Scalia Speaks At 2 Colorado Universities
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - Speaking at a Christian school outside Denver Wednesday, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said the separation of church and state is the most foundational freedom in the United States.
Scalia went on to say that the separation does not mean than God has no place in politics or the public arena. He repeated a French joke that France has two religions and 300 cheeses, while the United States has two cheeses and 300 religions.
The conservative Supreme Court justice repeated his position that religious freedom is required of a nation with many religions.
"It would be wrong to think, however, that the separation of church and state must mean that the political views of men and women must not be informed by their religious beliefs," Scalia said.
Scalia outlined no new positions and made no reference to any cases pending before the nation's highest court. The court could announce a decision as early as this week on when it will consider same-sex marriage.
Scalia was to make a speech Wednesday evening at the University of Colorado in Boulder. That speech topic was expected to be the Constitution.
After his Colorado Christian University speech, Scalia was asked by an audience member how he handles the pressure of making tough decisions on the highest court.
"What can they do to me?" Scalia joked of life on the Supreme Court. "It's even better than academic tenure, I get life tenure!"
Scalia was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and has served on the nation's highest court for nearly 30 years.
- By Kristen Wyatt, AP Writer
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