RIGHTS: About religion

The First Amendment does not outlaw religion. It outlaws the federal government from meddling in church business or administration.

There WERE state churches at the time. Eight of the 13 colonies had official state churches that lasted well into the late 1800s: this state Methodist, that state Puritan, another state Quaker, etc. The First Amendment was meant so as not to create or control a federal U.S. church like the Church of England and to also not prohibit the free exercise of religious rights, activities and religious life.

Some liberal anti-Trumper told me last week that police officers being sworn in recently in our beautiful city of Post Falls should not say “so help me God” because it violates the Constitution (actually Bill of Rights). It does not. The First Amendment is federal law, not local or state. And it does not prohibit religion and is not administering church business.

Plain and simple as that. Period.

So help me, God.

KEITH D. BOE

Post Falls