Catholic pilgrims story showed poor news judgment | Letter

I was stunned to read the extensive front-page story about Catholic pilgrims celebrating America’s 250th (“Catholic pilgrims celebrate America’s 250th birthday with processions through Maine,” June 25).

What an inappropriate spotlight on a specific religion that must make James Madison, an architect of the Constitution, spin in his grave. Having observed the oppression of religion, he felt so strongly about the risk of tyranny that he authored the separation clause stemming from the belief that religion is an individual choice of conscience and has no place in political discourse.

In an environment where high-powered government appointees are advancing an absolute platform of Christianity (looking at JD Vance, Pete Hegseth and the evil incarnate Stephen Miller), I’m astounded that the newspaper would highlight the semiquincentennial as somehow being connected to any particular religion. What a failure of historical understanding and the concept of democracy at its core.

Laurie Cameron
Portland

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Tagged: letter to the editor