The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says in part, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
Throughout our history, we have debated what constitutes the establishment of religion. We are right to debate this issue, because the last thing we want is the government telling us what religion to practice, or how we should practice our particular religious beliefs.
As we are witnessing with the unfolding scandal at the Internal Revenue Service, government power is easily abused. The antidote to an abusive big government is a smaller government with power residing with the people. This is what the framers of our Constitution had in mind when they adopted the First Amendment.
The controversy over whether or not to allow donated Gideon Bibles to be placed in nightstands at state-owned lodges is the latest manifestation of our debate over the First Amendment. To say the presence of the Bibles in a room is an attempt to establish a state religion seems far-fetched to me, as far-fetched as a school interpreting a student’s religious-themed paper an official endorsement of that religion.
In my opinion, we have misinterpreted the “establishment” clause of the First Amendment. It seems today many want to use this constitutional protection as a whip to drive all religious expression from public view. Whether it’s a student prohibited from wearing a religious-themed T-shirt at school or the IRS asking a pro-life group about the content of their prayers, it’s clear some want all religious expression pushed out of the public’s view. This is contrary to our history and should be rejected by all freedom-loving people.
Gov. Nathan Deal and Attorney General Sam Olens expressed their views that, because these Bibles were not provided at taxpayer expense but rather were donated, the state is free to put them back into the nightstand drawers. I agree.
Deal also said other groups are free to donate their religious materials as well. One atheist group plans to take the governor up on his offer. This is fine by me. Free speech is for everyone, not just the politically correct. Folks are free to read any, all or none of the materials they find in their hotel rooms, and no one should be offended by their presence.
Sometimes traditions need to end, but others should be protected and cherished. The American traditions of religious freedom and freedom of expression are central to all our other freedoms. If the day comes when we can no longer express our religious views in public, it will be a sad day indeed, for it means many of our other freedoms will already be gone.
State Rep. Buzz Brockway, R-Lawrenceville, represents the 102nd District.
