[E Rocc]

So you are of the seperation of church and state frame of mind? So you think that is what the 1st amendment means?

Jefferson and Madison both thought that and said so.

-Eric

[looscnnn]

Not so, Jefferson and Madison were against the establishment of a national church/religion. Not the elimination of God or religious symbols from public locations. Those symbols are common for many religions, so that means that the ten commandments would not be establishing a national religion or church.

Jefferson:
http://www.noapathy.org/tracts/mythofseparation.html

Madison:
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/tnppage/qmadison.htm

Madison's summary of the First Amendment:

"Congress should not establish a religion and enforce the legal observation of it by law, nor compel men to worship God in any manner contary to their conscience, or that one sect might obtain a pre-eminence, or two combined together, and establish a religion to which they would compel others to conform" (Annals of Congress, Sat Aug 15th, 1789 pages 730 - 731).

[looscnnn]

Also other resources:

http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html
"The letter was the subject of intense scrutiny by Jefferson, and he consulted a couple of New England politicians to assure that his words would not offend while still conveying his message: it was not the place of the Congress or the Executive to do anything that might be misconstrued as the establishment of religion."

"[Congress thus inhibited from acts respecting religion, and the Executive authorised only to execute their acts, I have refrained from presenting even occasional performances of devotion presented indeed legally where an Executive is the legal head of a national church, but subject here, as religious exercises only to the voluntary regulations and discipline of each respective sect.] "

and

http://www.nrbookservice.com/BookPage.asp?prod_cd=c6442