It was shocking to read the letter “Religion and freedom” (July 15) and just on the heels of the Highland Park shooting. Writer Larry Craig said: “It is only in religion, and specifically Christianity, that you get the responsibility and hope that are needed for great freedom.” As I recall, there are many in Highland Park who are of the Jewish faith.
The writer points out that our Constitution was written by Christians, that being the faith of most everyone who had settled in this country at that time, though certainly not that of the Indigenous, for whom the laws were not written. The writer implies that since Christianity was the common faith at the time, then that faith should be coupled with the state. This seems quite a stretch, and freedom of religion seems more precious than ever.
The reprehensible treatment of religious minorities and the prevalence of antisemitism have been responsible for countless vicious and deadly attacks. Suggesting that Christianity alone will bring freedom is beyond the pale. Leave religion out of the courts, and allow those of every faith to practice freely without subjugation.
John Adams may not have known a Jew or a Muslim, which had everything to do with the times. We are in a different world altogether, and tolerance is needed more than ever. Not tolerance of narrow-mindedness but tolerance of our differences.
The Supreme Court justices are not the foremost scholars on Christianity. How could any citizen believe or trust that the justices would or should be proficient in both Christian doctrine and the law of the land?
Removing the separation between church and state would require a whole new type of judicial applicant. Freedom to practice any faith should set the United States apart, but many Christians, including the writer, seem to think that Christianity alone will save us.
Our world is complicated and troubled. It doesn’t need more fodder.
— Monica Wiedlin-Torres, Chicago
Freedom to worship as you please
I disagree with Larry Craig, who is totally missing the point regarding the First Amendment’s freedom of religion. We were not established as a Christian country. That amendment was written to prevent the religious wars that plagued Europe; such religious persecution caused many to immigrate to our shores.
He also does not acknowledge that New York, originally founded by the Dutch as New Amsterdam, offered religious freedom, which is why many Jewish families settled there. The Founders put that amendment into the Bill of Rights to acknowledge that people of other religions were welcome here and not to be persecuted.
People of many nationalities have come here, and they are not Christians, but Buddhists, Sikhs and Muslims, among others.
— Judy Arkes, Chicago
Vice score card for Trump
In his letter, Larry Craig quotes John Adams as saying, “Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution.”
Someone please tell me: Regarding the above, does Donald Trump score three out of four?
— William Dodd Brown, Chicago
Ultra-low-cost carriers’ appeal
The July 15 editorial “In the low-cost airline industry, a race to the bottom” bemoans Spirit Airlines and other ultra-low-cost carriers. While I am a loyal United flyer, I also fly Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant and now Avelo because their prices are often much cheaper than the bigger carriers’. Yes, the ultra-low-cost carriers’ prices creep up if you wish to check bags or sit in a particular seat. But if you simply need to get from Point A to Point B, ultra-low-cost carriers are almost always the cheapest. That’s good for consumers. And while other airlines claim to give flyers two free bags, if I’m traveling with nothing more than a briefcase, flying on those other airlines means that I’ll end up paying higher fares just to subsidize passengers who are checking bags. No thanks!
Beyond that, the editorial board bemoans Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg’s actions. The main reason for today’s cancellations has nothing to do with government action or inaction. It’s a manpower issue. During the pandemic, many pilots, flight attendants and other airline workers retired or otherwise left the industry. They cannot be easily or quickly replaced. What’s more, Buttigieg has taken action to address this by assisting the airlines in creating job training opportunities for the next generation of airline workers.
In the meantime, I’ll look forward to flying on United or Spirit or whichever airline, even if it means sometimes packing my own snacks.
— Michael R. Lieber, Wilmette
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