In a letter to the editor of the Baker City Herald printed on October 26, Richard Fox begins with this chastising statement: “This is an open letter to all you hardheads who don’t believe,” followed immediately by, “America was built on Christian principles. That’s what made it great.”

Then to prove his point, Mr. Fox cites quotations from the U.S. Supreme Court, George Washington, Daniel Webster, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence, from which one may very well draw the conclusion Mr. Fox proposes in his opening statement.

Mr. Fox does not mention other religions, nor, more importantly, does he mention the U.S. Constitution.

The very first Amendment to the Constitution begins, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” (Ratified in 1781.)

The 1st Amendment protects Mr. Fox’s right to proselytize for Christianity. I certainly support his right to do so. In this letter to the editor I’m just providing a bigger context than Mr. Fox did in his letter.

By the way, the U.S. Constitution does not mention Christianity nor any other religions, of which there are numerous practiced in the United States and its territories.

Gary Dielman

Baker City