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| holiday focused postage stamps available at USPS |
My patriotism rests, in much part, on the first amendment to the Constitution which provides “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"
As a child living in Detroit during the 1960s, I was introduced to many
different faiths. Of course, there were, as now, the many different denominational
takes on Christian faith. But also, the kid that lived next door was Egyptian
Muslim. A girl in my class at school was Saudi Arabian Muslim. I had Jewish
friends.
I loved having discussions about our differing faiths. My faith grew
richer and deeper by hearing their faith stories, traditions, and customs.
“This is America!” I excitedly thought.
I was, and am, proud to be a citizen of a nation that respects personal
conscience so deeply that it is written into our very fundamental social
contract known as the United States Constitution.
Other nations assert a State religion. For the United Kingdom it is the
Church of England, for Argentina, the Roman Catholic, for Denmark, the Lutheran
Church. And of, course Muslim nations assert the Islamic faith.
But here in America, your faith and religion are a matter of your personal conscience.
Religion is neither imposed upon you nor is it prohibited of you.
This is America! I vigorously assert.
Oh, there are voices claiming that there is some sort of suppression of
religion happening in America. I suspect those voices are merely stirring the
pot of electoral politics.
Far from suppression, many faiths, positions of conscience, are affirmed even by The United
States Post Office as you can see by the availability of holiday-focused
stamps.
From my childhood in Detroit to this day, my patriotism rests upon the
Constitution and especially the first amendment.
The Constitution is the national and social contract by which we all get
along.
I pray that in 2024 we all get along like 1960s Detroit elementary school kids talking
about our different faiths across a table at lunch time.
This is America! I proudly proclaim!
