This letter is in response to Mary Thom’s previous letter to the editor and to many others who are voting yes on the amendment.

First off, how does voting on an amendment that could suppress many people’s civil rights give people a “voice”? No matter which way you look at it, the state is suppressing the voice of many by leaving their civil rights up to vote!

Secondly, freedom of religion, in it’s basic definition, means you may not impose your religion on others! If you don’t believe in same-sex marriage, don’t get one! Some religions do not allow for pork to be eaten, but it does not give them the right to outlaw bacon!

And thirdly, and pay close attention to this, as many have a hard time understanding this! Our nation was not founded on Christian principles. “One Nation, Under God” you say? This was not added to the pledge until 1954, to assert religion during the time of the Red Scare, when America did not care for Communism and its government suppressing the rights, in this case their freedom of religion, of its citizens.

“Our government is based on a Christian doctrine and principles, that’s the way the Founding Fathers would want it,” you say? Thomas Jefferson widely rejected the Christianity of his day, was critical of the Catholic Church and was the first to suggest the separation of church and state, as he believed enforcing ones religion on another was tyranny.

Ben Franklin stressed the importance of religious pluralism and believed every person had the right to practice whatever religion. George Washington never mentioned God by name in any of his speeches and was known to attend religious ceremonies of all types of religions.

The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution with their frustration over the fusion of political and religious power that was given through the divine rights of king on their minds.

I, a lowly 20-year-old student, have single-handedly struck down each and every one of the vote-yes camp’s arguments with 20 minutes of Google.

So before you follow your religion so blindly, remember what country you are in. The United States of America, whose Founding Fathers wanted a government separate from religion, a country where everyone has the right to practice whichever religion they please, or not have one at all. It is an insult to our country and its founders for you to call it “the land of the free” while you suppress the rights of others. “The land of the free” does not mean you have the freedom to take away freedom.

 

Maxxwell Flaa

Albert Lea