Threat to freedom of religion affects people of all beliefs: Letter – Yahoo News

On Nov. 13, 2021, Michael Flynn, previously a national security adviser to former President Trump, called for the establishment of one religion in the United States. This is a dangerous affront to our first amendment rights.

Recently, there has been a great deal of controversy surrounding first amendment rights in the United States, with many citizens expressing concerns about cancel culture and other challenges to free speech. This civil liberty is viewed as absolutely necessary to uphold personal freedom within our republic. However, freedom of speech is only one essential right that is enshrined within the first amendment to the US Constitution. In fact, it is not even the foremost right enumerated within that amendment. The first amendment begins by stating, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Despite their personal religious beliefs, the founding fathers found the separation of church and state, in practice, to be so important that they began their Bill of Rights by addressing it immediately.

Regardless of ones personal politics, upholding the first amendment to our Constitution means that we cannot pick and choose which of these rights to defend and which to violate. To protect freedom of speech, we must also protect freedom of religion, and that means maintaining the separation of church and state. To do otherwise would lead to a slippery slope where, in the end, fundamental rights and freedoms would be diminished for United States citizens of all religious backgrounds, including Christians.

Molly Frey

St. Cloud

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Threat to freedom of religion affects people of all beliefs: Letter

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Threat to freedom of religion affects people of all beliefs: Letter - Yahoo News