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The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America reads

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.

Nowhere does it say that religions may not have a voice in government, or participate in the political process, only that government cannot create or restrict it. People seem to be having a really hard time understanding that.

Courtesy of Best Of The Web consider first this story and then this one.

If he were still alive, Richard Berry, the man who penned the lyrics for the iconic fraternity-rock anthem "Louie Louie," might be shaking his head in disbelief.

Berry wrote the song as a simple sea shanty about a sailor trying to get back to his lady love. But a middle school marching band in Benton Harbor, Mich., was almost banned from playing "Louie Louie" at an upcoming festival because of what the school's superintendent called "sexually explicit lyrics."

Benton Harbor Supt. Paula Dawning reversed her decision Thursday after parents at McCord Middle School came out in support of the song.

Fair enough. Those rumors about "Louie, Louie" have been hanging around for years. It's a pretty fun song. Not that I have personal experience, but I hear it was really fun in college after a few beers. But then

A dance teacher working for a public school district was terminated from her job after a complaint that she used religious music in her instruction. The complaint came from a school district staff member who alleged that the music referenced Jesus several times. In addition to secular music on the day in question, the instructor used a rendition of Dona Nobis Pachem and O Si Funi Mungu. Dona Nobis Pachem is a classical piece by J.S. Bach and is sung in Latin. O Si Funi Mungu, which is translated as ?Praise God,? is sung in Swahili, though it has some English interspersed.

Bach! We're going to ban Bach for religious content -- No, no religious war here.

And consider what some of the leftie bloggers are saying. From Partidiot Watch

The King of England is not only the titular head of the country, but he is also the leader of the Church of England. In the 17th Century, King James declared that no one could perform Christian worship anywhere except in an Anglican church. Christians who believed deeply in Christ but not in the Anglican Church had their properties taken, their bodies imprisoned and their families torn apart by the King. These Christians were persecuted by Christians.

People who felt that they should be free to worship Christ and God as they felt was right were called Separatists. Among the first Separatists was William Bradford, a leader of the Pilgrims who fled England for religious freedom, landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620 and are today celebrated as the first Americans.

Today we are facing the same Christian-on-Christian persecution. If you do not worship in the way that some radical right wing Christians think you should, they say you are anti-Christian.

I have yet to hear James Dobson declare catholicism illegal, or even ask the government to do it. Then there is this from culture kitchen

Of the reality of the danger there can be no question. The zeal of the fundamentalists has been enormously quickened by an anticipatory taste of triumph, and they will push any victory they may gain to the fullest possible extent.

Danger?! Fullest Extent?! So far, all we asked for is to get a few judges voted up or down. Call me when the witch trials start up again. Finally, Bull Moose says

The right has become the mirror image of all they dislike about the left. Both the secular and the religious right kvetch about their victimization while they control at least two branches of government and their penetration of the media is thorough and growing. They are crybabies who patrol the halls of power.

I guess it's true, we're actually all sleeper agents penetrating the institutions waiting to strike.

The left has won for years by rasiing the rhetorical bar. They have coarsened political discourse to the point that we felt compelled to back off out of shear taste and courtesy. It looks like they are trying it again. It is possible to stand firm without becoming equally as coarse. Let's do it.