Religious freedom is a proud founding principle of America and

When Madison Cawthorn declared, “Religious freedom is a proud founding principle of America and ethnic bigotry flies in the face of American principles of liberty and equality,” he invoked not merely the language of politics, but the moral flame that once guided the founders of a new world. His words recall the ancient covenant upon which nations are built: that a people cannot call themselves free while denying freedom to others, and that liberty loses its purity when stained by prejudice. In his statement, Cawthorn reminds us that the soul of America was never meant to be found in conquest or power, but in faith and fairness, in the sacred promise that all men and women may worship, think, and live without fear of persecution.

The meaning of his words lies in the eternal tension between freedom and fear. Freedom is a light that must be protected; bigotry is the shadow that seeks to consume it. Religious liberty, as Cawthorn describes it, was not an accident of history, but a deliberate act of courage by those who fled tyranny to establish a new order where the conscience of man would answer only to God, not to king. Yet, he warns, whenever ethnic hatred or prejudice arises, it corrupts this divine gift, turning the land of freedom into a field of division. For liberty and equality cannot live where hate is sown; they wither under its weight, leaving only the hollow shell of a republic once great.

The origin of this principle reaches back to the birth of the American experiment itself. When the founders spoke of religious freedom, they were not crafting a mere policy—they were forging a shield for the human soul. The words of Thomas Jefferson, inscribed in the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, declared that “no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever.” These words, echoing through centuries, became the heartbeat of a nation that welcomed pilgrims, dreamers, and refugees alike. Yet the same land that promised liberty also bore the scars of slavery, exclusion, and discrimination—proof that the ideals of equality are always tested by the darker instincts of man. Cawthorn’s words, therefore, are not a boast but a reminder: that the struggle to live up to America’s founding light is unending.

History offers many lessons to affirm this truth. Consider the story of Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, who in the 17th century defied persecution in Massachusetts to build a colony where no one would be punished for their beliefs. “Forced worship,” he said, “stinks in God’s nostrils.” His vision became a seed of American freedom, where faith and tolerance walked hand in hand. Centuries later, that same principle inspired leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., who in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” wrote that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. These were not separate causes—religious liberty and racial equality are twin branches of the same sacred tree. To defend one while neglecting the other is to misunderstand both.

Cawthorn’s declaration stands as both praise and warning. He calls religious freedom a “proud founding principle,” but he also reminds us that ethnic bigotry—whether overt or subtle—betrays that principle entirely. When we deny another human being the dignity of belief or the equality of citizenship, we desecrate the very altar upon which our freedom was built. The ancients would have called this hubris—the pride that invites ruin. A society that forgets its moral foundation will one day watch that foundation crumble beneath it. Thus, to honor liberty, we must protect not only our own freedoms but also the freedoms of those who are unlike us.

The lesson in his words is clear and timeless: freedom is not self-sustaining—it must be guarded by compassion, strengthened by understanding, and purified by justice. To uphold the spirit of liberty, each citizen must see beyond tribe and creed, and recognize the divine spark in every person. For bigotry is not strength—it is fear masquerading as pride, while tolerance is the true mark of the brave. The founding principle of religious freedom is not merely the right to believe; it is the duty to let others do the same. In this way, freedom becomes not chaos, but harmony—a nation of many voices joined in one great song of mutual respect.

So, my child, remember the wisdom hidden within Madison Cawthorn’s words. Do not mistake liberty for license, nor equality for sameness. Cherish difference as the proof of freedom, and reject bigotry as the poison of nations. When you meet another whose faith or face differs from your own, see in them not a rival but a reflection of the same divine freedom that beats within you. For if we lose our respect for conscience and character, we lose America itself. The ancients taught that a people’s greatness is measured not by conquest, but by how justly it guards the dignity of its weakest. Let this be your guide, and the light of liberty will never fade from the land of the free.