A Muslim or Jewish kid, for instance, shouldn't have to abandon his own religion to get reinforcement for resisting pressure to join a gang. Some of the religious leaders express serious concern that faith-based funding would bring too much government intrusion. But the leaders of the religious right are wrong to demand DiIulio's head and a quick end to the faith-based funding experiment unless they get it done their way. DiIulio tells it as it is, and how it has to be for the program to pass constitutional muster. And televangelists Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell are off base when they assert the Hare Krishnas, the Church of Scientology and Muslim groups should automatically be ruled out of grants for faith-based social programs.
Pluralism is the genius of American democracy.
Yes, some of the preachings of Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam are abhorrent and racist. Yet some social rescue programs of the Muslims have been effective.