Freedom Of Religion In America Essay

America has always been known as “Land of the Free” for a reason. The Bill of Rights, in its constitution, states the many liberties of the people such as speech, press, petition, etc. The 12th amendment even affirms that the states and people have rights not directly listed in the constitution. However, one freedom has been frequently called into question: the freedom of religion. The shining exterior of the 1st amendment proclaims absolute freedom of religion, but underneath in the actual politics of America, the “freedom” fades. Although people do have the option to choose and worship whatever they want, evidence surfaces that certain religions are more “acceptable” than others, and provide more advantages, and others with disadvantages. Religion can

Surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life show that Muslims in 2009 occupy the lower-middle to low class, with only 16% making more than $100,000 and 35% making less than $30,000 (Pew Research). Proclaimed author and executive officer of the Association for the Sociology of Religion, William H. Swatos says in agreement that research “suggests that religion exerts an influence in three areas….educational admissions, occupational selection, and career mobility” (Swatos). A case from 2013, posted on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, explains how a Muslim man sued Wal-Mart because of their treatment towards him based on “...his religion (Islam)” and also his “national origin (Gambia)” (EEOC). A quote from one of his supervisors about the reasoning behind their treatments towards his employee: “Muslims are terrorists and blow things up”. The blatant accusation obviously has no footing to be taken seriously, but sadly this idea persists; because of these stereotypes, bias and prejudice can shape the economic opportunities of followers of a specific