From Glenn Smith, DriveDemocracy.org:
"The Roosevelt letter also offers convincing proof that once upon a time the faith community was looked to by those in government for ways to improve “the spiritual and material conditions for the American people.” The difference could not be more striking. Bush uses the Christian Right to divide and threaten Americans. Roosevelt looked to America’s spiritual leaders for advice on how government could help the people – all the people."
Excerpt from the letter from Franklin Delano Roosevelt:
"September 24, 1935
Reverend and dear Sir,
Your high calling brings you into intimate daily contact not only with your own parishioners, but with people generally in your community. I am sure you see the problems of your people with wise and sympathetic understanding.
Because of the grave responsibilities of my office, I am turning to representative Clergymen for counsel and advice,-feeling confident that no group can give more accurate or unbiased views.
I am particularly anxious that the new Social Security Legislation just enacted, for which we have worked so long, providing for old age pensions, aid for crippled children and unemployment insurance, shall be carried out in keeping with the high purposes with which this law was enacted. It is also vitally important that the Works Program shall be administered to provide employment at useful work, and that our unemployed as well as the nation as a whole may derive the greatest possible benefits...We can solve our many problems, but no one man or single group can do it,-we shall have to work together for the common end of better spiritual and material conditions for the American people.
May I have your counsel and your help? I am leaving on a short vacations but will be back in Washington in a few weeks, and I will deeply appreciate your writing me.
Very sincerely yours,
Franklin D. Roosevelt"
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