Christine O'Donnell; No Separation of Church & State in U.S. Constitution

Christine O'Donnell, a candidate from Delaware for the U.S. Senate made one of the most interesting comments on the U.S. Constitution of the past 30 years in a debate with her Democratic Party opponent. She seemed to deny that the constitution has a separation of church and state article in it, and of course she is right.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20020015-503544.html

In the rampant stampede of secularism following the Scopes trial enthusiasm for removing symbols and acts of religious faith from government institutions became a juggernaut over time. Yet the constitution does not forbid religious expressions, acts or symbols from government auspices, instead it proscribes the establishment of religion and that is a horse of a different color.

The first amendment to the constitution, ratified in 1791 reads;
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

That does not prohibit religion or religious expression; in fact it prohibits the inhibition of religious expression. Instead, the meaning is plain that the government cannot make laws adversely affecting religion or religious expression, and neither may it make any religion an official state religion such as the Cult of June Cleaver, or the worship of Presidents as living neo-deities.

Why did it take the brilliant insight of Christine O’Donnell in the year of Our Lord 2010 to analyze and interpret this literature with competence? Where were prior Supreme Court Justices when reading classes in elementary school were in session with a few notable exceptions)?