James Madison: Founding Father who established the separation of Church and State

[n2doc]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123714297334033741.html

Why I'm Celebrating Madison's Birthday
By STEVEN WALDMAN

Last year I visited the Hall of Presidents in Disney World, home of the walking, talking animatronic presidents. In the anteroom where they hold you before the show starts, they had paintings of all the important early presidents.

There was Washington. Then John Adams, the second president. Then Thomas Jefferson, the third president. Then the fourth president, James Monroe.

Wait. James Monroe? He was the fifth president. They'd skipped the fourth president, a short fellow named James Madison.

This burned me up. Washington has his obelisk. Jefferson has his memorial. Adams has his HBO mini series. And here we have Madison, whose birthday is March 16, and no one will celebrate.

There's one particular reason I think this is unfortunate. James Madison is more responsible than any other single American for one of the nation's greatest characteristics -- religious freedom. At a time when we're fighting over faith-based initiatives and the proper role of religion in politics, it's worth appreciating that America's experiment with religious liberty has largely succeeded, thanks largely to James Madison.

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[RJ Connors]

1. All I can say is

"This weekend, a less well-known but equally important anniversary will take place: On Feb. 21, 1811, President James Madison vetoed a bill that would have officially incorporated an Episcopal Church in the District of Columbia and charged it with caring for the poor. The measure had been passed by Congress, but Madison would have none of it."

Source: http://blog.au.org/2009/02/20/veto-power-what-james-madison-can-teach-barack-obama/

[Jamastiene]

2. We have veered so far off couse, haven't we?

It's sad.

[Captain Hilts]

3. He also fought with TJ for a stronger federal govt. because states were too corrupt.

Madison's MY guy.

He looked at the religion-inspired bloodshed in Europe and figured out cause/effect.

And it doesn't matter that he was short, except he'd never win an election now because people would make fun of him.

We prefer taller candidates.

[n2doc]

4. kick n/t