Editor,
I was surprised with the interest in my letter about Thomas Jefferson’s interpretation of the First Amendment – “Building a wall of Separation between Church and State.” I did not know that years prior to this, Jefferson, with James Madison and the assistance of evangelicals who dissented from the established church, helped lead the fight for the disestablishment of the Anglican Church as the state church of Virginia.
Through this dialogue I have learned a lot about the history of our Constitution and the people who created it. They were flawed men and slave owners, but they gave us a great document that has served us well for over 200 years.
However, I would like to correct a mistake as I forgot to mention that James Madison was the main author of the First Amendment and wanted to include a quote from him on this issue. Madison wrote, “The Constitution of the U.S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion.”
Darrell Anderson
Battle Ground
