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Headline off base

To the Journal editor:

Here in our country, we have separation of church and state. In my view, this is very good.

However, the clarity of this line of separation needs constant vigilance, partly because religious fundamentalists are constantly trying to ‘fuzzify’ this line.

A good example of this occurs at the beginning of each session of our House of Representatives and our Senate, when government money (our tax money) supports a religious act (a prayer to God).

Hence I hold the view that The Mining Journal made a poor choice for its main headline on the front page of the paper last Wednesday: “So help me God.”

This phrase is an optional ending for the oath new citizens take (if desired, anyone can simply, as also for example in the swearing in of a witness in a court proceeding, make an affirmation involving no religious reference).

Your choice for your header for an article (on page one of your paper, not on your editorial page) about a citizenship ceremony may well tend to, however unintentionally, continue this fuzzification of the separation of religion and government.

Your choice was, in my view, unfortunate.

Don Faust

Marquette

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