On the separation of church, state, and Facebook

By Linda Felaco

(This letter originally appeared in the Westerly Sun on December 17. It is being reposted here today in honor of the birth of Roger Williams on December 21, 1603.)

Freedom From Religion Foundation representatives
Debbie Flitman and Tony Houston installing
the FFRF statehouse display.

Rhode Island, as we all know, was founded by Roger Williams, who fled religious intolerance in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and said that “God requireth not a uniformity of religion to be enacted in any civil state.” Indeed, descendants of Joseph Clarke, brother of John Clarke, who wrote the Rhode Island Charter that established separation of church and state in the colony, live in Charlestown today. So you’d think that Rhode Islanders of all people would “get it” about the separation of church and state. 

But alas, you’d be wrong.

Late in November, holiday displays were erected at the statehouse. Shortly after, State Rep. Mike Chippendale (R-Foster-Glocester-Coventry) and a group of freshman Republican legislators, including Sen.-elect Elaine Morgan, who was elected in my district, toured the statehouse. On the second floor, where displays by “minority” religions are relegated so as not to distract from the state-sponsored Christian displays (plus a token menorah) in the rotunda, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) had posted a sign inviting readers to “let reason prevail.” Chippendale photographed it and posted it on his “State Rep. Mike Chippendale” Facebook page (which is separate from his personal page), ranting that “the atheists just can’t keep their non-beliefs to themselves.”

This of course is the cri de coeur of bigots everywhere: “Why can’t they just keep it to themselves?” Show of hands: How often has an atheist (or for that matter, a member of any religious group other than Christians) knocked on your door trying to convert you? But I digress.

The Humanists of RI statehouse display celebrates the birth of
Roger Williams and separation of church and state.

Someone then commented that the display had the “stink” of Steve Ahlquist—president of Humanists of RI and uncle of Jessica Ahlquist, who successfully got the prayer banner removed from Cranston High School West—in the mistaken belief that Ahlquist was somehow responsible. (HRI in fact did not endorse the FFRF sign and has its own display celebrating the birth of Roger Williams and separation of church and state.) Chippendale prayed that “the Holy Spirit infects the hearts of Steve Ahlquist and others like him.” Unfortunately I can’t quote the rest, because Chippendale later removed the initial comments. But I do know Roger Williams said that “forced worship stinks in God’s nostrils.”

Chippendale also began blocking everyone who disagreed with him from his page. Which got a legal analyst for HRI wondering about the constitutionality of a legislator blocking constituents from an avenue by which they could petition for redress of grievances. Another HRI member pointed out that Chippendale was violating Facebook’s terms of service (TOS) by including a professional title in the name of his profile. (Facebook “profiles” are reserved for private individuals, whereas “pages,” which any Facebook user can view without being “friended” by the owner, are for businesses, organizations, and professionals.)

Other secular displays included a
Tree of Knowledge installed by
the RI Coalition of Reason.

So folks started reporting the “State Rep. Mike Chippendale” profile as a violation of Facebook’s TOS, and faster than you can type “we reap what we sow,” it was suspended.

Chippendale then changed the profile to a page—and doubled down on his attacks on nonbelievers. He denied the very principle of separation of church and state and called those who believe in it “communists,” a curious stance for a state legislator to take in the birthplace of said principle. And he continued to delete messages he didn’t like (including the Roger Williams quotes contained herein) and block those who disagreed with him.

Chippendale’s original post calling the FFRF sign a “message of hatred” … “hate-filled message” … “spread[ing] hatred” still stands on his State Rep page. Here’s what the sign says in full:

“At this Season of the Winter Solstice
LET REASON PREVAIL
There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world.
Religion is but myth & superstition that hardens hearts & enslaves minds.”

Ironically, by reacting so violently to this message, Chippendale proves its creators’ point. The FFRF does not actually seek “equal time” with religious groups; it rather seeks an end to all government-sponsored religious messages, displays, or rituals. So thank you, Rep. Chippendale, for helping to demonstrate why religious displays on government property are inherently divisive.