Welcome to the new weekly blog from Ed Joyce, President, Delaware Valley Chapter, Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Each week I will post about church-state issues, AU in the news, DVAU activities, and more.
Separation of Church & State is arguably one of the most important issues facing U.S. citizens today. Today, there are powerful, religiously-based groups that are very politically active trying to force a Christian world-view on our country. These groups would like to dictate how women should decide very personal reproductive choices. They would like to see prayer in our public schools – and not just any prayer – but their prayers. They want science teachers in public schools to teach a brand of biblically-based theology that is not recognized by mainstream scientists. They want the continuation of Faith-Based initiatives allowing them to discriminate and proselytize in the work place while receiving government support. And many of them would like to do away with our department of education by way of any number of voucher schemes being considered by some states.
Presently, the Delaware Valley Chapter of Americans United, DVAU, is doing all we can to call attention to this blatant breach of the church/state line in NJ and PA. We are providing a grass-roots presence in the area to insure that constitutional values are not over looked. Last weekend we sponsored a debate in Philadelphia that included State Senator Anthony Williams, co-sponsor of the PA voucher bill, along with educational experts and a constitutional attorney. Even though Senator Williams made a strong case for children in violent inner city schools needing a way out of their dire predicament, the other side argued that we cannot forsake long-term and time tested constitutional values for short-term gains.
I’ll continue this discussion next week. We’re holding another debate this Saturday, October 1, in Trenton (see www.dvau.org for details). I have some ideas to kick around about solving at least the constitutional issues plaguing the voucher issue. I’ll share them with you next week after the Trenton debate.
Ed Joyce, President, DVAU
I think Separation of Church and State is ok…
Hi, my name is Janessa. My school just finish our Junior Research Projects. And my Topic was Separation of Church & State. I have to say, it was the hardest topic to Research on. We had to have Works Cited Page, Draft, Essay and Powerpoint. As I am typing I haven’t finished the essay or the draft. Or the Works Cited Page. I presented my PowerPoint today. I think I did an alright job on the powerpoint. I could have done better if I do Works Cited (MLA) on my last slide, I didn’t stumble alot of words, and if I put in alot more details. Plus, I could have explained the pictures. Instead having the class wondering what the pictures were about. I inserted some politcal cartoons. (But I am shy so I feel VERY nervous standing in front a class. I didn’t want to explain the pictures.)
Hi Janessa, congratulations on your report on Church-State Separation, and thank you for using DVAU’s site for some of your research. We appreciate your efforts.