Dear Obnoxious Politicians~ Understand We Were Formed As A
SECULAR Nation~
James Madison on the need for the “separation of powers” because “men are not angels,” Federalist 51 (1788)
As
the numerous candidates for both major political parties juggle for position
all too prematurely for the primary / caucus season that will be all too soon
upon us, I’ve already become weary of the onslaught of hyperbole and propaganda
spewed by those pandering to evangelicals.
"Is uniformity attainable? Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned; yet we have not advanced an inch towards uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth." --- Thomas Jefferson, from "Notes on Virginia"
"All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit."
Despite
the fact that the Constitution guarantees a separation of church and state,
many candidates are targeting their campaigns to those of religious faith and
attempting to rally the conservative agenda again around issues that should
best be left to the individual.
Any
true student of American History knows full well that our founding fathers
advocated a secular government that was not beholden to any particular sect or
faith – including Christianity. The collective genius of Franklin, Jefferson,
Madison, Hamilton, Jay, and John Adams knew that to mix government and religion
was folly. These men were scholars of the classics and of history and were well
aware that the people that came to this continent were escaping religious
persecution, long-term prison sentences or death, or seeking wealth. None of
these reasons meant tying the government to the beliefs of either the many or
the few. Indeed, the words “ In God We
Trust” we not engraved on our money until the time of the American Civil War in
1861.
It
is my argument that any attempt by politicians to foist the moral or religious
views of any faith group on the general public is adverse to the text and
spirit of our Constitution.
“God has appointed two kinds of government in the world, which are distinct in their nature, and ought never to be confounded together; one of which is called civil, the other ecclesiastical government.”
As
such I will support politicians that:
1)
do not discuss any religion;
2)
do not try to impose his/her moral core on me or
my brethren;
3)
support my right to bear (or bare as the case
may be ) arms;
4)
do not invade any decisions that I make with my
physician;
5)
do not try to tell me how to behave in my home;
6)
support the rights of all people no matter their
race, creed, sexual orientation, disability, faith, country of origin, color of
their hair, number of tattoos, or socio-economic level;
7)
believe in equal opportunity for education for
all;
8)
accept that the 14th amendment gives
citizenship by birthright;
9)
appreciate that people who marry those from
other countries should be able to bring their spouses to the USA and that those
persons should not be treated unfairly by immigration officials;
10)
allow all citizens to use alcohol, narcotics,
street drugs or whatever as long as they do not drive or operate heavy
machinery that puts others in danger;
11)
allow scientists to conduct studies for the greater
good even if some believe the techniques are immoral;
12)
will support the position that it is the duty of
all citizens to contribute to their communities rather than the duty of the
government;
13)
support investment in infrastructure such as our
failing bridges, railways, interstates, and roads;
14)
rather than attack planned parenthood, encourage
the community to distribute free contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancies;
15)
insist that community service and charitable
organizations develop ways to see that children that are actually born are
given a chance to thrive rather than argue that abortion should be barred. Really, this has been a problem for
centuries!!
16)
Eliminate income tax on individuals – impose a
VAT
17)
Corporations/ states/individuals should ensure
that all state institutions of higher learning are free to qualified students
for undergraduate degrees. If an elementary & secondary education is
provided to all, a university education should be available to all in-state
students as well. The only cost should be room and board.
18)
Unfair competition must be discouraged;
19)
The rule of law must apply equally to all;
20)
Tort reform, tort reform, tort reform, tort
reform, tort reform,
Okay
– I’ll climb off my soapbox for tonight. But I am discouraged by the dearth of
qualified honest candidates that have tossed hats in the ring thus far. No
wonder a great majority of the American electorate stays home to watch
Entertainment Tonight.
Sigh!
