Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Jasmine Tilton: We need to protect our religious freedom



Published Date: Saturday, 28 June 2014 00:38


To the editor:

Lately, while watching the news and reading news articles, it has become undoubtedly clear that our first amendment rights-our BASIC rights, are being violated. Specifically, cases where Religious Freedom are being violated have come to light all over the country. Our Religious Freedoms are being violated in our towns as well.

Town meetings are allowed to pray before they start; the United States Congress opens up each session with prayer. Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, S.J., the current Chaplain for the United States House of Representatives, prayed these words on May 21st, 2014. “…Help them and, indeed, help us all to obey Your Law, to do Your will, and walk in Your way.”

Children and faculty of schools are not even given the option to pray. Why are the rights of everyday citizens being violated, and those higher up can do whatever pleases them? Why do we sit back and let it happen?
A student in Baltimore was denied from a program put on by the local community college. One of their reasons was because of his faith. He was told the field he wanted to work in was “not a place for religion”. Our Founding Fathers built this country on religious principals-they left England so they could practice the religion they wanted to. That shouldn’t change. Religious Freedom is one of the reasons people come to America. We shouldn’t just watch it happen, we should be DOING something about it! We should protect our faith and protect the right to believe what we want to.

Not only Religious Freedom, but all of our first amendment rights and freedoms are being infringed on. We need to take a stand and protect the freedoms and rights we all deserve.

Jasmine Tilton
North Conway

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