Thursday, June 29, 2006

(8:48 AM) | Adam Kotsko:

Constitution Burning

Congress is probably a little amendment-shy after the heart-breakingly close vote on the Flag Desecration amendment. That's a shame, because there is one curtailment of the First Amendment that becomes more and more urgent by the day. Here is my proposed edited version:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof religion; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Why do I want to make this change? The answer is simple: the United States desperately needs an established state church. If we look at the many nations that have an established church, we find that it almost invariably helps to produce a well-educated populace and a fully-functioning welfare state. Moreover, the people in those nations tend to be very irreligious -- and they can afford to be, because they know that the continued existence of religion does not depend on their own efforts.

The question naturally arises: which of America's many churches should be the established churches? Although the Episcopal Church seems to be the natural choice, lately it has caused too much controversy -- that is, it has inspired stronger feelings than are appropriate for a state church. Similarly, despite its imposing size, the Southern Baptist Convention would not make a good candidate, again because of the high emotions associated with it. What we need is a well-meaning church that no one really gets worked up about -- the kind of church, perhaps, that it's easy to forget even exists.

Whatever church we ultimately choose, I predict within ten years of the passage of this crucial amendment, we will see a society that has radically changed for the better. Write your senator today.

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(Adam Kotsko has asserted the moral right to be identified as the author of this post.)