Andrew Sullivan posts:

QUOTE FOR THE DAY II: "I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute; where no Catholic prelate would tell the president - should he be Catholic - how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote." - John F. Kennedy, the nemesis of theocons everywhere.

I can only suppose that this has to do with Andrew's wish that religious people would keep quiet about gay marriage. But for a church to tell its members whom to vote for is different from taking positions on moral questions that become political. Some religions are opposed to alcohol consumption. Do they not have the right to express opposition to attempts to lowering the legal drinking age or to support restrictions on sales of alcohol? Religion is a protected part of American life as much as a free press is. To suggest that churches should be muzzled in public debates is as unamerican as attempting silence any other speech. Kennedy's view is regularly disregarded today and has been for years among black congregations where Democratic candidates are endorsed from the pulpit and given speaking opportunities that would never be extended to Republicans. We've had many Reverends and even priests who have run for political office.