THANKS BUT NO THANKS FOR INPUT ON FREEDOMS

The onset of war has taken a lot of intestinal fortitude on the part of this nation. In a few cases, it has also tested our tolerance for balderdash. An incident Sunday leaves us shaking our heads and biting our lips.

Rob Sherman, a self-proclaimed spokesman for a Chicago atheist movement, called a press conference to announce his displeasure with President Bush and the designation of Sunday as a "national day of prayer." Sherman believes that Bush violated Bill of Rights provisions that church and state be separate.

"By telling people what to pray and when to pray, the president fosters a climate of bigotry against those who are not Christians in general and against those who are atheists in particular," Sherman said.

Sherman had more to say: "George Bush has the same regard for the Bill of Rights that Saddam Hussein has for the Geneva Convention."

Well, Mr. Sherman is a man full of ideas, isn't he? We might also suggest he is full of other substances as well.

First, George Bush and Saddam Hussein don't lend themselves easily to comparison. To our knowledge, the American president has not targeted neutral nations with terrorist bombs; Saddam's lack of regard for human decency must appall even atheists. Second, the designation of a "national day of prayer" mandates no one in that exercise; as a unifying show of concern for our fighting forces, the designation seemed fitting. Third, the U.S. Constitution gives the president latitude to act in the best interest of the American people; we think most Americans don't mind the suggestion that we pray during a time of national trial.

The freedoms we hold dear, the kind we fight for overseas, allow Mr. Sherman to spew his showboating viewpoints. Like flag burners and obscene singers, these types hoist the Bill of Rights like an umbrella, hoping to chip away at the character of the nation that offers so many liberties. We hope they enjoy their opportunities ... but we don't have to thank them for their vile input on our democracy.