Speaker. when we speak of the need to promote democracy in our world. religious freedom should not be considered ancillary to this goal. In fact. freedom of conscience is a cornerstone of all democratic rights. In our country. the concept of freedom of speech and freedom of association grew out of the efforts of the first European immigrants who came to this land to worship. to preach. and to form churches of their choice. One of the founding documents of our democracy is the Mayflower Compact. an agreement resting on the idea of the mutual consent of the governed. and written by people who voyaged halfway around the globe to find a place where they could worship according to their conscience. Today. our freedoms serve as an inspiration for others around the world.
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