Sunday-Supplement Moralist

There is, I believe, even a point of law (there is certainly a counsel of decency) which prohibits the use of the American flag as a come-on in the advertising of a commercial product. The consideration of decency would seem to demand even more strongly that a political product should not be touted, a politician’s derelictions hidden or his achievements hallowed, by a similar use of religion.

I know it is a common practice in many states and cities to balance political tickets carefully with the right number of Protestants, Catholics and Jews; but when this is done, it is done with a certain decorum. The implied appeal to voters of one or another religious community is there, but it is not blatant. In fact, it is not even implied that the candidate concerned is a particularly sacrosanct representative of the community. An appeal is simply being made, on grounds of common interest and background, to those of the same faith, to supplement the general appeal to the voters at large.

FS

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Frank S. Meyer

Frank S. Meyer was a senior editor of National Review.

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt

There is, I believe, even a point of law (there is certainly a counsel of decency) which prohibits the use of the American flag as a come-on in the advertising of a commercial product. The consideration of decency would seem to demand even more strongly that a political product should not be touted, a politician’s derelictions hidden or his achievements hallowed, by a similar use of religion.

I know it is a common practice in many states and cities to balance political tickets carefully with the right number of Protestants, Catholics and Jews; but when this is done, it is done with a certain decorum. The implied appeal to voters of one or another religious community is there, but it is not blatant. In fact, it is not even implied that the candidate concerned is a particularly sacrosanct representative of the community. An appeal is simply being made, on grounds of common interest and background, to those of the same faith, to supplement the general appeal to the voters at large.