February 27, 2012 by David K. Sutton
A Letter To Rick Santorum: You Aren’t Running For Moral High Commander
Dear Rick,
You are entitled to your opinion on things like birth control and same-sex marriage, but make no mistake, these are JUST your opinions. You are not running to become the father-figure of the American people. You are not running to become the moral high commander. You are running for President of the United States, the highest office in a culturally diverse land.
You can use your faith to run your own life but that is where it ends, particularly when it comes to running the country. If you really believe in this country and what this country stands for then you will recognize that there are people of every religion and of no religion living in this country. You might disagree with the personal decisions that people make but these are their decisions to make. Your religion plays NO role in the lives of others. If you really believe in individual liberty and freedom this should be easy to recognize. If not, then I’m afraid both literally and figuratively that you are seeking the wrong job.
You say there isn’t a separation of church and state but you forget that people of your faith, Catholicism, faced discrimination not so long ago in this country. The Supreme Court has upheld that there is a separation of church and state in every case on this matter. The church-state separation guaranteed by the First Amendment, is a protection FROM religion, not a protection OF religion because it’s crafters recognized that the only way to have religious freedom is to protect each citizen from religious persecution and from tyranny of a majority. It is this separation that has helped this country to become “a more perfect union”, but we aren’t there yet.
You get to practice your faith freely and without persecution because of the very “separation” you say doesn’t exist. I think a history lesson and a re-reading of the First Amendment would be a good start followed up by a long look in the mirror while reciting one of your mean-spirited, narrow, and sometimes hate-filled speeches.
Good Day
David K. Sutton
photo by stormwarning photography via Flickr
