Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. John Adams
Regarding the separation of church and state: In 1947, in the case Everson v. Board of Education, the “separation of church and state” phrase which the Supreme Court invoked, and which has today become so familiar, was taken from an exchange of letters between President Thomas Jefferson and the Baptist Association of Danbury, Connecticut who were concerned that the government might someday attempt to regulate religious expression.
Jefferson understood their concern; it was also his own. In fact, he made numerous declarations about the constitutional inability of the federal government to regulate, restrict, or interfere with religious expression. For example: “I consider the government of the United States as interdicted [prohibited] by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions . . . or exercises.” Letter to Samuel Millar, 1808.
Jefferson had no intention of allowing the government to limit, restrict, regulate, or interfere with public religious practices. He believed, along with the other Founders, that the First Amendment had been enacted only to prevent the federal establishment of a national denomination.
Earlier courts long understood Jefferson’s intent. In fact, when the Supreme Court invoked Jefferson’s letter—unlike today’s courts, which publish only his eight-word separation phrase—they published Jefferson’s entire letter and concluded:
“Coming as this does from an acknowledged leader of the advocates of the measure, it [Jefferson’s letter] may be accepted almost as an authoritative declaration of the scope and effect of the Amendment thus secured.”
One further note should be made about the now infamous “separation” dogma. The Congressional Records from June 7 to September 25, 1789, record the months of discussions and debates of the 90 Founding Fathers who framed the First Amendment. Significantly, not only was Thomas Jefferson not one of those 90 who framed the First Amendment, but also, during those debates not one of those 90 Framers ever mentioned the phrase “separation of church and state.” It seems logical that if this had been the intent for the First Amendment as is so frequently asserted—then at least one of those 90 who framed the Amendment would have mentioned that phrase…none did.
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right. Thomas Paine
Garry Gamble
Grand Marais
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