Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. In this you will see that nowhere does it state “separation of church and state.” It came from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1802 to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut. When reading this letter you become aware that Jefferson was only indicating the importance of the first amendment when he stated the phrase “separation of church and state.”
In 1947, N.J. was sued because they were giving money for children to be bused to public as well as private school. It was ruled the money was Constitutionally permissible because money was offered to all students and had nothing to do with religion. Justice Hugo Black said the following: “The establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment means at least this; Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid a religion, aid all religions or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a religion’s beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or not-attendance. No tax in any amount large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect a wall of separation between church and state.” Meaning Government can’t tell you how to worship.
It is appalling to me to see what is going on in schools and our military where people are being denied the right to practice their religion. Schools do not allow students to bring Bibles or wear religious shirts. Where in the Constitution does it say they can’t do that? In fact, you will see that it says they can’t prohibit free exercise thereof. The military are being told that they can’t be open about their religion, is that not the government suppressing the right of the people to free exercise of their religion? Why are schools who call themselves educators not standing up for the Constitution or are they ignorant of what is in it?
Gov. Rick Perry is to be congratulated for signing his Merry Christmas bill and saying, “Religious Freedom does not mean Freedom From Religion.”
Wake up, pushing a law that does not exist undermines our Constitutional right to worship in freedom. We have the right to practice openly without interference from schools or government. Stand up now for your right to do so or soon it will be gone.
Dee Gibney
Hamilton