Kyl on Jefferson

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) makes excellent points in “Jefferson Didn’t Want to Split Church, State” (Commentary, July 10).

To understand the 1st Amendment, you have to understand the context of the time in which it was written. Religion was thought to be indispensable to the continuation of democracy. Consider that the day after the House of Representatives passed the 1st Amendment in 1789, it passed by a 2-to-1 majority a resolution calling for a day of national prayer and thanksgiving. Also consider John Adams’ letter to Abigail stating that the day the Declaration of Independence was signed “ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”

The founding fathers also considered religion and education to go together, which is why they wrote in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787: “Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, Schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.” Clearly, our founding fathers would be appalled by the recent efforts to eliminate religion from public places.

JIM MLADENIK

Irvine