In his letter to the editor on Sept. 24, Paul Armstrong plays fast and loose with the truth in order to accomplish what is almost exactly not a refutation of Tim Paluch’s column on religion in America.

Honestly, if I were going to just make up facts like Armstrong did, I’d at least make up some good ones. Mr. Paluch’s main point is that religion should not be allowed to be a part of our government. Armstrong tries to argue against this by saying that nowhere does our Constitution say that. Even if I roll over and play dead on that issue and pretend Armstrong’s correct, that still does nothing to disprove Paluch’s point. His point was not that it is illegal for Church to merge with State, but that it is wrong. Saying there never were any prayer laws on the books is a bald-faced lie. Most colonies and states had at one point in time compulsory prayer and heresy laws on the books, and those that didn’t still forced children to pray anyhow.

Armstrong misses the next boat to “sanityville” by arguing that forced prayer in public schools won’t oppress anyone.

The act of setting aside a time to do a particular thing indicates that society places a high value on that event. If you don’t participate in that event then you are excluded from normal society.

The Supreme Court has heard plenty of separation cases before and after Engel v. Vitale. Try Everson v. Board of Education. The decision of Everson v. Board (1947) even quotes a letter Jefferson sent to a church explaining the First Amendment.

The Danbury Baptist Congregation inquired of Jefferson the reason for the First Amendment, and he replied: “…I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should `make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between church and State.” (Jan. 1, 1802)

Finally, Armstrong tries to slip a fast one by us, quoting Washington as a founding father. As much of a hero as he is, Washington had about as much to do with writing the laws of this nation as George W. Bush does in running it today. That is to say, he was a pretty face. If you want quotes by the particular founding fathers who wrote our laws (and Constitution) here’s a good one (but by no means the only): “It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.” – Thomas Jefferson

Keith Twombley

Junior

Computer science and philosophy