Editor:

In his recent editorial “Flags In,” Congressman Forbes reminds us that we owe our most basic freedoms to our men and women in uniform and that we must continue to fight for their preservation abroad and at home. He notes that even though these liberties are part of our “DNA as a nation,” they are never totally secure.

I believe that the congressman’s words are particularly timely with respect to the recent series of attacks on our religious freedoms. From public prayer to the Pledge of Allegiance, no vestige of our religious heritage has remained unchallenged. Even the cross on display at Ground Zero has come under attack.

As co-chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, Congressman Forbes has led several successful bipartisan efforts to protect these practices. In both the federal challenge to public prayer and the Massachusetts challenge to the Pledge, the congressman brought together Republicans and Democrats to defend these cherished traditions.

Like Congressman Forbes, we must recognize that our First Amendment right to religious freedom is not a partisan issue but an institution at the “core of liberty;” therefore, we must remain united in our fight for its preservation.

Sincerely,
Mary Howald