While many people may have opinions, the fact is there is no Air Force policy or regulation at all that addresses Bible verses or other public displays of religion — even in an official office setting, even by Air Force “leaders.”

Based on actual military policy, Air Force cadets — and enlisted, and officers — remain free to have verses on their whiteboards and Bibles on their desks, even if some people don’t agree or like it.  The mere association of an Air Force leader with a religious belief cannot reasonably be interpreted to be improper — or else far more censorship and restriction on conduct needs to occur. After all, if a cadet can’t handle seeing a Bible verse on a whiteboard, how will he react when he sees his commander wearing a yarmulke?

US Air Force Academy cadets spoke out — anonymously — after the recent kerfuffle over Bible verses on dry erase boards. Their statements are mature and well-considered: 

“It’s been suggested that we keep our faith to ourselves. It’s even too risky to go out into the hallway and talk to a Christian friend about your faith. It’s because there are people here who are so easily offended. If someone overheard us talking about Christianity, they could file a complaint. They could say we were having that discussion in a public space.”

“It’s gotten to the point where you can’t walk to class without stepping on somebody’s toes,” another cadet [said].

As has been repeated almost every time Mikey Weinstein attacks Christians at USAFA, the cadets are tired of the hypersensitivity it has engendered:

The cadets said they are sick and tired of the “uber-sensitivity” that’s infected the academy.

“People are so apt to be offended by something that is totally respectful,” he said. “If you read the verse the guy put on his door – it’s a personal expression of faith. There’s nothing disrespectful about that at all.”

Amazingly, FoxNews commentator Todd Starnes was able to get Weinstein to explain how he knew these cadets were “fundamentalist Christians”:

“Putting those messages up are a violation of time, place and manner and that moves you into the fundamentalist Christianity perspective.”

Just so everyone understands, Mikey Weinstein thinks that it doesn’t matter what your theological beliefs are — if you put a verse up on a dry erase board, you’re a fundamentalist Christian.  That’s the guy who’s trying to tell USAFA what their rules say.

While Weinstein has been making nonsensical statements in the media, Mike Berry and Roger Byron of the Liberty Institute have met with the US Air Force Academy JAG. They noted that Weinstein has “possibly embellished” the events of the past few days at USAFA. They also said cadets are now confused:

Because of the misinformation being spread, cadets are confused and don’t know what the real Air Force Academy policy is on religious speech.

Unfortunately, that confusion wasn’t alleviated in a statement by LtGen Michelle Johnson, the USAFA Superintendent:

I’m pleased with the way our cadets raised and discussed a recent concern in an atmosphere of respect and communication, and wanted to share it with you…

The scripture was below the cadet’s name on a white board and could cause subordinates to doubt the leader’s religious impartiality. With the mentorship of the active duty commanding officer as part of the discussion, the cadet squadron commander raised this potential perception and the cadet voluntarily elected to erase the scripture.

Despite saying the cadet “voluntarily” took down the verse, the implication of the General’s statement is that it was the only correct thing to do. Despite the repeated reassurances that “We [USAFA] didn’t take it down,” the perception is that was the intended outcome — though USAFA insists they didn’t force it. So what is the policy?

USAFA may not want to clearly state what their policy is regarding religious speech — possibly because any such policy would immediately be challenged, given the law recently passed by Congress stating religious expression must be accommodated, with few exceptions.  That may even be why the cadet was likely “encouraged to consider” what to do about the verse but wasn’t given an order — because such an order may have ventured into an indefensible arena.

While many people may have opinions, the fact is there is no Air Force policy or regulation at all that addresses Bible verses or other public displays of religion even in an official office setting, even by Air Force “leaders.”

Based on actual military policy, Air Force cadets — and enlisted, and officers — remain free to have verses on their whiteboards and Bibles on their desks, even if some people don’t agree or like it.  The mere association of an Air Force leader with a religious belief cannot reasonably be interpreted to be improper — or else far more censorship and restriction on conduct needs to occur. After all, if a cadet can’t handle seeing a Bible verse on a whiteboard, how will he react when he sees his commander wearing a yarmulke?

It is also somewhat disappointing to see the focus almost exclusively on the cadets who wrote the verses, despite LtGen Johnson’s statement that USAFA

teach[es] cadets how to appropriately raise concerns, understand perceptions and balance personal freedom with effective leadership.

Where, then, is the public statement about the cadets who allegedly lodged the complaint not with their chain of command or their peers, but with Mikey Weinstein? While the Academy admits the cadets who wrote the verses did nothing wrong, those who went to Weinstein clearly did not “appropriately raise concerns” and virtually brought discredit on the Air Force in the process. Yet no one is saying anything about them or their understanding of “personal freedom.”

The American Family Association called on people to contact USAFA in support of the cadets’ religious liberties:

AFA is encouraging other Americans to join their voices and urge Air Force Academy Commandant Brig. Gen. Gregory Lengyel to reverse this violation of religious freedom and allow cadets to express their faith.

The Restore Military Religious Freedom Coalition has offered to help any cadet, for free, who faces “repercussions” over the whiteboard “controversy.”

Congressman Doug Lamborn (R-CO) wrote to LtGen Johnson asking her to explain what USAFA is doing [emphasis added]:

I am deeply concerned and outraged by recent news reports indicating that an Air Force Cadet was forced to remove a Bible verse from the whiteboard posted outside his room.  I was further troubled to learn that the apparent reason the Cadet in question had to remove this verse was due to the fact that he is in a position of  leadership. This suggests that a Cadet in a leadership role may have less religious freedom than Cadets in the rank and file…

Religious freedom and religious tolerance go hand in hand.  Censoring Bible verses or any religious text for that matter, from personal or even common areas at the Air Force Academy suggests an apparent anti-religion bias rather than a rational approach that supports tolerance of all faiths…

I would appreciate a full accounting of this incident. It may be that the officer who censored the Cadet should be the one who should be punished. I would also like an explanation of the apparent distinction drawn between those in leadership and other Cadet’s regarding religious freedom.  I would also appreciate an explanation of the apparent influence the Military Religious Freedom Foundation has at the Air Force Academy in legal and media issues relating to decisions on Cadets’ religious practices over the past 5 years. The MRFF is an organization that seems to detest religious expression of any faith, and has become so outlandish in its claims that it should simply be ignored.

Well played, sir, well played.

Also at the Stars and Stripes, TheBlaze,

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