By Lionel Waxman
CNS / Flashpoint Commentary
31 January, 2000

I was watching the State of the Union address when I thought I heard something strange. I was half asleep, sort of drifting in and out, you know? I thought I heard the president propose a picture ID for people who wanted to practice a religion.

It wouldn’t inconvenience any law-abiding person. Your local police will take photograph and fingerprints. You will declare your religion and register the location of the church, synagogue, or mosque you want to attend. You’ll need to show the card to gain admission or to buy bibles or other religious paraphernalia.

The FBI will run a background check to be sure that the applicant has not been involved in any violent religious confrontations, is not in arrears in child support, and does not endorse violent right-wing cults and their hateful ideas.

Of course, disruptive people like those who insist that there is a power greater than the government from which their rights derive will be screened out. There is no question of constitutionality here. The government is neither establishing a religion nor prohibiting its free exercise, except, of course, to the extent necessary to protect the public.
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This is just common sense regulation. It’s really no different than registering your car, your guns, your books or your children. I want this country to be the safest nation on Earth. Not the freest certainly, but the safest.

And then I woke up. I mean, he didn’t say that. Did he? No, of course not