Pat thanks for the artical in the Sunday Herald Citizen it is refreshing to know there is someone else who understand the extreme righ group in the USA. Keep up the good work..
Charlie and Bonnie Jones
Cookeville, Tn.
Mr. Ryan:
Enjoyed your “Political Pandering….” column in the Herald-Citizen today. I do believe you have misrepresented the original intent of the freedom of religion section in the First Amendment. Much has been written regarding the founders original intent. With regards to the subject of religion the purpose of the First Amendment is to prohibit the Federal Government (Congress) from establishing a national religion. This country’s founders did not want to follow the “Church of England” path. In fact, the purpose of all of the first ten amendments was to limit the authority of the federal government; not grant the federal government any new authority.
During the period the Federal Constitution and the Bill of Rights were ratified (1988-1791) a majority of the ratifying states had their own official state religions and these were not given up as a condition of joining the federal government. Nor is there anywhere in the Constitution where the states granted the Federal Government any power over religion (Article 1, Section 8-9); or were the states denied the right to exercise power over religion (Article 1, Section 10 and Amendment 10).
I believe your column would have been more powerful if you had directed your arguement to the state governments (Tennessee and New York) since the Federal Government has no constitutional authorithy in this arena.
Pat thanks for the artical in the Sunday Herald Citizen it is refreshing to know there is someone else who understand the extreme righ group in the USA. Keep up the good work..
Charlie and Bonnie Jones
Cookeville, Tn.
Mr. Ryan:
Enjoyed your “Political Pandering….” column in the Herald-Citizen today. I do believe you have misrepresented the original intent of the freedom of religion section in the First Amendment. Much has been written regarding the founders original intent. With regards to the subject of religion the purpose of the First Amendment is to prohibit the Federal Government (Congress) from establishing a national religion. This country’s founders did not want to follow the “Church of England” path. In fact, the purpose of all of the first ten amendments was to limit the authority of the federal government; not grant the federal government any new authority.
During the period the Federal Constitution and the Bill of Rights were ratified (1988-1791) a majority of the ratifying states had their own official state religions and these were not given up as a condition of joining the federal government. Nor is there anywhere in the Constitution where the states granted the Federal Government any power over religion (Article 1, Section 8-9); or were the states denied the right to exercise power over religion (Article 1, Section 10 and Amendment 10).
I believe your column would have been more powerful if you had directed your arguement to the state governments (Tennessee and New York) since the Federal Government has no constitutional authorithy in this arena.
Sincerely,
Charles Rush