Religious majority pushes resolution

To the editor:

Regarding House Concurrent Resolution 13 in the Missouri Legislature: Enough is enough. This is an election-year stunt designed to show the religious correctness of certain politicians. It misstates the historical record, appears to be unconstitutional and calls on Missourians to take a giant step backward from a free and open society.

The authors of this resolution allude to "the founding principles of our nation" and state "we wish to continue the wisdom imparted in the Constitution." Perhaps they should study those wise principles before proclaiming a resolution based on them.

In Federalist No. 10, James Madison warns, "A zeal for different opinions concerning religion ... have ... divided mankind into parties, inflamed them with mutual animosity, and rendered them much more disposed to vex and oppress each other than to cooperate for their common good."

HCR 13 recognizes only the Christian religion and proclaims the majority has a right to impose its spiritual beliefs on all citizens. This stands in direct opposition to James Madison, the supreme law of the land and the religious freedom guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

Sadly, HCR 13 is only meant to champion a Christian majority, the one group that needs defending the least. This resolution is nothing more than a crude political attempt to appeal to the religious prejudices of Christian voters. As our Founding Fathers realized -- but apparently the sponsors of HCR 13 do not -- it is the freedoms of minorities that need protection from the tyranny of a majority faction.

CHRIS D. MOORE, Cape Girardeau