Our Religion Is Our Freedom, Not A Law.

     On March 22, 2016 , Kathy Miller , the President of  the Texas Freedom Network, wrote to Start-Telegram an article named, " Texas attorney general is undermining religious liberty ". In this article she expresses her discontent about the new attorney general, Jeff Mateer. She believes that it is fundamental to keep the church separated from state in order for our right to be protected.

      Mateer is against the separation of church-state, under the argument that the law is no where to be found in the Constitution. Mateer has "explicitly rejected this key constitutional principle" of separating church and state. Along with other politicians they have used "Religious Freedom" to defend other politicians or business that fire or will not give services to a specific kind of religion. Allowing this mix between church and state could also discriminate against certain groups and make others vulnerable, not to mention politicians could manipulate this mix and use it to further their own agenda rather than that of the country.
   
     I would have to agree with Kathy Miller and say that having separation of church and state is essential to protect our rights. Agreeing with Mateer would only bring more discrimination to our country. It would give politicians the right to go against laws and bills that have yet to pass and that have already passed such as legalization of gay marriage. Opening an avenue for religion to take place in politics could give these politicians an excuse to not vote a certain way or an excuse to not vote at all. It would also give state officials an excuse to not follow a certain law like it happened locally when a state official would refuse to grant a marriage license to a gay couple.

     We can not let this happen to our country. It may not say it in the constitution but it is a right that has been upheld many times by courts just like other rights such as,"fair trials," "right to privacy" and "checks and balances." Why not give it the same importance to this? The list of negative possibilities is endless and perhaps it is something that we shouldn't take too lightly.