I’m going to do a series this week (though I don’t exactly have it all planned out yet). This week, I’m going to celebrate great ideas. I may not post every day, and I’m not going to provide the perfect exposition of the idea, I’m just going to hold them up and say, “See this one? This is a really good one.”
Today’s great idea is the separation of church and state. I bring this one up because I get squirmy when politicians end their speeches with, “And God bless America.” They all do it, even the Democrats, which bugs me more than when Republicans do it.
Here’s an excerpt from the letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802 (courtesy of this web site):
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between church and state.
As Sinclair Lewis said, “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.”
West Coast Grrlie Blather 
I say make the Queen the titular head of the American Branch of the Anglican church (C of A ? ) and be done with it. Just kidding. The 1st amendment is probably one of the smartest and most practical things that ever has been committed to parchment. I am always amazed and never surprised that the folks who want to erode that wall are usually the agents of an ideology that wants to subvert free will.
Love it. What a fantastic first great idea. All we need to do is contrast the U.S. with other countries that don’t have separation of church and state to appreciate this fantastic freedom we have.
I can’t wait to see your other great ideas. I actually posted my own great idea on my blog today, but it wasn’t nearly as pithy as yours. 🙂