DEAR EDITOR:
Did you ever pick
”
nits?
”
DEAR EDITOR:
Did you ever pick “nits?”
It’s a great pastime, and I love nitpicking … so I’ll reply to Joe Six Pack’s [Dan Meyers] letter in The Dispatch May 4.
Joe admits there is no mention of separation of church and state in the Constitution. He claims to have read, and re-read, the First Amendment a number of times, yet in his quote he misses the boat; writing “shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion” … that’s incorrect. It should read “shall make no law respecting “AN establishment of religion.”
There is a world of difference between “the” and “an.” It may seem trivial to Joe Six Pack, but it is NOT.
This reminds me of President Clinton’s remark “What is “is”?”
“An” is an indefinite article modifying a noun … no action implied.
“An” and “a” are never used except with a noun. Establishment being a noun – no action – therefore it cannot be distorted in meaning, as the legal profession has done, to give it the meaning of a verb implying action. Contrary to “AN,” “the” is a definite article used to modify an adjective or adverb in some or any degree [Random House Dictionary]. There is a difference in meaning between “an” and “the,” and the difference is significant in modifying the word establishment as used in the First Amendment.
In summary, the purpose of the First Amendment is to guarantee freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion! The words “of” and “from” may be small, but the difference is of overwhelming significance seldom understood by our so-called “learned” judiciary, especially the Supreme Court judges.
As an addendum for Joe Six Pack, I wish to quote Gus R. Stelzer in his book, “The State Against Religion.” Quote: “Moreover, anything that Jefferson or anyone else may have said before or after the Constitution and the First Amendment were ratified is irrelevant. Unless a statement specifically appears in the Constitution, it has no legal standing.”
Joe, you best forget that “wall of separation” mentioned by Thomas Jefferson.
J. G. McCormack, Gilroy
Submitted Monday, May 10 to ed****@****ic.com
