The Wall America Actually Needs is Crumbling
- Robert Perrell
- Feb 21, 2020
- 4 min read
During the 2020 State of the Union Address, President Trump’s speech laid out what his administration has accomplished in the past year and its agenda for the future. And despite the speech feeling more like a campaign rally than an actual explanation of his vision, the words that the President used to describe the future of religious freedom were concerning. He spoke candidly about prayer returning to schools and a defense of “religious liberty”, which has been a popular talking point recently amongst evangelical conservatives.
President Trump has had the support of evangelicals since his inauguration in 2016, and his popularity among religious fundamentalists has remained consistent throughout his presidency. He employs a “spiritual advisor”, who helps spread propaganda evangelicals. Recently, the president has been deemed the “chosen one” by members of his base, right-wing media, and even several political allies. However, his words during the State of the Union address were the most direct assault on the wall between church and state so far.
“In America we don’t punish prayer, we don’t tear down crosses, we don’t ban symbols of faith, we don’t muzzle preachers and pastors. In America we celebrate faith, we cherish religion, we lift our voices in prayer, and we raise our sites to the glory of God,” said President Trump.
The republican party has historically catered to their religious base, but the president has taken new steps in dismantling the wall of protection between religion and government. This idea of the separation of church and state is found in the 1st Amendment to the Constitution and was coined by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 in a letter to Danbury Baptists.
“Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State,” -Thomas Jefferson, 1802
With the 2020 presidential election rapidly approaching, it is imperative for the Secular Community to stand up to this attack on Jefferson’s wall and advocate for a return to the founder’s desire for actual religious freedom. Advocacy within the community is essential to defeating this ideology and is a topic that many believe is a primary source of concern for the future of this country. Annie Gaylor, the co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, has seen the push for bringing down the wall between church and state increase rapidly during this administration.
“Everything is in danger now with the appointments that Trump has made to the Supreme Court…We must protect the first amendment, it is good for everybody, both religious and non-religious,” said Gaylor.
One way the Secular Community can defeat this attack is with votes, and specifically here in Columbia, South Carolina, the 2020 democratic primary is just a few days away. If the community truly wants to see the country move away from terms like “religious liberty” and back to a sound wall of separation, this is where they can have the biggest impact.
However, it important to note how each candidate views religion and the role of religion within the government. Currently, Vice President Joe Biden is leading in South Carolina polls, with Senator Bernie Sanders in second, followed by billionaire Tom Steyer, who is littering the Palmetto State with political advertisements. Each democratic candidate ostensibly favors the separation of church versus state, so it is necessary to dive deeper into their beliefs about religion and understand which candidate is the best advocate for Secular Community.
Biden, who was Vice President under Obama for eight years, is a “practicing” Catholic who regularly attends mass. Despite this, Biden has recently split from the church on matters such as abortion and LGBTQ rights. Steyer, a hedge fund manager, supports first amendment protections, as well as religious freedom, but has gone on record as saying that his faith does impact his worldview.
Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who finished strong in both Iowa and New Hampshire, is not polling as well in South Carolina, however, Buttigieg could improve with a good showing in Nevada on February 22. Buttigieg is an Episcopalian and has spoken recently about the need to bring God back to the Democratic party. The former mayor, who is openly gay, has definitely caused some concerns for conservative evangelicals, but is a firm believer of religious tradition in politics.
Elizabeth Warren, Senator from Massachusetts, is currently polling behind Buttigieg and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who will not be a part of the SC primary. Warren has been very vocal about her faith throughout the campaign. She has talked openly about the “power of prayer”, her time as a Sunday School teacher, and has even quoted scripture during a recent town hall.
Out of all the candidates running for election in 2020, Sanders is the only one who, at least on paper, would be the biggest ally of the Secular Community. He describes himself as Secular and has spoken out about the need for that wall of separation between religion and government. Sanders has been touted as “America’s most prominent unaffiliated politician” by the Washington Post and has gone on record to be proud of his Jewish heritage but not an active member of religion.
For many, the 2020 election is solely about defeating Donald Trump, however, for the Secular Community, it must be about more. Advocacy is one of the pillars of a strong community and protecting the rights of non-believers should be paramount. Each member of the community must make their own choice during the primary and the presidential election, but the protection of America’s first wall is fundamental to the survival of the Secular Community and American values.
For more information on how to register to vote in South Carolina’s open primary, visit SC Votes. And for more news and information on the Secular Community, follow on Twitter @SecularShepherd.
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