NEWS PROVIDED BY
Catholic League
Aug. 14, 2026
NEW YORK, Aug. 14, 2026 /Christian Newswire/ — The following is submitted by Bill Donohue, President, Catholic League:
In 1833, Massachusetts was the last state in the union to end state churches. Fast forward to today where lawmakers are considering a bill that would make mincemeat out of the principle of separation of church and state. Only this time, instead of privileging Protestants, it seeks to privilege Muslims.
There is a bill, sponsored by State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, that would create an 11-member commission to advise state leaders on an array of issues that affect the public sector. Nothing wrong with that, but there is something offensive about singling out one religious community—in this case Muslims—to receive special treatment. There is no Catholic or Jewish commission appointed by the state to advise lawmakers about issues of interest to them. Nor should there be one.
The bill died in the Senate when the legislative session ended July 31, but it is expected to be reintroduced, with some changes, in the next session.
The commission would be permanent, not transitory like so many other such bodies. It would be charged with recommending Muslims for government jobs, devise plans to combat “Islamophobia,” and make recommendations on education, healthcare and employment. To say this is ripe for nepotism would be an understatement.
No one, including Eldridge, has released a study detailing the necessity for such a commission. Indeed, it would appear that Muslims are one demographic group that does not need assistance in making strides in either the private or public sectors.
Muslims are two percent of the population of Massachusetts, double the national average, and they are disproportionately represented among college graduates. In 2024, 44 percent of Muslims nationwide had a college degree and 26 percent had post-graduate degrees. While exact figures for Massachusetts are lacking, the state has a higher overall education attainment rate than the national average, suggesting that Muslim achievement is well above the median.
Besides religious discrimination, this commission is guilty of class discrimination. Why are Muslims slated to be given a formal voice in government affairs but blue collar workers, most of whom are Christians, are not? To make matters worse, Massachusetts has a lousy record treating Christians fairly.
From 2006 to 2018, the city of Boston authorized 284 flags to fly atop a city flagpole outside of city hall, representing a myriad of government and private interests. But in 2018 it turned down a request by Camp Constitution to fly what they described as a “Christian” flag, maintaining that to do so would amount to government endorsement of religion. But Gay Pride flags were allowed; only Christian flags were banned.
The U.S. Supreme Court put an end to this anti-Christian bigotry when it ruled that the flagpole represented a public forum, and therefore the government could not discriminate on the basis of religious viewpoint.
Currently, there is an attempt to stop the display of St. Michael and St. Florian on a new police headquarters in Quincy. The town mayor chose these two figures because they are the patron saints of police and firefighters, respectively; the purpose of the display is to honor first responders. The case is tied up in the courts.
The idea that flying a Christian flag outside city hall represents state endorsement of religion, but formal state alliances with Muslims do not, is perverse. If the bill passes, look for another lawsuit.
SOURCE Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
CONTACT: 212-371-3191, pr@catholicleague.org