Today is a good day to bring to bring to mind George Washington’s famous letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island in 1790, replying to their letter of congratulations to the first American president. They key paragraph from the middle of Washington’s reply:
The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support. [Emphasis added.]
I take a good long time with students in the classroom explaining how unprecedented and groundbreaking this paragraph is, for its recognition of religious freedom as matter of fundamental right, rather than mere “toleration” by a majority. The contrast between America’s First Amendment and Britain’s Toleration Act is significant.
Much more to be said about this whole subject, but the acute question just now is whether, having extended the promise to Jews in 1790 that they are safe in America, we are going to keep that promise in the face of rising anti-Semitism from so many elite cultural and educational institutions in the country—not to mention the State Department and the White House.
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