Matthew Lukens' letter regarding President Bush's motion to support faith-based aid was quite inaccurate. Lukens suggests that Bush's actions are paving a downhill road. He suggests that they violate the First Amendment. This does not violate the separation of church and state, and it doesn't associate the government with any religion. Present at Bush's conference were Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders from all political backgrounds.

President Bush's own words state the following: "We will not fund the religious activities of any group, but when people of faith provide social services, we will not discriminate against them."

He also said that funding will not be provided to religious activities that do not have a secular alternative. This will not create a massive religious bureaucracy, as most opponents would have you believe. Rather, it does not discriminate against religious groups that provide services.

Lukens suggests that the government would be showing preference to religious groups. Bush's intentions are to allow religious groups the opportunity to compete for federal funding.

The picture painted for you by the opposing media shows President Bush handing huge wads of bills to religious groups who eagerly hog-tie the unsuspecting needy and read them Scripture. Constitutionally, religious groups aren't allowed to push religion, and they won't. They will be subject to the same regulations as every other social service. By denying them funding based on their beliefs, we would be facilitating the same discrimination we fight against.