Thursday, June 30, 2022

Separation

 The phrase "separation of church and state" has been attributed to Thomas Jefferson, but did not make it into the Constitution.  What the Constitution says, in the First Amendment is:

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.

It doesn't say separation in there anywhere. 

It seems that Rep Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Rep Lauren Boebert of Colorado have been in a kerfluffle over  the issue.

What I know about Kinzinger is that he is a big player in the Jan6 hearings, which tells me that he really does not understand the Constitution. That thing is noting but a show-trial, and ignores little Constitutional concerns like due process and cross-examination.

1 comment:

Jonathan H said...

Unfortunately LOTS of people think that phrase is in the Constitution.
It is pulled from ONE letter that Jefferson wrote on a different subject. He did not consider himself an expert on church and state; that was other less famous founding fathers.