Scott Garner's letter makes some excellent points as to why we should not support same-sex marriage ("Church and state," April 28). First, Garner argues that to do so we should marginalize religion in the public forum. That of course is the exact opposite of the Constitution's First Amendment, which was meant to protect religion from the effects of political interference.
Second, Garner argues that we should marginalize history by allowing an out-of-context statement from Thomas Jefferson to stand for Jefferson's philosophy on church-state relations. Actions speak louder than words. If Jefferson truly believed in a wall of separation, then why, as president of the United States, did he allow, support and even attend church services held in the U.S. Capitol building?
Michael D. Thorpe
Cottonwood Heights