Appalled that council would promote religion

I am appalled that the Yuma City Council is willing to approve the promotion of religion. To allow a Mormon group to build a foundry and erect a statue of one of their forebears on public land is totally unconstitutional. It has overriding religious significance. The group has not proposed to erect statues of Army officers who were Catholic or Baptist or those who professed no religion. This action is a deliberate promotion of the Mormon church and the fact that the Army of the West will pay for the statue should not mean an automatic favorable response from the council.

I understand that there is even the possibility of a gift shop at the site. If so, would the proceeds go to the city treasury or into the coffers of the church?

Since a good deal of federal money has gone into the building of the wetlands park area, the federal government will have to be informed of this promotion of religion.

No groups, regardless of their influence, should be allowed to promote their brand of religion on land that is the property of all the citizens.

CHUCK RUSSELL

Yuma