McCain's America
When I watch this video of John McCain I see a man who is obviously struggling with a topic that I am not convinced that he believes fully. The stuttering and the halted speech just seems like a desperate attempt to say things to appease a certain group of people; and if that’s true then that is unfortunate. McCain is being touted as the guy who is tough and will stand up and tell everyone exactly what he stands for and what he believes in, but when it comes to the topic of religion he sure seems to be caving in to conform to the image and script that he’s expected to parrot from the right.
It’s not a matter of what one’s personal religious view points are, what you believe in or whether or not you have faith in God or not, it’s about the simple fact of being able to understand that the role of the government, as our founders intended, was to be neutral in all matters of religion, so that it metes out justice and fairness for all without regard to religious affiliation. This is a right of all Americans, and not just those who are religious.
No Wonder This Blog Is So Boring...
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Protecting Church State Separation
Church-state separation is an historic principle and is supported by countless Americans. But just how these values impact everyday life, or how they are under attack, is not always clear. The following eight issues highlight today’s most pressing concerns:
1. The First Amendment requires government to remain neutral on matters of religion. This basic tenet not only protects religious institutions from the influence of politics, but ensures that the religious beliefs of lawmakers do not infiltrate our laws.
2. End of life decisions are among the most personal of all, and should be based on what’s right for you and your family. Church-state separation restricts interference with end of life care in order to further a political or religious agenda.
3. The choices one makes about reproductive health are choices of individual conscience. Church-state separation ensures that religious doctrine doesn’t take precedence over the laws that allow individual control of reproductive issues.
4. Every American enjoys the right to practice, or not practice, any religion. Maintaining church-state separation means that we are not subjected to government-supported religion and that tax dollars are not allowed to fund any initiatives grounded in faith.
5. Public Education must be free of religious bias. Church-state separation restricts the government from promoting religion or religious views in the classroom.
6. Advancement and innovation, especially in the medical field, require research rooted in science. By maintaining the separation between church and state, we guarantee that the narrow religious beliefs of some lawmakers do not limit the research that saves lives.
7. Private houses of worship have the right to promote specific marriage and family traditions, but the government does not. Church-state separation is critical to ensure that our nation’s laws do not limit the definition of marriage or family, resulting in blatant discrimination.
8. This country is rooted in the traditions of religious freedom, the freedom to practice when and how you want and the freedom to refrain from religious practice. Lawmakers are constantly trying to infiltrate the public sector with tactics like prayer in school and forced devotions during the meetings of government organizations. Protect the separation between church and state and no citizen will feel the pressure to conform to anyone else’s religious beliefs.
First Freedom First was created to inform citizens about church-state issues and to create a platform for those who need to speak out against the violations that threatens church-state separation. For more information on these issues, please visit the websites of American’s United and First Freedom First.