A decision to evict the Easter Bunny in the St. Paul, Minn., City Hall has caused Marshmallow Peeps to multiply outside the building of St. Paul, Minn., City Hall, resulting in a controversy surrounding the upcoming Easter holiday.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that the furor began after St. Paul human rights director Tyrone Terrill suggested the Easter display be taken down because it might offend non-Christians. Terrill has since said his only problem involved an accompanying sign that said "Happy Easter."
Terrill told The Eagle he is no longer commenting on the issue.
In late March, the small Easter display was removed from the building's lobby according to www.kare11.com, a Minneapolis TV station Web site.
"I haven't heard about this, but I think it's just hilarious," said Tony Chen, a freshman in the School of International Service who lives in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. "However, Minnesota has always been more liberal than conservative."
According to www.kare11.com, the display, which included a cloth bunny, pastel-colored eggs and a sign with the words "Happy Easter," were put up by a City Council secretary and weren't purchased with city money.
"That's like kicking 'In God We Trust' off the dollar bill," Chen said.
Karin Thornton, associate Catholic chaplain at AU, said the Easter bunny has absolutely nothing to do with the Christian religion.
Jennie Isaacson, a junior in SIS from Minnesota, agreed with Thornton.
"It's ridiculous because the Easter bunny doesn't have anything to do with Christianity in any way," she said.
The Peeps have been increasing outside City Hall as a symbol of protest over the decision to take down the display.
"We've gotten a lot of calls, especially after the AP first picked up the story," said Joseph Villiano, assistant brand manager for Just Born, Inc., the company that sells Peeps. "We've gotten a nice influx of support. People have been asking if we've done it as a public stunt, but people have done this on their own accord."
According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, City Hall employees have placed a ring of Marshmallow Peeps around a 36-foot, 60-ton onyx City Hall statue of Native Americans named the "Vision of Peace."
Two laminated signs even announce the statue's temporary new moniker - "Vision of Peeps," according to the Pioneer Press article.
Villiano is honored that Peeps have been used in the protest.
"I am flattered and amused," he said. "I've seen Peeps used in a lot of different ways, but not as political symbols - they're usually passive and non-confrontational"
