence. She previously was a member of Students for Justice in Palestine, another radical anti-Israel organization.

Ceyenne Doroshow—G.L.I.T.S.

Doroshow is a man falsely claiming to be a woman. In 2024, he helped organize a protest funeral that would defile St. Patrick’s Cathedral. During the funeral of Cecilia Gentili, a man who falsely claimed to be a woman, many of those in attendance dressed as hookers, danced in the aisles, sang “Ave Cecilia” when “Ave Maria” was sung, and shouted, “St. Cecilia, Mother Of All Whores.” Additionally, Doroshow helped lead the protest against efforts to crack down on prostitution in Jackson Heights.

Cynthia Nixon—Actress and Activist

Nixon is a prominent supporter of many progressive causes. She is a vocal supporter of abortion. She has been vocal on the issue since she was 15 and frequently uses her platform to oppose anti-abortion legislation and support Planned Parenthood. She has even gone as far as wearing a hat that read “Make Abortion Great Again.” Nixon is also an ardent backer of transgenderism and has often used her platform to support LGBT causes. She has spoken at rallies and protests in support of “gender-affirming care”, drawing on her personal experiences as a parent of a child falsely claiming to be the opposite sex. Nixon has stated her life is “filled with the most amazing, beautiful, brave trans people.”

Dena Cox—Zohran for NYC Field Lead, Brooklyn

Dena Cox is a Health Education Program Manager for the NYC Department of Education. She has voiced her support for the LGBT community, particularly for the transitioning of minors to the opposite sex. Her LinkedIn bio says that her job involves “streamlining program diffusion to equip hundreds of school staff as visible trusted allies for LGBTQ+ youth.” She has reposted several posts on her LinkedIn page in favor of gender affirming care for youth. In December 2025, she reposted a post from the NYC chapter of the LGBT group Parents, Families & Friends of LGBTQ+ People (PFLAG) that encouraged people to oppose a congressional bill that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth. She has also reposted resources on how families can get free gender-affirming therapy in New York City and has shown support for transgender day of visibility.

Kashif Shaikh—Pillars Fund

Kashif Shaikh is the co-founder and president of the Pillars Fund, a Muslim advocacy group that seeks to support and uplift Muslim voices in the United States. The group has posted tweets on X in support of Black Lives Matter and has been critical of the police and ICE; it also seeks to abolish prisons.

Katia Reguero Lindor—The Unaparent Podcast

Katia Reguero Lindor is a podcaster and wife of New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. She is the host of The Unaparent Podcast, which seeks to “debunk parenting myths and provide a safe, non-judgmental space for parents and parents-to-be.” On the podcast, she has spoken in favor of abortion calling it “healthcare,” and has given a platform to those who speak positively of illegal immigration. In a November 2025 Instagram post, she wrote “Your enemies aren’t the immigrants- they’re the one-percenters hoarding the wealth while leaving you without basic needs.” This is despite the fact that she and her husband live in a $21.1 million penthouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

Ms. Rachel—Educator and YouTuber

Ms. Rachel (real name Rachel Anne Accurso) is a YouTube content creator who is most well known for making a series of educational videos for children.

She is known to push LGBT propaganda online. In June 2024, she wished her fans a Happy Pride Month on her Instagram page. She has also voiced support for the transgender community. Ms. Rachel hired Jules Hoffman, a singer who identifies as transgender and non-binary, to appear on her popular YouTube series “Songs for Littles.” She even extended an invitation to have transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney appear on one of her shows. Ms. Rachel has attempted to use Christianity to justify support for the LGBTQ+ community. She once stated that support for gay and transgender people is “a perfect example of what Christianity should be.”

Ms. Rachel also is known to promote pro-Palestinian and anti-Semitic messaging in her content. According to pro-Israel advocacy group StopAntisemitism, after the October 7 attack on Israel, Ms. Rachel “quickly began incorporating Hamas-propagated images and stories into her content.” Her posting has been so prominent that the group named Ms. Rachel a finalist for its 2025 “Antisemite of the Year” award.

Naseem Haffar

Naseem Haffar is a former financial executive. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC), an organization that provides support to immigrants and refugees in New York. AAFSC has spoken out against ICE, saying in October 2025 that the agency’s decision to raid NYC’s Chinatown was an “assault on the dignity and safety of all New Yorkers.” The group is also in favor of sanctuary cities. Haffar’s personal X account shows a wide history of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic posts. Among these include: calling for the stoppage of U.S. funds to Israel, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “war criminal,” claiming that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and accusing Israel of committing apartheid against Palestinians.

Nicholas Occhiouto — Zohran for NYC Field Lead, Manhattan

Nicholas Occhiouto is an assistant professor of Sociology at Hunter College in New York. He has spoken against law enforcement and ICE and is in favor of illegal immigration. In 2025 he co-authored an article in The Guardian that called ICE agents arresting illegal immigrants “belligerent violations of human rights,” and said that the Trump Administration’s policy on illegal immigration was “authoritarianism.” The article went as far as to say that the 2026 World Cup should be boycotted because of these policies. In a July 2025 post on X, he also compared the police to a criminal enterprise.

Patrick Gaspard—Senior Fellow at Center for American Progress

Gaspard has been an informal yet crucial advisor to Mamdani during the campaign and transition, drawing on his experience as a former aide to Barack Obama and Bill de Blasio. Gaspard is a longtime fixture in progressive politics. He served as president and CEO of the Center for American Progress (CAP) from 2021 to 2024 before transitioning to senior fellow. Although Gaspard identifies as a Catholic, CAP is a liberal think tank that has consistently pushed agendas that conflict with Catholic teachings, including staunch support for abortion rights and LGBT issues. Gaspard has decried “Christian nationalism” as undermining religious freedom. He is critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza, saying Israel’s incursion was “one of the worst tramplings of human rights in this century.” His vocal opposition to U.S. military aid for Israel and advocacy for police accountability reveal a deep alignment with far-left causes that prioritize progressive ideology over Catholic values.

Phylisa Wisdom—New York Jewish Agenda

Wisdom has been involved in Mamdani’s Jewish outreach efforts, including attending the Beth Elohim community conversation with Mamdani. She has stated that there is a broad spectrum of Jewish voices that have differing opinions on both Mamdani and the Israeli government. She has encouraged Mamdani to continue reaching out to the Jewish community, noting that Jews felt more reassured in voting for him. This provides Mamdani cover against criticisms from groups like the ADL. Wisdom is a progressive activist and the Executive Director of New York Jewish Agenda. NYJA advocates for “liberal Zionist” positions, including an end to Israel’s occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian state, which some see as undermining Israel’s security. NYJA supports Proposition 1 to enshrine abortion protections in New York’s constitution, aligning with views that frame reproductive rights as consistent with Jewish values. Her selective emphasis on Palestinian issues and solidarity with Israeli protesters against their government highlight a leftist bent that prioritizes progressive alliances over support for Israel.

Rochelle Lin—CAAAV

As a youth organizer at CAAAV (Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence), Lin represents activist networks focused on racial justice and anti-displacement in Asian immigrant communities—causes that often align with defund-the-police narratives and anti-capitalist activism. While her public profile is low, her work promotes progressive ideologies that view law enforcement as a source of institutional violence.

Sherry Padilla—Desis Rising Up & Moving (DRUM)

Padilla is an organizer at Desis Rising Up & Moving (DRUM), a Soros-funded group advocating for South Asian and Indo-Caribbean immigrants. DRUM played a significant role in Mamdani’s campaign.

DRUM has a history of organizing pro-Palestine demonstrations and shutting down public spaces. In October and November 2023, DRUM organized two different protests in New York’s Bryant Park. In both cases they shut down the park while calling for an immediate ceasefire to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Protesters held pro-Palestine signs at both demonstrations. Similarly, in February 2024 the group participated in a vigil outside of City Hall, demanding that the NYC Council call for a ceasefire. Padilla has participated in “Know Your Rights” sessions where the speakers give tips on how to avoid ICE. She also has criticized NYPD accountability failures, aligning with anti-police movements that seek to dismantle law enforcement structures. Her activism promotes far-left causes, including resistance to xenophobic policies. Her organization’s support for Palestinian resistance raises concerns about hostility toward Jewish interests.

Umit Muradi—Zohran for NYC Field Lead, Queens

Born to an Afghan-Turkic family that fled the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and endured collectivization famines in Turkmenistan, Muradi’s support for Mamdani’s democratic socialism is laced with irony—his grandparents survived totalitarian suppression, yet he advocates for wealth redistribution and dignity through socialist policies.

After Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race, he chose quite a number of people to work on his transition team. This is a list of some of his more prominent appointees, many of whom will likely be given a job in his administration, starting January 1.

Not all of these people are of concern to the Catholic League, but those whose interests touch on social and cultural issues certainly are, which is why they are highlighted.

Bill Donohue

This Christmas we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of our nativity scene in Central Park. I vividly remember, as do Bernadette Brady-Egan, our VP, and Alex Mejia, our Director of Data Services, what happened on December 19, 1995. Here is what I said about it on December 14, 2015.

“In 1995, when we displayed our first nativity scene in Central Park, Monsignor John G. Woolsey blessed it in front of our staff. Just as we were about to walk away, a beautiful rainbow appeared above. But it didn’t shine everywhere—it shone directly on our crèche. We take that as a sign that more than the public approves of our display.”

A miracle? A coincidence? You decide. We already have.

Kyle Nazareth

As Catholics prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, America faces record-low marriage and birth rates that expose the anti-family biases embedded in secular culture.

Bowling Green State University’s National Center for Family & Marriage Research reports that the U.S. marriage rate in 2022 fell to its lowest level on record, 54 percent below the rate in 1900. In 1960, the average age at first marriage was 22.8 for men and 20.3 for women; by 2024, it had risen to about 30.2 and 28.6, respectively. The total fertility rate now hovers around 1.6 births per woman, far below the 2.1 replacement rate.

Catholics, once exemplars of large, vibrant families, now mirror these dismal trends. Data from Georgetown’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) show that while the Catholic population in the United States has grown by nearly 20 million since the late 1960s, sacramental marriages have fallen by roughly 70 percent. Large Catholic families are vanishing: By the mid-2010s, only 1 percent had five children, and less than 1 percent had six or more; most in prime child-rearing years average just two. CARA once reported a median Catholic marriage age around 24; newer data show the average Catholic bride and groom at about 30 and 32 by 2022.

These crises aren’t merely about affordability; they’re systemic. We have built an economy and culture that prioritize individual comfort and desire over St. John Paul II’s “gift of self,” the self-giving love essential to families.

As noted by macroeconomic strategist Nicholas Pardini, the gap between coasting as a single and thriving as a family has widened dramatically. For young, childless adults, achieving a basic standard of living is easier than ever. Even low-income Americans have access to global luxuries like climate-controlled homes, clean water, microwaves, smartphones, streaming services, and cheap, calorie-dense food. Low-wage workers have seen relatively strong wage growth in recent years. Living with parents or roommates into one’s twenties and thirties carries little social stigma; in 2023, about 18 percent of adults aged 25 to 34 lived in a parent’s home. Rents for basic apartments have cooled somewhat since their 2022 peak. Unencumbered young adults can pursue opportunities, work long hours, and fill their leisure time with low-cost distractions such as streaming, social media, and video games.

At the same time, vices that undermine family life are cheaper and more accessible than ever. Pornography is effectively free online. Legal marijuana has become cheaper as markets expand. Sports betting can be done on a phone in bed. After the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate, many women pay little or nothing out of pocket for contraception.

Whether used for liberty or for license, the market makes it relatively cheap and pleasant to avoid commitment, avoid children, and live for oneself. For now, that is the path of least financial resistance.

By contrast, embracing the Church’s pro-life, pro-family teaching often feels like a punitive wall. Home prices have grown much faster than incomes, driving a massive wealth gap between owners and renters. Family health insurance now costs tens of thousands of dollars a year. College tuition has roughly doubled in two decades. Weddings routinely run into the tens of thousands of dollars, and even an uncomplicated pregnancy can mean thousands in out-of-pocket costs without good coverage. For young Catholics seeking early marriage and generous openness to life, obedience demands sacrifice amid policies that favor individualism.

These perverse economic incentives are a symptom of society’s spiritual malaise. Many nowadays simply “don’t want” kids. A 2023 Pew report found only 26 percent of U.S. adults view children as “extremely or very important” for fulfillment, prioritizing careers or travel instead. These choices reflect a vision of the human person as an isolated individual, made to live for himself.

Marriage and parenthood were once society’s keystone; now, they’re dismissed as a mere capstone. Yet they are not mere lifestyle options, but the ordinary path to holiness for most Catholics. As St. John Paul II teaches in Theology of the Body and Familiaris Consortio, marriage is a sacrament of mutual self-gift, where spouses transcend self by offering their time, bodies, plans, and sacrifices to God and one another. In his Letter to Families, he affirms the family as the primary school of this sincere self-gift, foundational to a true “civilization of love.”

Society’s shift from self-gift to self-centeredness has helped create an economic order that punishes young, growing Catholic families. Catholics must honor, support, and pursue these marriages and families as vital witnesses to our faith, refusing to dismiss them as impractical or outdated in a culture often hostile to religious values.

As Christmas approaches, we should look to the Holy Family: Mary, the young Virgin who said “yes” to God despite the risk of social shame; Joseph, a working man charged with protecting and providing in poverty and danger; and Christ’s humble birth in a manger.

Christmas is not about our comfort, consumption, or control. It is about God, who gives himself entirely in the form of a Child. In a culture where starter homes feel like luxury goods and children are seen as limitations, Catholics must remember that man only finds himself through a sincere gift of himself. An economy and culture worthy of the human person must be built around that truth.

Bill Donohue

It is an understatement to say that the Catholic League will miss Cardinal Timothy Dolan—he is a very special man. He always fought for justice, and his amiable character won the applause of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He was certainly very kind to me.

We met for the first time on April 15, 2009, when he was installed as the new Archbishop of New York. I was waiting on the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral as he exited, and after he spotted me, he came over to greet me. I told him something he repeated many times—to me and others: “You are my Irish terrier and I am your pit bull.”

Though we did not meet until he came to New York, I had a working relationship with Dolan when he was Archbishop of Milwaukee. I mentioned this in my news release of February 23, 2009, the day the news broke that he was selected to run the New York archdiocese.

“In the fall of 2007, the Catholic League launched a boycott and PR campaign against the Miller Brewing Company for its sponsorship of a vile anti-Catholic gay event, the Folsom Street Fair, in San Francisco. After six weeks of pounding Miller, we got what we wanted: an apology for four anti-Catholic incidents and a pledge not to sponsor the event again.”

We would not have succeeded without the support of Archbishop Dolan. Miller officials complained to him about my campaign against them, but to no avail: he said he was on our side.

Similarly, in 2023, after I registered my objections with Rob Manfred, the Commissioner of Baseball, for allowing the Los Angeles Dodgers to honor an anti-Catholic gay group on “Pride Night,” he called Dolan to protest my public stance. Dolan told him to call me. “I’m sure Bill will be glad to talk to you.” Manfred never called.

Soon after Dolan became Archbishop of New York, he took me to a Broadway play. Later in 2009, he invited the entire board of directors of the Catholic League to have dinner in his residence. His support for our mission was unyielding.

One reason why Dolan was always in our corner was his commitment to the rights of accused priests. It is well known that he has been busy trying to afford just compensation to those who have suffered at the hands of offending priests—almost all the abuse took place decades ago—but less well known is his defense of priests who have been unfairly maligned.

The most famous victims’ group, SNAP, has been largely discredited, and with good reason: the lies they have told about priests are legion. The Catholic League has exposed them many times, and Cardinal Dolan has also been justly critical of their antics. Too bad other bishops haven’t been as active, both in tending to the needs of those who have been truly victimized, and in opposing those who have sought to exploit this issue for monetary and ideological profit.

Cardinal Dolan was quickly embraced by his brother bishops. In 2010, he was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He led with distinction, taking on the unfair measures of Obamacare that sought to penalize Catholic non-profits, such as the Little Sisters of the Poor.

It is a tribute to his non-partisanship that he was asked to close both the Democratic and the Republican national conventions. But his fairness never stood in the way of being outspoken about contemporary issues. He was not tied to the politics of the left or the right.

The Catholic League has come to the defense of many priests, bishops and cardinals, but no one has been consistently more grateful than Cardinal Dolan. Always honest, he does not hold back in expressing his appreciation.

I prize the many radio and TV interviews I did with him. Whenever I had a new book published, he invited me to speak with him. There were other occasions, too, such as his greeting of the homeless on Ash Wednesday outside St. Francis of Assisi, near Penn Station—they are given breakfast—that are memorable. I especially recall him giving me a Coors stein (our favorite beer is Coors Light) a few years ago.

In 2023, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Catholic League at the New York Athletic Club. Cardinal Dolan was the keynote speaker, and he did not disappoint. What stood out the most was not so much his formal comments—it was his discussions with those in attendance. He worked the room, meeting virtually everyone, winning them over with his characteristic jovial demeanor.

Running the New York archdiocese is a daunting task, but it is one that suits the new archbishop. Archbishop Ronald Hicks is young and vibrant, and will be able to put his considerable administrative experience to good use. We look forward to working with him.

It did not take long for Cardinal Dolan to win over the hearts of New Yorkers, and it our sincere hope that Archbishop Hicks will do the same.

Bill Donohue

The attempt to discriminate against Christians at a cooperative apartment complex in Westchester County, New York failed. Those who run the cooperative allowed the display of a menorah in the common area, but not a nativity scene. They failed because we intervened.

What makes this story so bizarre is that the same issue took place last Christmas, and in the same building in Larchmont, New York! The only difference is that the building management company is new and the resident who complained is new. But the facts are the same.

I wrote to the new Property Manager company, recounting the story from last year. I said the display of a menorah was “commendable.” But I hastened to add, “What is not commendable is the refusal to display a nativity scene. Indeed, it is illegal.”

My letter was dated December 10 and we gave them until December 15 to either display the nativity scene, along with the menorah, or take down the menorah. The letter was emailed to them on the morning of December 10 (and sent in the overnight mail) and that very afternoon they removed the menorah, and a Christmas tree.

They could have settled this issue by simply displaying the crèche, but their idea of neutrality was to ban both the menorah and the manger scene. We prefer the tolerant alternative; they prefer the intolerant option.

“The menorah, like the crèche,” I wrote, “is a religious symbol; the Christmas tree is a secular symbol. This is not my opinion—this is the interpretation afforded by the U.S. Supreme Court. So you can either allow all religious symbols to be displayed, or you can deny both of them: You cannot chose one and deny the other.”

Ironically, it was last year’s confrontation with a different management group that ran this cooperative that led us to contact over 2,000 Homeowners Associations (HOA) in November, alerting them to the religious rights of their residents. We never thought we would have to swing into action again to stop discrimination against Christians in the same cooperative.

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 makes it clear that if one religious symbol is displayed in a common area, others must also be allowed. Supreme Court decisions on the display of religious symbols on public property are also accommodating. This is a serious religious liberty issue.

It is a sad commentary on the co-op board of this property that they thought they could get away with their bigoted stunt two years in a row. But their determination to discriminate was met with our equally determined decision to stop them.