Though they failed to get Travis AFB to remove its nativity and what they called a “token” Jewish Menorah, military atheists led by Justin Griffith have now set their sights on Fort Campbell, one of the largest US Army bases in the United States.  Fort Campbell has a Menorah and nativity at the sign near one of its entry gates.  (Don’t tell anyone, but there’s also a prominent star at the top of the post Christmas tree…)

It reads like “Welcome to Fort Campbell, where you better love Jesus…”

[Fort Campbell] need[s] to either remove the display, or at the very least let all the other points of view have an equal level of support.

How a Menorah says “you better love Jesus” is unclear, though the atheists’ (repeat) belittling of the Jewish display of faith is eclipsed only by their obsessive need to attach themselves to Christianity.

The situation is not the same as Travis AFB, though.  For one thing, it’s the Army, not the Air Force — and yes, that makes a difference.  There are probably more displays elsewhere, as historically several have graced the huge post.  Griffith, while claiming the support of Michael Weinstein and his MRFF, has yet to reconcile their competing solutions.  (Weinstein said he “only” wanted it moved to the chapel; Griffith has insisted even that would be illegal.)  Also, unlike the Air Force base “holiday card lane,” these appear to be stand-alone holiday displays.  The atheists want in.

Fair enough.  The nativity is up for the annual recognition of the Christmas season.  The Menorah was erected yesterday because it was the beginning of the annual celebration of Hanukkah (a fact that seemed to escape the critics).  Other groups should be welcome to erect displays during their faith celebrations as well.

So, the Army can let Griffith, an Army soldier representing American Atheists, put something up during the annual atheist faith celebrations.

When the Air Force equated atheism with religion, military atheists took the opportunity to mock the beliefs of their fellow Airmen — something no religion would ever be allowed to do because, as noted last time, it violates military Equal Opportunity policies.

The sad thing is some of atheists think they’re creating victories, when in fact they’re “#winning” Charlie Sheen style.  They’re turning atheism into nothing more than an asterisk on Christianity.  Like a four-year-old on a high school playground, they’re following others around and demanding to be allowed to participate.  Their “religious freedom” to this point has been nothing more than establishing themselves as an addendum to everything Christians do.  They have yet to display an independent thought.

For the record, this is not the first time someone has complained about the religious displays at Fort Campbell:

Vanderbilt University law professor [Tom McCoy] says nativity scenes at Fort Campbell, Ky., violate the US Constitutional ban on government endorsement of religion…

“If…the ordinary person going by would see this thing is not associated with the chapel, then I think the ordinary person would perceive it as a public ground being used to endorse religion,” McCoy said.

The Army’s response:

“Surely to God you could find something else to write about that would not be negative this time of year.  Are you an atheist?”  – Fort Campbell spokesman Bill Harralson…

That was December 24, 1990 — more than 20 years ago.  For those that miss the significance, that was 24 days before the invasion of Iraq in the start of Operation Desert Storm.