U.S.: Nation of many faiths

To Geddie Fredy (letter to the editor from March 4):

Geddie Fredy should study the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution before admonishing anyone in regard to being clueless as to the contents of the Constitution as well as the assertion that it would be within the constitutional law for Idaho to establish Christianity as a state religion. The First Amendment begins with, “Congress shall make no law respecting an ‘establishment of religion,’ or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Thus, it would be totally unconstitutional for Idaho to declare itself a “Christian State.” Also, please refer to the recent comments in that regard of David Adler, constitutional scholar. Re. your assertions that the U.S. Supreme Court declared this to be a “Christian Nation” in 1892, please realize we presently live in the 21st century, and this country is and has always been an immigrant nation — multi-ethnic and comprised of many religions, the top five including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. The demographics of a predominance of a Christian religion within the United States certainly have changed since 1892.

And, let’s not forget the “Christian” teachings of Jesus of love and tolerance for our fellow human beings that sadly seem to be missing from the vocabulary and mind-set of individuals such as Geddie Fredy who I presume envisions him/herself as a “good Christian.”

To Idaho Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll:

Yes, Madam, you should apologize for your insensitive, disrespectful and above all ignorant remarks made toward statesman Rajan Zed for his Hindu invocation prayer in the Senate chamber. I am embarrassed you represent me as a public servant, and I can assure you that you do not speak for me nor many others in the state of Idaho. To paraphrase David Adler, constitutional law professor at Boise State University, he stated that Sen. Nuxoll’s view of the U.S. as Christian nation based on Christian principles is incorrect and would represent an establishment of religion and therefore violate the First Amendment of the Constitution (see article from Saturday, March 7). I was happy to read that more enlightened leaders from various religious affiliations stood behind Mr. Zed and demand an apology from Sen. Nuxoll as well.

ELKE HELMUTH

Coeur d’Alene