Most think founders wanted Christian USA

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: dewayne () warpspeed com (Dewayne Hendricks)
Date: September 12, 2007 12:04:50 PM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <xyzzy () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] Most think founders wanted Christian USA

[Note:  This item comes from reader Ken DiPietro.  DLH]

From: "." <ken.dipietro () advantaq com>
Date: September 12, 2007 8:09:33 AM PDT
To: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
Subject: Most think founders wanted Christian USA

"Most Americans believe the nation's founders wrote Christianity into  
the Constitution, and people are less likely to say freedom to  
worship covers religious groups they consider extreme, a poll out  
today finds.

The survey measuring attitudes toward freedom of religion, speech and  
the press found that 55% believe erroneously that the Constitution  
establishes a Christian nation. In the survey, which is conducted  
annually by the First Amendment Center, a non-partisan educational  
group, three out of four people who identify themselves as  
evangelical or Republican believe that the Constitution establishes a  
Christian nation. About half of Democrats and independents do."

[snip]

And here's another gem...

"The "scariest" number, in Haynes' opinion, is that only 56% agree  
that freedom of religion applies to all groups "regardless of how  
extreme their beliefs are." That's down from 72% in 2000. More than  
one in four say constitutional protection of religion does not apply  
to "extreme" groups.

Haynes says many Americans consider Islam extreme, especially since  
the Sept. 11 attacks. But he says Roman Catholics were viewed that  
way in the 19th century, and some people still consider Mormons "on  
the fringe."

"We are seeing the product of years of not teaching the First  
Amendment at a young age," says Gene Policinski, the center's  
executive director. "People are applying their own values … rather  
than educated knowledge" of the Constitution.

Still, he says, support for constitutional freedoms has rebounded  
from a low the year after 9/11, when 49% said the First Amendment  
"goes too far in the rights it guarantees." Now, 25% agree."

The entire article can be found here:
<http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-09-11-amendment_N.htm>

The full poll results can be found here:
<http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=19031>

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