Changes

Clearly, not all of our judges take our constitution for granted and they recognize the importance of religious freedom, not freedom from religion.  What citizens must recognize is the constitution’s purpose to be objective or neutral towards religion and not to be irreligious.  Judges must also understand this important principle and strive to harmonize religion in public life rather than trying to hide it for fear of offending someone.  As every constitutional scholar will note, we do not have a right not to be offended, and as Erwin Griswold, dean of the Harvard Law School, commented, “In a country which has a great tradition of tolerance, is it not important that minorities, who have benefited so greatly from that tolerance, should be tolerant, too?”

Clearly, not all of our judges take our constitution for granted and they recognize the importance of religious freedom, not freedom from religion.  What citizens must recognize is the constitution’s purpose to be objective or neutral towards religion and not to be irreligious.  Judges must also understand this important principle and strive to harmonize religion in public life rather than trying to hide it for fear of offending someone.  As every constitutional scholar will note, we do not have a right not to be offended, and as Erwin Griswold, dean of the Harvard Law School, commented, “In a country which has a great tradition of tolerance, is it not important that minorities, who have benefited so greatly from that tolerance, should be tolerant, too?”