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Post Independent Letters to the editor graphic Are we forgetting about the First Amendment? It is unfortunate when people misstate, misinterpret, or misunderstand history. It is worse when they do so to further an agenda. Mr. Villareal does so in his letter (P.I. 1/3/24) criticizing Dave Heyliger. To claim that the United States was not founded, and that the First Amendment does not guarantee Freedom of Religion, is absurd. The First Amendment is clear: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Mr. Villareal claims that there was no separation of church and state until our Supreme Court said so in 1947 in the Everson case (relying on Madison and Jefferson’s writings from the 18th Century!). While it is true that the case found that neither a State nor the Federal Government can fund or support a church, this “wall” between the State and Religion is much older. In fact, well before 1791 our country was settled and founded by people seeking religious freedom and a desire to not have a government that can’t impose religious beliefs on its people. The history is clear. In 1620 the Puritans, reformers dissatisfied by […]