Root Truths

We’re in the middle of the Top Ten false “facts” reported by Judge Vaughn Walker in his decision to overturn Proposition 8 in California—a decision that could erode marriage and First Amendment rights in the entire country. See yesterday’s column here if you missed the first five false “facts.”

When one judge overturned the will of more than seven million Californians last week (Aug.04, 2010) in Perry vs. Schwarzenegger, he listed 80 supposed “findings of fact” (FF) as evidence that Proposition 8 violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Many of those 80 findings are not facts at all. They’re lies or distortions.  Before we address the top ten false “facts” asserted by Judge Vaughn Walker, there is one real fact in his opinion that defeats the entire case for his opinion. Here it is:  “The evidence at trial shows that marriage in the United States traditionally has not been open to same-sex couples.”

The “wall of separation between Church & State” was never in the U.S. Constitution,i. Bill of Rights, ii. or any other Amendments. iii.   The phrase “wall of separation between Church & State” first was penned in January 1802 by President Thomas Jefferson. iv.  This was in his response to a letter sent by the Danbury Baptist Association, expressing concern that government would “take the prerogative of Jehovah and make laws to govern the Kingdom of Christ”. v.  Along with other Colonists, these Baptists had just escaped the tyrannical rule of King George of England, who forced his church on everyone under his rule.  They recognized religious freedom was an “inalienable right”, which was not to be legislated or controlled by the government. vi.