Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1960-09-07

| am sorry to see that you
have opened the pages of your
newspapers to a discussion of
the religious issue in the forth
coming Presidential election
Surely you have read in the
daily press that both candi-
oates have deplored such dis
cussionS, and l am confident
from my personal friendship
with you that the matter is of
no personal concern to you or
your family. AS a man who
tries to be a good American.
l certainly approve of open
discussion of any topics per-
tanning 10 a Presidential cleo
ton, but what diStreSScS me in
this case, however, is not only
the bigotry of those who are
suspicious of a Catholic candi-
date but also the shocking eX-
ampleS of bad citizenship that
the DIRECTORS SO clearly reveal.
| do not fear that will lose
any of my freedoms under Il
Catholic President, but | am
desperately afraid that | will
lose them III a country where
obviously SO many people have
no knowledge of the protection
OF freedoms guaranteed by the
Constitution of the United
States. | cannot help but az.
cuSe that the reader who asked
you to publish the article on
Page 2 of the August 10 edi-
ton of the Tribune is just such
a bad American.
For the enlightenment of
that man, plus any other of
your readers who may need it.
| hope you will permit me 10
point out certain Constitution
al specifications pertinent 10,
this matter.
Section Three OF Article vi
OF the main body of the Con-
Stitution says: No religious
test shall ever be required as
a qualification To any office or
public trust under the United
States" That means that a man
may be member of any relig-
IGuS denomination whatsoever
and still be qualified to hold
public office. To diSqualify
Catholics on the grounds OF
their Catholicism violates this
portion OF the Constitution, ii
is illegal, and anybody who
Folds such sentiments is sub
iect to trial for treason. The
situation is as simple as that.
Your readers attitudes thare-
!ar. make traitor out of him.
Article 90. IN. Eli OF Rights
....s '' -aT'. congress shall
. q .. .. r.SpectIng an
'.1....r OF religion or
u g The free exercise
.... As you will rememb-
.. ..u. your studies of Ameri-
,an history, the American Rev
uiutIOn was directed against
the government of England.
The established religion of
England was-and still is-the
Church of England-the An
gelican Church, with which the
Episcopal Church of the United
States Is affiliated. Your study
Of history will show that when
England set up the Thirteen
Colonies laws were enforced in
most of them that the estab-
lIShed religion should be An
gellcanism. History will also
show that the early settlers
VINO came TO this country to
escape religious persecution
came not to escape the Roman
Catholic Church but the Chur-
CT of England. All of the relis-
louS persecution that existed in
cur countrp during its early
years Sprang from that situa-
ton. When the authors of our
constitution declared that
there would be no established
religion in this country, that
there would be religious equal
ity for all and that a mans
religion should in no way in
i!uence his qualifications for
public office they were trying
TO avoid exactly that predica-
ment. Therefore, in suspecting
the motives of a Catholic cand-
ldate your readers again re-
Veals that he has no know
ledge of our Constitution or no
use for it.
The mans ignorance is fur
Their disclosed by his lack of
information on how our gov
eminent works. He says that a
Catholic President would have
to take orders from the Pope
on laws to be enforced in this