During this week’s reading, I couldn’t help but notice how differently the federal government has approached the subject of religion across different times and different venues; even as the legal separation of church and state is no new concept. Ratified as a part of the 1st Amendment, this civil liberty has far outlasted any modern court battles between religion and secularism.
Interestingly enough, they have shown precedent on both sides of the religion in public services controversy. On one hand, coins in American currency are engraved with the message “In God We Trust”, every session in the House or Senate begins with a prayer, and each house of Congress has their own chaplain. Even so, the Supreme Court has been responsible for ruling …show more content…
In this case, while the document seems fairly airtight, Congress has struggled with determining whether or not the clause represents a complete separation between religion and state or if there are exceptions for specific governmental programs.
Additionally, my eye was caught by the number of sedition acts that have been passed throughout American history. Despite the fact that it lied in direct opposition to the foundational liberty of free speech, that smothering legislation continued to reappear - even after it was eventually struck down either by someone in power who noticed the discrepancy or it eventually faded away or was overshadowed.
It is in that aforementioned fact where the peculiarity of and my interest in this topic is found. From the birth of our nation to now, we have had a number of sedition acts pass through our midst - from the Alien and Sedition Acts of the 18th century; to Abe Lincoln’s ban on anti-government sentiment; to the Espionage Act passed by President Woodrow Wilson deep into World War
Interestingly enough, they have shown precedent on both sides of the religion in public services controversy. On one hand, coins in American currency are engraved with the message “In God We Trust”, every session in the House or Senate begins with a prayer, and each house of Congress has their own chaplain. Even so, the Supreme Court has been responsible for ruling …show more content…
In this case, while the document seems fairly airtight, Congress has struggled with determining whether or not the clause represents a complete separation between religion and state or if there are exceptions for specific governmental programs.
Additionally, my eye was caught by the number of sedition acts that have been passed throughout American history. Despite the fact that it lied in direct opposition to the foundational liberty of free speech, that smothering legislation continued to reappear - even after it was eventually struck down either by someone in power who noticed the discrepancy or it eventually faded away or was overshadowed.
It is in that aforementioned fact where the peculiarity of and my interest in this topic is found. From the birth of our nation to now, we have had a number of sedition acts pass through our midst - from the Alien and Sedition Acts of the 18th century; to Abe Lincoln’s ban on anti-government sentiment; to the Espionage Act passed by President Woodrow Wilson deep into World War