Initiative Seeks to Discriminate against Atheists
Posted on behalf of Dave Miller, President of the Eastside Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Ms. Kimberlie Struiksma has filed a ballot measure (Initiative Measure No. 1040) that would, among other things, "prohibit state use of public money or lands for anything that denies or attempts to refute the existence of a supreme ruler of the universe, including textbooks, instruction or research."
The intitiative, as filed on January 28, 2009, first concedes that our government is based on the "consent of the governed" and that "WE, the people ... are sovereign."
However, the author then goes on to say that "According to the founding documents of our democratic society, our liberties are true and valid because they are endowed by a higher power.... Thus, by denying the existence of a higher power our government defeats its purpose. It is therefore unconstitutional [italics mine] for the government, as opposed to the individual citizens of the state of Washington to deny or attempt to refute the existence of the Creator, the one responsible for Blessing us with liberty, the Supreme Ruler of the universe." While it is true that the Declaration of Independence made reference to an undefined Creator as means of promoting a natural-rights argument in favor of American independence, it is also true that our Constitution, the supreme law of the land, makes no reference to God or a "Creator." An examination of the history of the Constitution shows rather convincingly that the framers intended a secular federal government. There is much wrong with this initiative besides its ill-conceived conception of American government, not least its attempt to enforce a certain belief system. There are many in the state of Washington who either don't know whether or not there is a "supreme ruler of the universe" or believe there is not. Of course, this doesn't mean that these people should enforce their views on others via government policy either. Our federal and state constitutions are both clear that government should remain neutral in matters of religious belief. The government should not have a rule that prohibits or promotes state use of public money or lands in favor of a supreme ruler or against a supreme ruler. It should safeguard individual freedom of belief and unfettered scientific and historical research.
Dave Miller
Initiative Seeks to Discriminate against Atheists | 2 comments (2 topical)
Initiative Seeks to Discriminate against Atheists | 2 comments (2 topical)
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