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Keep in mind that the Fifteenth Amendment originally included provisions against bias against a person's creed, which was objected to by several states that required their voters to be Christian. Does the state legally have the right to do this, or are these protections against religious bias encoded in the First Amendment? Should the Fifteenth Amendment itself be amended to prevent discrimination against creed? Good luck with that one; the poor oppressed Christian minority would screech like a gaggle of slavering harpies.Throughout the United States, the separation line between church and state seems to be becoming more and more blurry. A new law in Mississippi has now erased that line altogether. According to a new law brought forth by the Republican legislators in the state, in order to take part in the upcoming November elections you will be required to take a Biblical quiz and correctly answer 85% of the questions in order to vote.
Mississippi, a state where 52% of the GOP populace believes President Obama is a Muslim, and where Creationism legislation has been on and off the floor of the State Congress for decades, may have now gone too far according to some. Many believe that this new quiz is in direct violation of the 1st and 15th Amendments. Proponents of the new law disagree however. They believe that there is no separation of church and state and the 15th Amendment does not say anything about discriminating based upon religious affiliation.
Republican Mississippi legislators sent out this statement:
We’re giving everyone the same fair opportunity as anyone else. Everyone has the ability to read and study up on the Bible before taking the quiz. There is no bias, just Biblical fact. If someone wants to vote in the great state of Mississippi then they must abide by our laws, and our laws are clear… it’s the Biblical way, or no way at all. Study the Bible, pass the test, and cast your ballot. It’s really that simple.
Simple to some, but not to others. Many not of the Christian faith are offended by this new law, and do not like that they are now forced to read a theistic text that they do not agree with in order to vote.
The constitutionality of this new law is under review by the White House and the federal court of appeals. It is expected to be repealed. Many hope before election day.
