[nonliberal]

When the Constitution was adopted, nine of the thirteen states had established religions. The First Amendment was written so as to prohibit the federal government from interfering with state establishments.

That is why it reads "AN establisment of religion" and not "THE establishment of religion."

[muawiyah]

Funniest thing, I thought the First Amendment was written at exactly the same time as the Second and the Third. Taken together these constitute a barrier against the anti-Protestant depredations of the kind fomented by the French Kings Louis XIII and XIV.

As we all instantly recall, they were in the practice of hunting down Protestants like animals and having them murdered, and all that sort of thing.

There's a lot more to this, but we all agree that without the Bill of Rights the current Constitution would not be adopted.

[elephantlips]

My copy of "Original Intent" is dog-eared and falling apart. I wrote a play around the facts and quotations found within which has been playing annually for five years with the sixth coming up this July. Each year audience members are astounded at the "real" words the Founding Fathers spoke. We've even taken the production onto the streets with some unusual results but always people are surprised.

[Tauzero]

BUMP!

[edsheppa]

The substantive due process doctrine built on the 14th changed the game.

[Shooter 2.5]

"In other words, each State, and not the federal government, protects the rights of its citizenry. Meanwhile, the Founders intended the First Amendment as a protection for the States from the tyranny of a federal dictatorship.

And all this time, I thought that the Bill of Rights protected U.S. citizens and not state governments. < sarcasm >