The 1st Amendment of the Bill of RIghts

James Madison did not believe that rights needed protecting, until his campaign for election to the House of Representatives against James Monroe. After he won, Madison reviewed proposals in 1789, that had been gathered at various state conventions. The idea was to have these proposals safely added to the Constitution and not to affect the critical decisions that had been taken in Philadelphia. It was through Madison's strong insistence, accompanied by Roger Sherman's argument to have the amendments as separate articles, that Congress sent to the States a set of twelve amendments. Finally, at the end of 1791, ten amendments were ratified. Did you know that both Rhode Island and North Carolina initially rejected the Constitution? ...any way.....

James Madison's speech of June 8,1789, "....if all power is subject to abuse, then it is possible the abuse of powers of the General Government may be guarded against in a more secure manner than is now done... We have in this way something to gain, and if we proceed with caution, nothing to lose. ...I do wish to see a door opened to consider, so far as to incorporate those provisions for the security of rights... ". Specifically relating to Religion, Madison spoke, "The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext, infringed."

Roger Sherman drafted the amendments in July, 1789. "The people have certain natural rights which are retained by them when they enter into society, Such are the rights of conscience in matters of religion; of acquiring property, and of pursuing happiness and safety... Of these rights therefore they Shall not be deprived by the government of the United States." On August 24, 1789, Congress resolved, "... Congress shall make no law establishing religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, nor shall the rights of Conscience be infringed." On September 14, 1789 the Senate proposed, "Article the Third: Congress shall make no law establishing articles of faith, or a mode of worship, or prohibiting the free exercise of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

On September 28, 1789 Speaker of the House of Representatives, Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, recorded the "Articles in addition to, and amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislature of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution." Finally the Bill of Rights, as Ratified by the States, on December 15,1791 shows "Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceable to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Why point out the hard work and time it took to give us the Bill of Rights? It is because people would have the lazy Americans think that religion has no right to exist in our everyday lives by quoting "separation of Church and State" which is not present in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. Protestants, Christians, and Jews are all having our rights denied. Gaining more presence is the push coming from the Muslim faith and the Atheist faith (to believe there is no God or Creator is a practice of faith). The Bill of Rights' clearly states in the first Amendment "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
PROHIBITING the free exercise thereof...."

So, to the school who suspended a young teen for wearing his own Rosary around his neck as he was departing from school, have your read the Constitution and Bill of Rights lately? There is no policy at the school that mandates students from wearing religious articles or clothing. If that did exist, no Orthodox male child would wear a head covering, no Muslim child could carry a prayer rug or head covering, and no other child could wear a necklace with a medal or even a cross. It is time for America to display our faith as we desire, instead of letting these non believing individuals walk all over the (OUR) Bill of Rights.