| THE
BLUE RED
COLUMN
The Mountain Press
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| Pick Justices Based on Their Qualifications By: JIM ANDERSON January, 2006 For open minds, the question is complex: “Should a Supreme Court nominee be rejected, or approved, based on his views about abortion?” Your answer exposes your views on government, the Supreme Court, and abortion. Some favor Samuel Alito's confirmation because they're against abortion. They're certain life begins at the exact moment when sperm fertilizes egg. To them, abortion is murder and should be illegal. This viewpoint is faith-based. If you hate abortion, and God is on your side, shouldn't the Supreme Court enforce the absolute truth of God's laws, too? Some think and say our country was founded on the Christian faith. But, truthfully--unlike Iran, where the government enforces another “one true religion”--the United States has no official religion. The genius of our founding fathers was to separate church from state. They crafted a tolerant society where all citizens can worship God--or not--in their own private ways. Should Alito be rejected because he will vote to overturn Roe v. Wade? I'd say “no,” he should not be rejected by “one-issue” thinking. Equally, Alito should not be confirmed just because he is against abortion. This Supreme Court will decide a complex range of vital issues that affect many U.S. citizens, not just abortion. Consider: With all God's power, Jesus could have replaced Pilate and Caesar on the throne, ruled all countries, and dictated all laws. But Jesus was a lawgiver of spiritual laws--not a politician. In Matthew 22:21, Jesus spoke clearly on the separation of church and state: “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” Our Constitution wisely renders unto God the things that are God's, and keeps government secular. We should select all Supreme Court justices by their qualifications as judges, not their religious beliefs. -Jim Anderson is president of the Sevier County Democratic Club (www.sevierdemocrats.com). ©The Mountain Press 2005 |