Religious Liberty and other Wednesday musings

So, Americans don't understand the establishment and free exercise clauses. Shocking. It is mind-boggling to me that people don't understand how dangerous it is to set the precedent of allowing the U.S. government to favor one religion over another, whether it's by posting sacred texts in public spaces or by allowing government-sponsored prayer in public buildings. "But ours is the right one" is the common fallback as to why the New Testament should be allowed but the Qu'ran shouldn't. Maybe, but the problem is that almost no evangelicals argued that when evangelicals weren't in possession of so much power. Being a religious minority makes you view religious rights quite differently. Do people not understand that evangelicals are not the fastest-growing demographic group in the U.S.? Do you really want to set a precedent that would, somewhere down the line, result in having prayers that are not of your faith said in Texas public school classrooms?

My friends at the Baptist Joint Committee have put together a nice issue guide on these topics. Learn something about religious liberty - learn why diminished religious freedom for really diminishes freedom for all.

In other news, yesterday Brian, Neal, and I went to hear Mark Halperin speak at the LBJL. He's the political director for ABC News and what struck me was his shirking of responsibility for the lack of hard news presented in today's mainstream media. Seems like if anyone is in a position to change that, it would be Mr. Halperin, but his constant refrain was, "There's no market for it." I'd like to know what the basis for that claim even is, given that there hasn't been much of an option for Serious News in about ten years. Everyone I know loved NOW with Bill Moyers and would love more real, thoughtful reporting in that vein, but it's nowhere to be found. Wayne Slater of the DMN was in the audience; he didn't challenge that assumption, despite the fact that he is a serious reporter.

Oh, and Halperin thinks that 2008 will be Clinton vs. McCain. But he's not super-confident on that. We shall see.

Finally, George Will's article today is a doozie. Here's my favorite line: "the president has forfeited his right to be trusted as a custodian of the Constitution." That's not really a fair shot in the context Will puts it, but the sentiment is accurate.