Tag Archives: Constitution

Fort Bragg Atheist Concert Reverses Course, Re-Announces Event

The organizers of Rock Beyond Belief at Fort Bragg have abandoned their plans for a lawsuit and are looking forward to having their event this fall.  (Michael Weinstein’s “tell it to the judge” was apparently just for effect, as his threats so often are.)  Coincidentally, it seems their very-public decision to cancel their event — and point fingers at the US Army as the cause — has actually benefited their plans (emphasis added):  Read more

US Military Condemns Koran Burning, Defends Muslim Faith

The US Department of Defense issued a release in which General David Petraeus and his NATO civilian counterpart, Mark Sedwill, condemned the burning of a Koran (alternately, Quran) by Florida Pastor Wayne Sapp (with Pastor Terry Jones, who previously planned to do so, and whose proposal General Petraeus previously condemned):

“We condemn the action of the individual in the United States who burned a copy of the holy Quran. That action was hateful; it was intolerant, and it was extremely disrespectful,” said Petraeus.

As others will likely point out, no one found it “hateful, intolerant, or disrespectful” when the US military tossed Bibles in the trash and burned them not more Read more

AU, ACLU File FOIA over Rock the Fort, Rock Beyond Belief

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union have filed a Freedom of Information Act request over recent concerts at Fort Bragg.  (More accurately, they skipped the FOIA office everybody else has to use and sent a letter directly to the Secretary of the Army.)

Interestingly, the letter presents a schizophrenic perspective.  On one hand, they say Fort Bragg’s interaction with Rock the Fort was “unconstitutional.”

we believe that the actions of [Chaplain (Col) David] Hillis and the Department of the Army, in coordinating, planning and supporting last year’s Rock the Fort concert, violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

On the other, they demand to know if Rock Beyond Belief is truly being Read more

Michael Weinstein Incites Faculty against USAFA?

The prior article on the upcoming religious climate review at USAFA noted most major news repeats of the CSIndy story missed some of the more interesting details.

The Associated Press article closed with a single sentence on a related topic:

The Independent reported that the Air Force also plans to review questions raised by an academy faculty member about the qualifications of some of the faculty.

While the statement may seem unrelated to religion at USAFA, it’s actually an integral piece to the puzzle.  Here’s what the Independent said:

A second inquiry…involves alleged accreditation violations, religious discrimination and cronyism in hiring civilian faculty.

“I am very concerned that [USAFA] may have committed persistent, gross violations of allowing inadequate academic credentials of many military instructors,” R. David Mullin, associate professor of economics, writes in his complaint to the Higher Learning Commission, Chicago, which accredits the academy.

“Also there have been violations of First Amendment rights and academic freedom by Brigadier General Dana Born, Read more

America Joins Conflict in Libya: Operation Odyssey Dawn

The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1973 authorizing “all necessary means” except an invasion to enforce a no-fly zone and “protect civilians” in Libya.  China, Russia, Germany, Brazil and India abstained from the vote.  The UN Security Council:

Authorizes Member States…to take all necessary measures…to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya…while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory.

Establish[es] a ban on all flights in the airspace of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in order to help protect civilians;

Authorizes Member States…to take all necessary measures to enforce compliance with the ban on flights…

Fighter pilots and other American military members around the world are undoubtedly preparing for their eventual role in this conflict, which, like virtually every other conflict since Korea, remains politically controversial.  (For example, The Washington Times quotes then-candidate and Senator Barack Obama apparently contradicting his current actions as President.)

Ironically, Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi tried to paint this latest conflict as a Christian crusade against Muslims:  Read more

Chaplain Team Reaches Troops through Holy Crap

Enter any military unit (but especially an aviation one) and you’re likely to find the bathroom stalls stuffed with reading materials.  In some cases you might find laminated copies of aircraft emergency procedures; in others, it might just be generic left over magazines ranging from Guns and Ammo to Newseek; in almost all cases you’ll find copies of the most recent safety publications.  (In years past, various levels of adult magazines could be found in most fighter units.  That practice has largely, though not entirely, faded away).

A US Army Chaplain’s team composed of Chaplain (Capt) Jason Hohnberger and his assistant Sgt David Cavazos recently took advantage of the traditional practice:

Holy Crap: Chaplain’s Thought of the Week, where Read more

Can Atheist Rock Beyond Belief meet Army Restrictions?

The truth of the US Army’s equitable treatment of “Rock Beyond Belief” has already been addressed.  Oddly, though, many people don’t know that RBB may not be able to meet the restrictions imposed upon it by the Army even if it does find the funding it needs to proceed.

What restrictions are those?  Well, the same ones put on the Christian “Rock the Fort,” of course:  Content.

Unnoticed by many has been the fact Fort Bragg restricted the content at “Rock the Fort.”  As noted in the After Action Report:

The bands and speakers stayed within the parameters that we gave them as directed by LTG Helmick, Read more

Rock Beyond Belief: The Truth Comes Out

Apparently, Michael Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation thinks atheists need special government support to be considered “equal” with Christians.

The media has had a chance to digest the accusations the US Army post at Fort Bragg discriminated against atheists in their treatment of “Rock Beyond Belief,” and apparently interviewed those involved.

Doesn’t look good for Weinstein and his MRFF crowd.

“I think it all boils down to money,” [Col Stephen] Sicinski said Read more

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