Parade is right place to showcase religion

In response to Mr. Fanella's question of why we allow any religion to showcase itself in the July Fourth parade, Mr. Fanella states that the parade should be an event celebrating the fact that Americans have basic constitutional rights, like freedom of speech. I couldn't agree more!

This right is provided by the 1st amendment to the Constitution which also guarantees that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting free exercise thereof", which is commonly misinterpreted as "separation of church and state".

As the Constitutional Convention of the not-so-united states convened in May of 1787, Benjamin Franklin, who is a signatory of the Declaration of Independence as well as the Constitution, made the following appeal to his squabbling delegates: "In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in the room for divining protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of superintending Providence in our favor... And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance?... The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth; that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it improbable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that 'except the Lord build they labor in vain that can build it'... I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business."

So, although I agree with Mr. Fanella that this is the greatest country on earth, it appears that Independence Day is far from "a secular holiday."

Thomas Vrablik

Des Plaines