Religious Freedom Day in America

The United States commemorates on Wednesday the freedom of worship among its citizens, marking Religious Freedom Day.

President Bush issued a proclamation calling "on all Americans to reflect on the great blessing of religious liberty, endeavor to preserve this freedom for future generations, and commemorate this day with appropriate events and activities."

The day celebrates the 1786 landmark passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which acknowledged that the human mind was made by God to be free and men should have the conscience to practice the faith of their choosing.

In addition to the President's proclamation, the Department of Education is sending guidelines to schools, urging administrators to commemorate the day.

Eric Buehrer, president of Gateways to Better Education, said that while some schools keep quiet on the day because they feel they are guarding the First Amendment, they are actually restricting free speech.