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Letters to the Editor for Feb. 27

February 27, 2007

MISSING THE POINT

To the Sun:

The easiest way to make an illegitimate political argument is to state a fact, state an opinion, and pretend the two are related. This tactic was demonstrated beautifully by Randy McMillan in his recent letter.

The First Amendment is unrelated to the supposed separation of church and state. U.S. Justice Richard Suhrheinrich said in 2005 that the phrase "separation of church and state" has grown tiresome. It never appears in any of this nation's founding documents.

Another easy tactic is to take a partial portion of a quote and use it apart from context. A simple reading of the 1797 Treaty of Tripoli makes it plain that the Founders were affirming that our federal government harbored no inherent religious animosity toward the Muslim nations. We wanted diplomacy, not holy war. After all, James Madison said plainly that "We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, (but) upon our capacity to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

Randy McMillan would no doubt argue that all taxes to sustain government should be stopped because Jesus Christ said to "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's."

To try and remove all potentially religious laws and constructs from American government is to commit mental suicide. Too many Americans have already jumped overboard.

Sincerely,

David S. MacMillan III

high school senior

Winchester

Editor's note: The phrase, "a wall of separation between church and state" was written by Thomas Jefferson in his letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802.

NO BENEFITS FOR DOMESTIC PARTNERS

To the Sun:

Our state senator, R. J. Palmer, is one of only eight senators to vote 'no' on Senate Bill 152, which will restrict the health care benefits of unmarried domestic partners and homosexual couples at our Kentucky universities. Can he please explain this vote?

It seems strange, knowing how the commonwealth overwhelmingly voted for the Marriage Amendment to protect marriage as between one man and one woman, that Sen. Palmer would vote to promote benefits to same-sex couples.

It is wrong to use tax dollars intended for education to cover illnesses that accompany the unhealthy, immoral lifestyle choices of people choosing to participate in deviant sexual practices. UK intends to give as much as $633,000 each year of the university's money toward the coverage of live-in sexual partners. We expect the money we pay in taxes for education to support education. Why is R.J. Palmer supporting legislation that undermines the family and robs our children of college by making tuition climb higher and higher?

I only hope that our state representative will not follow his lead. This bill is now in the House. Encourage your representative to vote to pass Senate Bill 152 and protect the future of education in Kentucky.

Kaitlyn MacMillan

Winchester

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