Separation of Church and State

 For some years, the town of Hampton has been embroiled in a controversy over the use of taxpayer funds to create a fund for the town's Catholic church school  

Citizens who decried this as a violation of the Constitution's First Amendment's prohibition of government establishing a religion were vilified as being motivated by deep seeded anti-Catholicism masquerading as concern over separation of church and state.

Every year someone warned that Catholics are protected by separation of church and state but were told Catholics do not need that protection and that the words "separation of church and state" appear nowhere in the Constitution of the United States, echoing rants from Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert that separation of church and state (SC&S) is simply not a thing, not a real principle or idea.

John F. Kennedy was quoted prodigiously by supporters of SC&S, as JFK recognized that without that protection, people would think that as Catholic he would be under the spell of the pope. But JFK was adamant that "public funds should never be awarded to any church or to any church school." Without that absolute guarantee, Kennedy argued, "For while this year it may be a Catholic against whom the finger of suspicion is pointed...tomorrow it may be you."

So, defenders of SC&S protested they were concerned to safeguard Catholics, the congregation of Our Lady of Miraculous Medal did not believe that for a moment.

Principal of Sacred Heart

But now, in Concord, at the State House of Representatives, three state representatives have introduced an amendment to the New Hampshire Constitution to replace the guarantee of non interference by government in religious practice or support, of neutrality of government respecting religion:

Article 6: NH STATE CONSTITUTION

“BUT no person shall ever be compelled to pay towards the support of the schools of any sect or denomination. And every person, denomination, or sect shall be equally under protection of the law; and no subordination of any one sect, denomination or persuasion shall ever be established.”

And what the representatives want to replace this with is this:

“As morality and piety, right grounded on evangelical principles, will give the best and greatest security to government…the people of this state shall have a right to empower the legislature to authorize…religious societies within this state..for the support and maintenance of PUBLIC PROTESTANT teachers of piety, religion and morality.

At the Deliberative Session, a long time advocate for SC&S read this out. 

"If there was ever any doubt in your mind, that separation of church and state protects Catholic faith from attack, this amendment should be your answer."

The amendment does not say the state government should support Christianity, but Protestant Christianity.

Oddly enough, the members of the congregation, who testified as ardently as ever for the taxpayer slush fund for their Sacred Heart School, were unfazed by news of this amendment.

As is almost required by the format of these Deliberative Sessions, townsfolk talked past each other, never acknowledging they have even heard the other side.

Democracy in action, small town New Hampshire.

Go figure.