Perhaps to call further attention to their earlier council-rejected demand for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, a Muslim group felt dismissed, and they demanded an apology from San Bruno City Council (Daily Journal March 23-24). San Bruno restricts lobby use while the City Council is in session and offered the Muslim group a covered alternate venue outside. The protesters, however, insisted on their free exercise of religion right to hold their Ramadan end of fast ritual in the indoor public space.
The Gaza protest, of course, is properly protected by the First Amendment. But what about our U.S. Constitutional guarantee of separation of church and state — Thomas Jefferson’s “wall of separation between church and state?” The protest group represents the Islam religion — the church, San Bruno represents California and the nation — the state.
Jefferson would support San Bruno’s denying protesters the use of indoor city public space to practice their Islam (or any) religious rituals, properly separating local government and religion. Jefferson maintained that survival of our republic rested upon our forever guarantee of separation of church and state.
I’m confident San Bruno and their religious protest groups can peacefully achieve the balance necessary to advance and protect these essential American freedoms.
Tom Huening
San Mateo
The letter writer is a former elected San Mateo County supervisor and controller and author of “Thomas Jefferson’s Bible, Religious Freedom in America.”
I can'f find 'separation of church and state" in the Constitution. There is "freedom of religion" and "establish religion." As for San Bruno's Muslims, they should be allowed to use public space along with all of us.
Is any organized religion allowed to perform their prayers in a government building while official business is being conducted? I thought that was forbidden due to
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(3) comments
I can'f find 'separation of church and state" in the Constitution. There is "freedom of religion" and "establish religion." As for San Bruno's Muslims, they should be allowed to use public space along with all of us.
Is any organized religion allowed to perform their prayers in a government building while official business is being conducted? I thought that was forbidden due to
separation of church and state.
We are done. We don't have any virgins.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.