Alongside Imo’s Pizza, toasted ravioli, Ted Drewes ice cream, and “where did you go to high school?” inquiries, the city of Saint Louis is famous for car break-ins, murder, and a rivalry with Detroit for the top position on “most violent city” lists.

The city’s infamous crime rate has become so integral to St. Louis’ national reputation, that a new petition arguing the city should be renamed to the more accurate “Sinner Louis” has gone viral and acquired 40,000 signatures in it’s first day of circulation.

“I just think ‘Sinner Louis’ is a more honest name for this city,” said petition author Adam Quigley, who has lived in South City his entire life, in a phone interview this afternoon. “Maybe in decades past this city used to be more saintly, but who are we trying to fool now?”

Quigley says that the city’s instant interest in his petition has surprised him, but that he’s more than happy to collect the signature of every like-minded Saint Louisan.

“Honestly, I never thought this petition really had much of a chance outside of me just floating this idea out there and seeing if a few other people would bite, so to speak,” Quigley said. “But if this rate of interest keeps up there is a strong chance that this measure will be certified and put on the ballot in the next election. Today has been very exciting, to say the least.”

Detractors of the name-changing proposition include the local St. Louis Catholic Church, which maintains that the name “Saint Louis” honors the city’s rich Catholic heritage and history.

While no official statement had been released at time of publishing, it has been reported that several churches have asked congregants not to sign the petition, especially just for a joke.

“There’s no reason Saint Louis has to be named that for the rest of human existence,” said Quigley. “Maybe it’s time for a change, and maybe if this measure goes through it will shed some light on how much personal and metropolitan work we all have to do to become an actually saintly city.”

*This story is developing.*

(Photo courtesy of Dave Herholz.)

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