Ohio State House Passes Military Religious Freedom Bill

The Ohio State House of Representatives passed “a resolution,” HR 283,

To urge the United States Congress and the United States Department of Defense to protect and uphold the religious and free speech rights of military service members.

The resolution cited several incidents of apparent religious hostility in the US military, but oddly missed one that was very close to home. The resolution noted that the Ohio National Guard had the same challenges and rules as the US military, but failed to mention the story of Col Florencio Marquinez, whose article citing his religious faith was censored because Michael “Mikey” Weinstein called it “odious.”

As to why Republican State Representative Ron Young offered the resolution:

Rep. Young stated, “No one in the military should be punished for believing in and peacefully worshipping God, as long as such behavior does not endanger the military mission.

“Members of the military…must have their rights protected. I believe our military is still a place that offers religious freedom and treats our servicemen and woman with respect regardless of their beliefs.

“However, instances of infringement are on the rise and freedom can only be maintained through vigilance.”

Via the News Herald.

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