This weekend, President George W. Bush selected a University of Pennsylvania professor, John DiIulio Jr., to head a new federal office that will advocate privately run social programs, particularly those run by religious groups.

This is a very dangerous road we're heading down.

The Bill of Rights guarantees "no law respecting an establishment of religion." In other words, the government is prohibited from showing preference to any faith-based organizations.

The only feasible way to do this is to not do anything that promotes any religious group.

This is how the so-called "separation of church and state" manifests itself in the United States.

This new office and its goals clearly violate the First Amendment.

By creating this office, Bush is addressing his claims of "compassionate conservatism" through social programs, while placating the religious right he is indebted to by funneling money and resources to support the activities of religious groups.

It could be only a matter of time before my tax dollars are going toward programs that I don't think the government should have anything to do with.

Many people stand to be alienated by federal resources going to programs such as counseling organizations that tightly integrate religious faith with traditional counseling techniques or ex-gay ministries that arguably brainwash their participants.

This hasn't happened yet, but the creation of this office could certainly open the floodgates to federal funding of such programs.

Very few Americans identify with the far right.

It is outrageous, insulting,and unconstitutional to see federal programs that support that agenda, wrapped in the poorly made sheep's clothing of "compassionate conservatism."