several states blatantly violate the U.S. constitution

Article VI, Section 3 of the Constitution
"...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

as usual, bouncing around the internet, and i couldn't believe this. the site is called "one nation, under god". if you go to the "separation of church and state" link, it tells you the history of the "pledge of allegiance". on the second page of that section, it gives the true wording of the constitutional idea of "separation of church and state" which is only a paraphrasing by thomas jefferson.

then on the third page, it lists the states that believe they can change that part of the constitution to suit them. here's two of my favorites.

Texas
"No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being." Article 1 - Bill of Rights: Section 4

Arkansas
"No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any court."
Article 19, sect. 1 of the 1874 constitution

texas goes so far as stealing the verbiage directly from the U.S. constitution, then adding their little discriminatory addendum. in arkansas, if you don't want to be a witness in court, plead atheism, hah, but you can't work for the government, you heathen you.

i believe the pilgrims came to this country to escape religious oppression, for religious freedom, which would also include freedom from religion. funny how we've kinda turned into the oppressive society our forefathers tried to get away from in the first place.