| WASHINGTON
- October 29 - Rep. Ernest Istook (R-Okla.) has announced that he will reintroduce a constitutional amendment to allow government-sponsored religion in public schools and other public buildings.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State described the proposal as a "constitutional nightmare."
Americans United, which helped spearhead opposition to Istook's previous efforts to amend the Constitution, has learned that the Oklahoma congressman began circulating a letter last week among House members seeking co-sponsors for his new proposal. He plans to introduce the "Religious Speech Amendment" in Congress in the next few weeks.
"This constitutional nightmare would grievously damage religious liberty in this country by blurring the line between church and state," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. "This is offering a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Religious speech is already alive and well in this country, guaranteed by the First Amendment.
"Istook's amendment would destroy the delicate church-state balance we have struck in this country over the last two centuries," Lynn added. "Because this country has separated religion and government, we have created one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world. Our First Amendment works fine, it doesn't need fixing."
AU's Lynn noted that, if passed by Congress and ratified by the states, this amendment would bring sweeping changes to the church-state landscape and alter the First Amendment for the first time in American history. Among the likely consequences are coercive school-sponsored prayer in public school classrooms, government endorsement of religious texts on public property and divisiveness among religious groups as they are forced to compete with one another for government recognition.
This new effort represents Istook's third try to change the text of the Constitution. In June 1998, House members voted 224 to 203 in favor of H.J. Res. 78, a majority but still far short of the two-thirds necessary for a constitutional amendment. Istook tried again a year later with H.J. Res. 66, but the amendment never received a floor vote.
Istook has suggested in media interviews that his amendment is necessary to protect the people's right to pray in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. AU's Lynn believes that argument is "nonsense."
"In recent weeks, Americans have prayed, or not prayed, according to the dictates of their conscience," Lynn observed. "This is exactly how it should be. We should allow Americans to make up their own minds about religion, and keep the government out of it. The Constitution didn't need to be amended the day before the terrorist attacks, and it doesn't need to be amended now."
According to news media accounts, the text of the amendment will read: "To secure the people's right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience: Neither the United States nor any State shall establish any official religion, but the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed. Neither the United States nor any State shall require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, or prescribe school prayers."
AU's Lynn noted that Istook's emphasis on schools is troubling.
"The idea that prayer has been banned in public schools is a myth," said Lynn. "All the law requires is school neutrality on religion. Students already have the right to read their chosen sacred texts in their free time, organize after-school religious clubs and say prayers before meals or at any time they seek spiritual guidance. An amendment to protect school prayer is completely unnecessary."
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
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