I hope you saw my latest weekly column.

 

ROGER WICKER: Pilgrims brought faith and self-government to the new world
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On a cold November day in 1620, a small ship appeared off the coast of
present-day Massachusetts. The English settlers on board were tired and hungry
but grateful to be alive. Their daring voyage across the Atlantic had been
rocked by violent storms that damaged and nearly crippled their vessel. As they
came ashore, the Pilgrims knelt to thank God for bringing them to dry land.
Unfortunately, many would not survive the first winter. But with the help of
Native American neighbors, the Pilgrims learned to build a new life on the
American continent.

 

The Pilgrims took this extraordinary risk in pursuit of a better life and the
freedom to live out their faith. In the process, they launched a new experiment
in self-government. The Mayflower Compact, which the Pilgrims signed upon
arrival, achieved a new high-water mark for self-government. This document
would eventually bring us government “of, by, and for the people” secured by
the U.S. Constitution. It is just as important as ever that we give thanks for
those pioneering Pilgrims who planted the seeds of our freedom 400 years ago
this month.

 

Religious freedom is under threat

 

The Pilgrims understood that government has no rightful claim over the human
soul. Our Constitution’s Bill of Rights enshrined this truth into our system of
government by protecting not only freedom of worship, but also the free
exercise of religion. This freedom has attracted millions of people to America
since our nation’s founding.

 

Unfortunately, religious freedom is increasingly under attack today.
Government is trying to force businesses, artists, and even religious groups to
do things that violate their religious beliefs. Earlier this month, the Supreme
Court heard arguments in a case that will determine whether a Christian
adoption provider can continue operating according to its sincerely held
religious beliefs. These are troubling developments. These cases highlight the
importance of having faithful judges and justices in our federal courts who
will defend our constitutional freedoms. The Senate has made historic progress
on this front, confirming more than 220 of President Trump’s judicial nominees
to lifetime appointments.

 

Restrictions on worship services

 

During the coronavirus pandemic, many churches in Mississippi and across the
nation have felt that government restrictions on worship services have gone too
far. One of those churches, Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.,
sued the District’s mayor for prohibiting them from gathering as a church body
while allowing other groups, such as protesters, to congregate. I led a group
of 34 U.S. senators in writing a legal brief to the court in support of the
church. A federal judge ruled in favor of the church, and they are now allowed
to meet, albeit outside, within the District of Columbia. This ruling sent an
important signal to officials across the country that the pandemic cannot be
used to discriminate against people of faith.

 

I am also concerned about encroachments on religious freedom in the military.
As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have fought to preserve
the right of chaplains and others in uniform to live by their religious
convictions despite political pressure. It is essential that religious freedom
protect views and beliefs that may be unpopular.

 

The freedoms we have inherited are always being tested under new
circumstances. I am committed to making sure that religious freedom weathers
this pandemic and other cultural changes. In defending our first freedom, we
honor the legacy of our Pilgrim forbearers and protect an American birthright
for future generations.

 

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Thank you for your support,

Senator Roger Wicker

 

 

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