Brendan Jones – 11/15/05

This page was last updated on November 24, 2005.

Changes in the melting pot; Brendan Jones; Beaver County Times; November 15, 2005.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Regarding Dan Reeping’s letter to the editor (‘ACLU is the enemy of Christ,’ Nov. 8), the following is my opinion on the issue of state/church separation and why private business ‘secularizes’ the month of December.

“The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees no state-sponsored religion, and also, Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli states, ‘As the government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion ...’

[RWC] Read the First Amendment and you’ll find it says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Nothing in the U.S. Constitution prohibits individual states from sponsoring religions. I would not support states sponsoring religions, but the Constitution doesn’t prohibit it.

Conveniently for him, Mr. Jones didn’t quote all of Article 11. Here it is in its entirety.

“As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen [Muslims]; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.”

All the above quote means is that the U.S. didn’t have an official religion, as do Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Vatican City and didn’t go to war over differing religious beliefs. You only have to read the documents of the time to know the U.S. was founded using a great many Judeo/Christian principles.

“This document was approved by George Washington, while president, and also John Adams, president at the time the treaty was unanimously ratified by the Senate, without objection.”

[RWC] Not that it would have made any difference, but while the treaty was negotiated while Washington was in office, the negotiations took place in Tripoli. The signed (by U.S. consul Joel Barlow) treaty didn’t arrive back in the U.S. until after Washington left office. Given the state of communication and transportation at the time, it’s unlikely George Washington even saw any drafts.

“The ACLU in this matter strictly enforces these legal documents to uphold the law where it deems violations occur, whether they are Christian, Muslim or Buddhist displays.”

[RWC] First, the ACLU can’t enforce anything. This may be a shock to liberals, but the ACLU is not a government law enforcement agency.

Second, there’s nothing to enforce in Article 11. It was merely a statement of fact.

Third, the Pasha of Tripoli broke the treaty in 1801. When it was renegotiated in 1805, Mr. Jones’ Article 11 was removed.

“However, private business and all citizens are entitled to display whatever religious effects they wish. Private businesses have changed over time because they do recognize that Christmas isn’t the only winter holiday, and with increasing diversity in their customers, they want their stores to be inclusive of the melting pot that is America.

“I, for one, do not care what private businesses and citizens say or display. It is their free choosing to do so, and my free choosing of where to shop.

“However, my tax dollars will not be used to push one religion over another.”

[RWC] Who said they should?