Christian and oft-photographer of Festival of the Dead Scott Lanes got quotes in this article in the Salem News about the Samantha Stephens! This was quite a controversy in town!

Bewitching Pros and Cons
Salem News, Wednesday, May 11, 2005

"It really isn't whimsical. We do not make fun or poke fun at the Holocaust and we should not be making fun or poking fun at the 20 people who were stoned or hanged here in Salem."
Former Councilor-at-large William Burns

"Salem is the Witch City. I sincerely think we all need to lighten up, take a breath and allow Salem to have fun."
Councilor-at-large Tom Furey

"I've always assumed that public monuments are supposed to be a public statement about what's important in the community, and this doesn't pass this test to me."
Duncan Cox

"Salem's got to understand there's a difference between a public monument and public art. ... This is something that's whimsy. This is something that's art."
Scott Lanes

"Salem means 'peace.' It doesn't mean 'bought cheap.'"
Dan Liebert

"People everywhere else think we're crazy for trying to ditch the witch. They're saying, 'Are you people nuts? You're sitting on the goose that lays the golden egg and you want to cook it.'"
Christian Day

"It seems to me that everyone who's in favor of this statue is going to make money off it."
Ann Whittier

"It's like Campbell's Soup getting upset about Andy Warhol making art out of its cans. It's like, 'Look at what he's doing to our cans!' Yeah, he's making them famous."
Dave Pelletier