Rick Santorum is Un-American
Carla Axtman
Looks like its going to be "beat up Santorum" afternoon on Blue Oregon.
Fine by me.
Santorum says that the separation of church & state in America aren't absolute. I imagine that Thomas Jefferson is spinning 360s in his grave about now.
Yes Rick Santorum, separation of church & state in America is absolute. I get that Focus on the Family and the US Council of Catholic Bishops have spent the last several decades working to undermine it. But nevertheless, it's staying.
It's also one of the greatest pieces of political theory and practice that this nation has ever contributed. To toss it aside like so much used Kleenex is frankly, Un-American.
Yes. I'm saying it. Rick Santorum's comments are Un-American. I've often thought that the use of that label by conservatives toward progressives is little more than jingoism. So I've really tried to consider this before saying it. But I can reach no other reasonable conclusion.
Thomas Jefferson himself coined the phrase, 'a wall of separation between church and state.' It's ridiculous to act as if those specific words, 'separation of church and state,' must be in the Constitution for the concept to exist.
When James Madison argued for Virginia's ratification of the new Constitution he said, 'There is not a shadow of right in the general government to intermeddle with religion.' This idea was went hand in hand with Madison's earlier comments on the Statute for Religious Liberty when he wrote Jefferson that the bill had 'extinguished forever the ambitious hope of making laws for the human mind.' Madison is saying that the nation requires a separation of church and state well beyond a weak line against establishment of a national church.
Any 8th Grade level US History student should be able to articulate this most basic founding principle. Santorum's complete disregard for the majority view of our founding fathers is a slap in their face. And a slap to his countrymen...us.
I get that progressives are giddy with glee that a guy like this is actually winning the GOP primary right now. I am not. I find it a pathetic and alarming display that is well over the line of what it means to undermine our country.
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4:50 p.m.
Feb 27, '12
Re "beat up Santorum afternoon," he is just going off the rails.
A young person of my acquaintance was given permission to utter a "cuss word" (her phrase) at breakfast this morning when Santorum was quoted on NPR not only repeating his attacks on higher education but apparently adding bizarreness to bizarreness by saying that favoring higher ed for our youth made President Obama a Stalinist.
A Stalinist? Is Santorum a closet Trot? Or just a humungous dope?
Thanks for laying out Santorum on church and state. Whether or not it makes him un-American, it makes him unfit to be president.
6:26 p.m.
Feb 27, '12
I'm thinking more of a Torquemada, Chris.
12:29 p.m.
Feb 29, '12
Yes! The time of Torquemada is exactly the time period Santo is living in!
5:03 p.m.
Feb 27, '12
The conservative attack depends upon everyone else pronouncing that the First Amendment = separation of church and state, when it doesn't. It's got the Establishment Clause, with its meaning; and it's got the Free Exercise Clause, with its meaning. Both are integral to the "separation of church and state," but particularly with the Supreme Court (IMHO) whittling down the establishment clause, the boundaries of separation are pretty gray.
5:21 p.m.
Feb 27, '12
So many conservatives forget why people came to this country in the first place - to escape religious persecution. Depending on the official religion of the day in England, you could be persecuted for your beliefs. Some of the biggest fights between England and other parts of the UK have been based in religion, whether it be Paganism, Catholicism, or another religion. There were many years where you couldn't officially get married, have burial rites, etc. because the king had pissed off the church and the entire country was excommunicated.
People wanted to escape from living in a country where religion was part of the government and the whims of the head person (king or whatever) could mean their religion was favored, outlawed, or the entire country in trouble. They wanted to live in a place where they could openly celebrate their religion without interference from anyone - especially the government. And to do so, religion needed to be entirely separated from the government because as soon as that happens you end up with the same old problems popping up.
I find it so funny that many of the people who have the most problems with the separation of church and state are also those that condemn religion being so involved in the government of Muslim countries.
5:49 p.m.
Feb 27, '12
Rick Santorum is Jesus gift to Obama- I registered Republican this year to vote in the Presidential primary and if our hero Mitt is still standing, Rick is looking pretty darn good.
9:07 p.m.
Feb 27, '12
There is an American consensus about separation of Church and State despite what Santorum and the Dominionists might say. There is a consensus that the speech that JFK made is American doctrine. When Santorum says he pukes on it, then he demonstrates he is not only an out-of-touch extremist, but an inept politician who is running for Pope of the U.S. and not for the American presidency.
2:21 p.m.
Feb 28, '12
Breaking news today- Olympia Snow is leaving the Senate, not running for re-election. A GOP with extremists like Santorum in charge cannot tolerate a moderate pro-choice woman. Good news for Dems retaining control of the Senate!
6:37 p.m.
Feb 28, '12
Hey, the Repubs have been calling liberals 'unamerican' for decades... just because they stand up for everyone's rights and fight to make America stronger. I say, it's about time that we point out who the people working against "anti-" the American people and interests...