Independence Day

When Louisiana passed a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom, they did a disservice to both religion and politics. It was a purely political gesture designed to gain favor with a portion of the electorate but was without redeeming value.

On the political side of the issue, our nation was expressly founded on the principle that church and state should remain separate. From the very beginnings of our country, the founders wanted to avoid the bloody religious conflicts that had plagued Europe for centuries. Thomas Jefferson expressed his feelings on...