I have several comments regarding Kurt Hochenauers Feb. 9 Gazette Commentary Counterpoint: Separation anxiety. Hochenauer worries that discussing religious ideas could dumb down our students. As dumbed-down as our public schools already are, its hard to believe that discussing anything could dumb them down any further. Two million American children are currently home-schooled. Most Americans who can afford it send their kids to private schools, including President Obama.
Secondly, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
It was added to prohibit the establishment of a state church as the British had done with the Church of England. The concept of separation was later promulgated by Thomas Jefferson in an essay. It is not in the Constitution.
Thirdly,
Ive noticed Hochenauer likes using the word draconian. As practiced
in the U.S., evangelical Christianity is a lot less draconian than
radical Islam. Why do left-wing liberals profess such antipathy toward
Christianity, but such love and admiration toward Islam?
Martin Morrell
Oklahoma City