Here's a history lesson about church and state

Here's a history lessonabout church and state
EDITOR:
This letter is to comment on two articles I read in the May 15, 2004, Vindicator.
The first is about Richard McLaughlin's view about understanding moral vs. civil law. First, he said that this country is based on the idea that religion and state are separate and distinct. There is a big difference between moral law and civil law. This isn't the way our nation was founded, though.
John Quincy Adams said, "The highest glory of the American Revolution was that it connected an indissoluble bond, the principals of civil government with the Christian government." And James Madison, the chief architect of the Constitution, said, "We have staked the whole future of the American civilization, not upon the bowers of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." All anyone has to do is enter any government building in Washington, D.C., to read the inscriptions on the walls.
The second article I read was "Humane groups OK eatery." It is nice to know that the Humane Society watches how animals are killed. A lot of emphasis is placed on slaughter. Well, I am happy for the animals, but wonder why someone -- anyone, everyone -- isn't concerned about the slaughter of the babies by abortion. Each day, more than 4,000 -- that's right, 4,000 -- babies are slaughtered in America alone; yet, no group oversees the humane killing of them. That's because there is no humane way of killing babies. The thing we must do is stop it!
Reading these articles made me realize how sick our society in America has become. Founding father George Mason said, "As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world, they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes and effects, providence punishes national sins by national calamities." I would suggest that politicians forgo receiving the Eucharist for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
REGINA YURICKStruthers
There's no justice whenit comes to school funding
EDITOR:
I want to commend those who went to Columbus to petition our legislators for the schools. I believe we are pointing a finger at the wrong people. I read where people are saying that the legislators are thumbing their noses at the Supreme Court. They are really shaking their hands.
The court has ruled they are wrong, but there is no penalty. That's like speeding to work every day, being stopped by the same officer and being told you're wrong but he still does not give you a ticket.
When these court justices were sworn in, they pledged to uphold the laws and the constitution of the state of Ohio. I have read that now this same court wants these same legislators to extend their term from eight years to 12 years. Living in Mahoning County and knowing their past track record on justice, I say to you, draw your opinion.
MARSHALL MARTIN
Berlin Center
There's still progressto be made in education
EDITOR:
As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling, let us look at the progress we're making. Thanks to the equally historic No Child Left Behind Act, we are finally grading all pupils on a color-blind scale based on quality of their work rather than what neighborhood they're from. It is blatantly racist to think that a black or Hispanic pupil can't learn just as well as a white one.
The only reason the National Education Association has failed to support No Child Left Behind is because, for once, we are placing the education of the child above the union benefits of the teacher, especially when the teacher is egregiously inefficient.
We're making a lot of progress, which should ultimately lead to the complete adoption of a school voucher system. When the parents are given a say in their children's schooling, the children and society benefit.
J. BREEN MITCHELL
Austintown