The Christian Post reports that Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is refusing to abide by the demand of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (“Americans United”) to remove a chalk-drawn cross from the entrance to the governor’s mansion, which according to Americans United, violates the US Constitution.
The uproar began following Governor Sanders’ posting of a photograph of her three children standing next to the chalk-drawn cross on Facebook. Americans United wrote to Governor Sanders stating that the drawing conveys an “impermissible message that those who do not share the favored faith are unwelcome and will be treated differently.”
The Christian Post‘s article may be read HERE.
My brothers and sisters, all that really needs to be said here is, “really?” Does anyone actually believe that a visitor to the governor’s mansion will glean from the children’s demonstration of their faith and artistic abilities that Arkansas has an official “favored” religion that is undoubtedly discriminatory to those of other faiths (or no faith)? I think not.
The drawing isn’t a law (made by the US Congress or otherwise); it doesn’t establish an official governmental religion (by law or otherwise); and it clearly represents the free exercise of a family’s faith in Christ – which is protected in the United States – not discrimination against another faith.
As a reminder, the First Amendment to the US Constitution reads as follows: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
