“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech”
I’m sorry I don’t understand what you mean by nothing about separation of church and state being in the constitution. Technically yes those exact words to not appear in the text. The constitution does not read “separation of church and state” at any point. That does not mean that is not the effect of the constitution.
The above quote from the 1st amendment lays out the principles:
1) no official state sponsored religion
2) can’t stop people from being a religion
3) can’t stop them from speaking their belief (or lack thereof)
If your in such a hurry to defend her can you actually do it? Is there some specific policies or laws she has proposed? Is there a record of work she can point to on tea party points of interest? Is there anything other than a reflexive instinct on your part to defend her from “Elitists” like Karl Rove?
Actually, the first amendment doesn't really separate the church from the state but rather separates the federal government from the church. At least that's my interpretation.
Remember, the bill of rights is about defining individual freedoms and limiting the government's power.
The above quote from the 1st amendment lays out the principles:
1) no official state sponsored religion
2) can’t stop people from being a religion
3) can’t stop them from speaking their belief (or lack thereof)
Actually, it says that Congress can make no law establishing a religion. It says nothing about states, counties, or cities doing the same. Nit-picking, I know, but the US constitution applies to the federal government only.
"Separation of Church and State" has been bastardized by groups like the ACLU to mean that no religious words or symbols can be used or spoken by ANY government entity, and that is NOT what the constitution says. It simply says that Congress can't establish a religion. It doesn't prohibit the ten commandments from being displayed on a state capitol building. It doesn't prohibit having a prayer before a high school football game. It doesn't prohibit a Senator from quoting the Bible - it merely prohibits comgress from establishing a religion. No more, no less.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:4EGHdkFSSP4J:www.religioustolerance.org/scs_intr.htm+separatiob+church+and+state+history&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
Thomas Jefferson, as president, wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut on 1802-JAN-1. It contains the first known reference to the "wall of separation". The essay states in part:
"...I contemplate with solemn reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State..."
During the 1810's, President James Madison wrote an essay titled "Monopolies" which also refers to the importance of church-state separation. He stated in part:
"Strongly guarded as is the separation between religion and Government in the Constitution of the United States, the danger of encroachment by Ecclesiastical Bodies may be illustrated by precedents already furnished in their short history."
The US Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment as if it requires this "wall of separation" between church and state. It not only prohibits any government from adopting a particular denomination or religion as official, but requires government to avoid excessive involvement in religion.