I have a confession to make; a secret about my first ghost writing job. 40 years ago, I wrote my friend’s Junior term paper. Not that she wasn’t capable, but the subject was a perfect fit for me. I remember begging her to let me write it. (Note: In my youthful exuberance to report the truth, I totally understand the ethics issue involved.) As a burgeoning high school journalist, I had been closely following the Texas School Book hearings (side note- most states choose their books based on the Texas hearings) and the fight between the Gabler’s and Madalyn Murray O’Hair over Creationism was truly earthshattering.
O’Hare, as usual was claiming separation of church and state. Let’s stop right there, and have a look at our Bill of Rights, shall we?
1st Amendment – Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. This phrase means that the government cannot impose a state religion on the citizenry, as what the pilgrims escaped from in Britain.
It’s the second stanza that is more important. ‘Or prohibiting the free exercise thereof’
Throughout my career, I have dealt with the confusion around the separation of church and state; including removing the word God from a child’s quote at the demands of the governmental entity that oversaw that child. The child was denied his right to say what he believed, same as bible believing children were denied the right to have continuity between life in public school and what they learned at Sunday school. All because of the misinterpretation and misuse of a phrase. Historical Note: The Bible was taught in ALL public schools for hundreds of years. It was the “reader” for American children.
Back to the hearings, when O’Hair was deemed justified, children were shown that their religion wouldn’t be tolerated in the public square going forward. A few short years later, organized prayer was eliminated from public schools, successfully wiping out a Texas and American tradition. Prayer had not been compulsory in school. It was time given to students each day to stop and thank the Lord for what He had given in their lives, their state and how thankful they were to have been born in the freest country ever, because of Him.
A decade later, Political Correctness was introduced to the American culture.
Political Correctness was designed to separate people by demonizing the sharing of ideas, what could and couldn’t be said, etc. What did it really do? It silenced people into self-censorship. ‘Oh, you can’t say that’ ‘Oh, you can’t ask that’, ‘Oh, you can’t think that’ ‘Don’t question why suddenly you have no right to the truth’.
But we DO have a right to the truth and we have the right to say anything we want; with the obvious exception of dangerous speech. Dangerous speech used to be defined as the example of ‘yelling fire in a crowded theater.’ Speech that would physically endanger humans. Today the term is redefined daily, by whoever is screaming the loudest about the ‘next perceived injustice.’ Good Americans have been silenced and shouted down for so long, most believe that they are just suppose to fade into the background and let the world do whatever….
I say No. It’s time for Americans to regain and exercise our voices. “We the People” as in ALL OF US. We are all created equal in the sight of our Father. We are the ones that are responsible for the direction of our government. We are the ones responsible for the direction of our schools. We are the ones responsible for the direction of our culture. Too many have abdicated their authority to the god of government, to everyone’s determent. It’s time to take them back.
The pilgrims that originally settled the 13 colonies, came here to escape religious persecution. It is said that Israel was founded by God for the Jews; and America was founded by Christians to honor God. Are we honoring God by allowing the sidelining of our faith by others that twist the verbiage of our founding documents and sacred word? When will we collectively have our fill and decide to speak out. When will we speak out about the lies about our heritage, and our God?