Michael “Mikey” Weinstein has complained that the US Air Force Academy has invited Rodney Bullard to be one of its speakers at its annual National Character and Leadership Symposium. Bullard graduated from USAFA in 1996 and served as a JAG — not unlike Weinstein himself.

The NCLS is scheduled to occur next week.

The reason Weinstein objects is Bullard is Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Chick-fil-A.

Weinstein wrote an email to LtGen Jay Silveria, the USAFA Superintendent, demanding Bullard’s invitation be rescinded because it was

another wretched example…of fundamentalist Christian-based homophobic oppression by USAFA

LtGen Silveria took the rare step of responding, and his email was a coyly-worded poke at Weinstein’s ignorance and selective outrage — while compared to USAFA’s principled consistency [emphasis added]:

I receive numerous notes, letters and emails about the [NCLS] speakers. Each writer has a reason why some speaker is wrong for us to have. They are either too far in one direction or another—in some cases I get support and disdain for the same speaker.

Last year I received the most correspondence regarding TSgt Ireland. He is an amazing Security Forces Airman that happens to be transgender…I don’t see any article from your organization about Sgt Ireland—I do think it is an amazing story of courage you could share. It would have been a true shame if I had listened to the demands to cancel their appearance…

Cadets…can choose which speaker they want to attend depending on their interests.

Astute readers will remember that Laila and Logan Ireland’s presence at NCLS was noted here last year — without any call for them to be disinvited.

LtGen Silveria cleverly makes the point that USAFA’s NCLS has invited all kinds of speakers from the spectrum. (In fact, USAFA has previously hosted Chick-fil-A at an NCLS — at the same time as an LGBTQetc activist, as well as Weinstein’s MRFF representative Mike Farrell.) Mr. Bullard is one more speaker on that spectrum.

The controversial Mikey Weinstein has been an NCLS speaker as well.

There’s no indication Rodney Bullard is going to take the podium and launch into an “anti-LGBTQetc rant”. Weinstein opposes Bullard not because of anything Bullard may say or do, but because of what Weinstein thinks Bullard believes. Yet the narrow-minded Weinstein fails to grasp that lots of people disagree with the beliefs of lots of NCLS speakers for a variety of reasons.

In highlighting the wide-range of views represented at the NCLS — including the equally controversial Irelands last year — LtGen Silveria has successfully pointed out that the only advocate of “wretched…oppression” in this conversation is Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, who would seek to utterly silence those with whom he disagrees.

Amusingly, the subtle jab was apparently missed by Weinstein.

The NCLS will occur 21-22 February 2019, despite Mikey Weinstein’s “input.”

As noted by the AP, which discreetly noted the “anger” over Bullard’s invitation.

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