The Importance Of Freedom Of Religion In America

America is built upon a few basic freedoms, one of these being the freedom of religion. However, some seem to have forgotten this as more and more we hear about crimes against religious institutions. For someone to attack a peaceful congregation out of spite or ignorance is appalling, and yet this is the reality growing around us. Even individuals seem to have taken carrying out what they see as “religious justice” into their own hands, often hiding behind their first amendment to freedom of speech. I experienced one such case one day outside a mall when a man began harassing a young woman for expressing her faith through wearing a hijab.
I was walking to a bookstore next to the mall when I noticed a young woman sitting at a table, minding
As calmly as I could I told him what I believed made someone truly patriotic. To me, a patriot was someone who did their best to uphold the values this country was founded upon. I believed that while the first amendment did provide the freedom to say what one wanted, it also allowed the freedom of religion and I expressed that good citizens could not pick and choose which rights they believed others should have. This was even truer since the United States has no official religion, and therefore the man’s counterargument of the woman not practicing “America’s religion” was even more misplaced. After I expressed this, the man backed off, muttering that the woman and I were both going to hell. Afterwards, I made sure the woman was alight and she thanked me profusely. The relief that I saw on the woman’s face after the event confirmed that I had done the right thing. Since then, I have intervened in two other similar situations, and each time I stand by my decision. I will always stand up for those who are being wrongfully attacked and I will challenge those who attempt to twist ideas which are created to protect into things which are used to belittle and