# Did Bush violate the constitution? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 2001, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256 "2001-09-28T03:38:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jongleur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Jongleur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jongleur)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256/1 "2001-09-28T03:38:22Z")
Isn’t it a violation of the separation of church and state to declare a “National Day of Prayer and Remembrance”? ---
**Author:** ![Daowajan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daowajan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daowajan)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256/2 "2001-09-28T03:52:44Z")
Nope. By sticking in the word “remembrance” he’s acknowledged both the sacred and the secular, so it’s okay. ---
**Author:** ![Kalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalt)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256/3 "2001-09-28T03:56:36Z")
It still pisses me off. Keep in mind, when he was governor here in Texas, he made June 10 “Jesus Day.” [http://www.snopes2.com/inboxer/outrage/jesusday.htm](http://www.snopes2.com/inboxer/outrage/jesusday.htm) So, he may try to pass it off as being secular, but we know where his intentions are. ---
**Author:** ![SpinneZiege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SpinneZiege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpinneZiege)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256/4 "2001-09-28T03:57:25Z")
And the fact that the First Amendment only prevents Congress from playing favorites with religion. Dubya has been doing prayers and bible studies with his cabinet all year long. Nuthin’ new. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256/5 "2001-09-28T04:07:34Z")
It’s certainly possible that declaring a national day of prayer (even with “remembrance” stuck in as an afterthought) violates the First Amendment, but who’s going to try to sue over it? Who would even have standing, especially now that the day is over? It’s just one more suck-up to the Jesus people, without whom no one can be elected to any office in this country. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256/6 "2001-09-28T04:13:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jongleur \* > \*\*Isn’t it a violation of the separation of church and state to declare a “National Day of Prayer and Remembrance”? \*\* The President declaring a National Day of Prayer and Mourning does not constitute Congress making a law “respecting an establishment of religion” or “prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” He didn’t need to add “rememberance” if he didn’t want to. A National Day of Prayer would be just as dandy, since it means nothing legally. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256/7 "2001-09-28T04:19:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kalt \* > **It still pisses me off. Keep in mind, when he was governor here in Texas, he made June 10 "Jesus Day."** I suppose if he had served longer, they’d have a Esteban Day and a Miguel Day too… 😉 I am getting sick of the religious symbol spewing too. I’ve noticed that Jorge Bush has been seen in recent photo ops on the occasion of meetings of the National Security Council, with a hideous green leatherbound and gilt bible in front of him. Ronnie Reagan’s jar of jelly beans seems positively charming in comparision. I don’t want a president who goes into NSC meetings with a bible, I want an president who goes into NSC meetings with a sheaf of top secret CIA, NSA, FBI, and DoD documents. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256/8 "2001-09-28T04:22:03Z")
Well now, **Chas. E** , do you really think They would allow the press to take pictures of _that_? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256/9 "2001-09-28T04:26:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chas.E \* > I am getting sick of the religious symbol spewing too. I’ve noticed that Jorge Bush has been seen in recent photo ops on the occasion of meetings of the National Security Council, with a hideous green leatherbound and gilt bible in front of him. Since we try to keep things factual over here in GQ, I feel I should point out that Bush’s first name is George, not Jorge. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-violate-the-constitution/84256/10 "2001-09-28T04:39:50Z")
The question is debatable, which is why it has been debated in the Great Debates forum. I’ll close this thread and direct any remaining comments to the GD thread [National day of Prayer and Remembrance - no separation of Church and State?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=87306) bibliophage moderator GQ