The protections separating church and state are under attack. Many Americans feel unsafe expressing religious or spiritual affiliation. Respect for the intangible space between and among people manifests in legal allowances for spiritual articulation into that space. Further, precedent sets that protections of church and state separations extend to accommodation of personal religious conviction in public space. Such protections don’t compel a public space void of spiritual expression. Rather, they encourage articulation that does not contradict American values. Unlike self-proclaimed secular states like France, ours is a country where dual loyalties are an inherent part of our American identity. Italian-, African-, Jewish-, Puerto Rican-, Somali-, Muslim-, Irish-, Gay-, Catholic-, Evangelical-, and other hyphens are among many from which Americans can choose, and they can create and choose as many as they want. We must articulate and re-articulate protection for all forms of non-violent, innocent expressions of personal and religious conviction such as hijabs and circumcision. There is a movement of professors at colleges and universities who want to abolish these protections. They are influencing policy, public discourse, and are teaching our children. These ideological fascists teach our kids that texts sacred to communities be treated as literature and little more. They have lost respect for the magic of humanity that drives exceptional American progress.
- Propose legislation requiring countries that trade with the USA not imprison people because of their ethnicity or religion
