In posts these past several days, I have relied upon “primary sources” [FN1] to show this country was founded as neither theocracy [FN2] nor Christian. That several States record dates as “in the year of our Lord” [FN3] does not dispel the point, as primary sources illustrate. 1/12

States also noted dates as “A.D.,” [FN4] or “Latin ‘in the year of the Lord’[] Since the supposed year in which Jesus Christ was born; of the current era.” [FN5] Other States used no such tags. [FN6] No such phrase is used elsewhere in The Constitution. [FN7] We can turn 2/12

to the first convention in North Carolina. When Henry Abbott expressed opposition to The Constitution for its lack of “God” [FN8], no one responded by saying either he was mistaken and “God” was in The Constitution, or that “God” would be added. 3/12

Yesterday lawyers argued that trump has absolute immunity, even if he ordered a “hit” on a political rival. Even such absurd positions must be addressed. Micah Beckwith’s [FN9] nonsense prompted my past few days’ posts. 4/12

Beckwith has said this country “was absolutely founded on Christian values. You have to be ignorant to think otherwise. The writings of our Framers and the founding documents are very clear on that.” However, Beckwith cites 1) no specific documents & page numbers; 5/12

2) no specific Framers; 3) no specific Christian “values”; or 4) how they are “very clear.” He won’t debate me. He would have us live in an imagined previous time of white people living in cheerful all-white communities w/males as heads of households. One major thing: 6/12

The Civil War was fought and a lot of people died so that greater protections for the rights of all people would exist. The “original intent” of the Framers included the process of amendment. The Civil War Amendments protect more people, regardless of such people as him. 7/12

Footnotes:
FN1. Primary sources are original records created during the time under study. Fordham University Libraries, LibGuides, American Studies: Primary Sources. 8/12

Footnotes:
FN2. A theocracy is “Government of a state by those who are believed to be or represent that they are acting under the immediate direction of God or some other divinity.” Black’s Law Dictionary, 10th ed., 2014, p. 1706. 9/12

FN3. Delaware, Elliot 1: 319; Pennsylvania, Id., 1:319-20; New Jersey, Id., 1:321; Georgia, Id., 1:324; South Carolina, Id., 1:325; New York, Id., 1:329; and Rhode Island, Id., 1:335.
FN4. Connecticut, Id., 1:321-322; Massachusetts, Id., 1:32. 10/12

FN5. Black’s, supra, p. 108.
FN6. Maryland, Id, 1:324-325; New Hampshire, Id., 1:325-327; Virginia, Id., 1:327; North Carolina, Id., 1:333.
FN7. Art. I, sec. 9, and Art. V. 11/12

FN8 Elliott, 4: 191-192.
FN9. Hamilton County preacher who has announced he is running for the GOP’s nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Indiana in 2024. 12/12