Thomas Jefferson's Wall Of Separation

Kennedy relies heavily upon historical allusions when challenging the concerns regarding his affiliation with the Catholic Church. Perhaps the most significant allusion relates to Thomas Jefferson’s stance on the relationship between church and state whereby a “wall of separation” would exist between the two. The relationship between the government and religion, at the time Kennedy delivered his speech, seemed unstable; the Supreme Court, through its long history, had opted, both, for a Jeffersonian approach whereby the “wall of separation” existed, but also for a Madisonian approach that carved out religious exemptions to various portions of civil law. Religious exemptions could be perceived as one facet of favoritism leading to a slippery slope of mistrust and resentment from the American citizenry with regards to governmental treatment of religious denominations. Therefore, Kennedy was faced with the dilemma of allowing the pressure to mount from his religious association resulting in possible exemptions, or taking a hard stance on the way in which religious toleration, as understood by Jefferson, was to be handled. The direct mention of the “wall of separation” produces a monumental statement which …show more content…
In addressing their audiences, the two rhetors utilize arguments of association as well as historical allusions to convey a general encouragement of judgment based upon America’s issues. Though Kennedy and Clinton ultimately argue for a unified nation going forward through various arguments of association, the historical allusions offer insights into the nation’s long history of divisiveness to strengthen the appeals for