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Dr. David J. Demko, Editor-in-Chief AgeVenture News, www.demko.com, 05-19-2008 
"A house divided against itself cannot stand," admonished the great patriot and political thinker, Benjamin Franklin. It seems the American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) must not have learned that history lesson.
Our U.S. Constitution, says the ACLU, calls for separation of Church and State. I'm not sure why the ACLU refers to this document as OUR Constitution when the ACLU ignores what others and common sense dictates. The truth is that OUR (the people's) Constitution does not state "separation of Church and State." But that's another issue for another opinion column. For argument sake, let's assume the ACLU is correct. Let's assume that the ACLU is justified in its threats against communities that mix religion and government. After all, the ACLU says any cooperation between church and state is un-Constitutional. That puts both America and the rest of the free world in real trouble. As a case in point, I image that no matter what your religious persuasion, you may very well believe as I do that U.S. Government aid given to the Jewish state of Israel is morally right, politically prudent, and Constitutionally sound. Why is the ACLU silent on this blatant violation of ACLU policy, cooperation and support between our government and the religious state of Israel? We aren't talking about some small-town display of the Ten Commandments in a tiny, rural courtroom, or the placement of a religious symbol on government property. This is a global case of what the ACLU calls "Un-Constitutional." U.S. Government aid given to the state of Israel is a classic case of what the ACLU interprets as violating the Constitutional mandate for separation of church and state. Why does the ACLU attack Church-State cooperation inside America, then ignore Church-State cooperation between Israel and the United States? A policy divided cannot stand. In this case, it cannot stand the test of logic or intuitive common sense. Inside America, the ACLU plays the role of prosecutor of Church-State cooperation. In the international arena it's quite reverse. The ACLU sees international Church-State cooperation as no problem. I thought America had only one Constitution? Sounds like the ACLU thinks America has two, one denouncing Church-State and the other approving Church-State cooperation. Why is the ACLU preying on its own religious policy? AgeVenture welcomes opinions and responses from responsible sources on issues in Aging America. Submissions may be edited to fit the Opinion Points Format. See related articles in AgeVenture's OPINION POINTS |