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Can the Rule of Law survive without faith?

Can the Rule of Law survive without faith?

Rob McFarland

Law, not faith, is our nation's shared narrative. We are a nation of laws, not of any particular religious creed. The Constitution of the United States provides the framework for peace, order, common defense, and liberty for the people of the United States. The Bill of Rights prohibits Congress from establishing a national church.  There is no test of faith for citizenship. We are not a Christian nation.

These were the central points of my first two posts on this blog. These points are not novel. Indeed, they are rather simple observations regarding the American experiment. As Hamilton explained in Federalist No. 1, the framers agreed to establish a secular government purposefully by "reflection and choice" rather than "accident and force." Many of the framers were Christians. Nevertheless, they built a secular government supported by the Rule of Law rather than raw power.

A positive take on youth football
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A positive take on youth football

Rob Broggi

I coach youth football. Yup, I admit it. Sometimes when other parents hear this, they think I'm wicked cool, and they are of course correct. Lately, however, many reactions range from mild disapproval to scornful disgust. I tend to elicit that kind of response from people before they know I'm a coach, so that part doesn't bother me. What does concern me is that the one-sided negative coverage of youth football of late is dissuading many parents from learning about all the uniquely positive things this amazing sport offers, and how the game is changing for the better.  It's a shame that sweeping generalizations about youth football are prohibiting many kids from enjoying such a valuable experience, especially in my town of Wellesley, Mass.

First of all, let's just be honest: Football is awesome, and everyone knows it. Ever seen "Rudy"? Enough said. And youth football is the best of the best. Unless you've witnessed 11 pint-sized third-graders perfectly execute a read-option play, with each little critter making a proper block and running the correct pattern, you have not lived.  It's something akin to seeing a pack of wild ferrets break into a choreographed flash mob. There's simply nothing like it.

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