“Freedom of religion” is an entirely defensible concept. You can’t stop people from believing in unicorns, centaurs, God, or the tooth fairy. On the other hand, the desire of government employees to wear religious symbols on the job should carry no greater weight than their desire to proclaim other private enthusiasms – for a political party, a sports team, or a brand of soap.

Indeed, given the fact that every religion claims a unique moral superiority – leading to the historically deadly intensity of religious disputes -- no secular government should appear to favour private superstition over public reason, or to betray the simple prudence of common sense. (Observation #2072)