When I drive northbound on Interstate 5 past the intersection of Highway 14 toward the Calgrove Boulevard exit and when I look across to the other side beyond the southbound lanes of Interstate 5, a 15-foot-high symbol of Christianity emerges from oaks and scrub. Seeing this white cross on the hillside always reminds me that in America we exalt the freedom to express ourselves and our faiths.   How many drivers notice this white cross and understand its importance?   The U.S. Constitution guarantees that we can wear religious pendants and symbols, emboss ourselves with faith-based tattoos, proclaim our beliefs with art and statues, and cloak ourselves with garments bearing icons of our faith — theoretically without fear.  Perched slightly above highway level to the west of the 5, this cross is just a hundred feet from and a tad north of the Church of the Nazarene. I don’t know if the cross is on private land owned by the church or on public land, but I doubt that its presence is offensive or an eyesore.  Although not a Christian, I am happy to see a symbol freely displayed from which many may take inspiration and pride.   A reminder to Signal readers is that the Christian Cross is a symbol of religion and not of national pride or patriotic support.  Creating a publication fusing the Holy Bible with the U.S. Constitution, for example, not only breaches the separation of church and state but also implies the superiority of one religious perspective over the faiths of others.  Placing a political document with scripture should be an affront to both the Christian faithful and to those who are patriotic.  The U.S. Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …”  To some Christian nationalists, this means “any religion” so long as it is Christian.  There unfortunately are two weaknesses with this section of the First Amendment. While 250 years ago this phrase needed little interpretation, given the recent moves toward Christian nationalism, this clause in modern times could be more definitive.  Under Trumpism, there is a clear movement to remove nationally guaranteed rights in favor of state and local interpretation. The right to allow women to control their own medical care, for example, has been abridged, allowing local views to carve away at what in the past were nationwide protections.  I can see the same attempts to restrict our liberties in the name of faith. Texas has just adopted legislation to insert Bible study and Christian-based parables as a form of mandatory indoctrination in every elementary school class K-5. There are other recent attempts by states to supersede basic freedoms by imposing specific faith-based perspectives on all.   Texas would never include worthy parables from Hinduism or Islam in its mandatory curricula. In Texas, only Christian-based lessons are to be allowed despite claiming to be “faith-neutral.”  If the First Amendment to the Constitution had read “Congress nor any state or governmental office …” and added “freedom from the imposition of religious beliefs held by others” then any sneaky move to abridge the freedom of religion would not be attempted by a state or public entity.    That little white cross on the hill off Interstate 5 is a reminder that Christian expression is acceptable in America. But what if one day on a hill nearby a large statue of Buddha appeared? There would be vehement protests, attempts to destroy or deface the statue, and possibly riots in the street.  Tolerance in a democracy has to go both ways. Otherwise, we would find ourselves in a theocracy, not a democracy.  There are an estimated 45,000 denominations of Christianity worldwide. Which one is the American denomination? If one faith has supremacy or favor over others, in time it is natural to believe that one version of that faith would also rise to dominate and suppress the other versions of that faith.  I interpret freedom of religion to also mean freedom FROM religion.  The test of a democracy is that, within its secular law structure, beliefs of faith and religious views hold equal status and that none hold a preferred or exalted role.  The test of a democratic people is the tolerance of other viewpoints without restricting the freedoms that one may enjoy.   The test before America is whether states and local governments can continue to corrupt and erode federal guarantees under the Constitution.  The test before us is whether we have the courage to resist the supersession of national rights instead of surrendering to local interpretation.    Jonathan Kraut directs a private investigations agency, is the CEO of a private security firm, is the CFO of an accredited acting conservatory, former college professor and dean, is a published author, and Democratic Party activist. His column reflects his own views and not necessarily those of The Signal or of other organizations.  The post Jonathan Kraut | We Also Have the Right to Freedom from Religion appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.