Michael Weinstein and the Problem with Air Force FOIAs

Michael Weinstein and his cohorts make frequent use of the US Air Force Inspector General complaint system.  As noted previously, its win-win for Weinstein, as he’s immune to any stigma should it go awry and he can cry foul whether the IG validates his complaint or not.

Weinstein also hammers the Air Force with Freedom of Information Act requests.  Again, for him they’re a win-win.  He gets to harass the Air Force, as the Air Force is required by law to dedicate precious and scarce resources to answer his every call, which also has the effect of distracting from the military’s mission.

Weinstein also gets access to information he normally wouldn’t.  While the Air Force tries to cull private and restricted information from Read more

Local Paper Chides USAFA for Stealing

It doesn’t seem Pam Zubeck has ever really been a fan of the US Air Force Academy.  As noted previously, she featured prominently in Michael Weinstein’s book from her days when she was a reporter at the Colorado Springs Gazette, and she was practically his public relations outlet there. 

She’s now at the local “independent” paper, where she continues to act as a PR tool for Weinstein and take shots at USAFA.  Recently, she noted USAFA had used Associated Press articles in its base paper — which it can’t do — after it copied them from the USAFA athletic website, which can have those articles:  Read more

Navy Finds no Evidence of Widespread Cheating

Last November it was reported that the US Navy launched an investigation into the submarine community after a “cheating scandal” resulted in around 10% of the crew being kicked off their boat. Allegations that similar “cheating” was common were made in the press, and presumably by some of those who were kicked out.

The Navy has now concluded that cheating is not widespread, as had been asserted.

The inspector general…opened an investigation following a complaint Read more

Atheist Wants Cross Removed from Arlington, a Sacred Shrine

Atheist Jason Torpy tilted the irony meter recently when he touted his recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery. 

The event provided the opportunity to remember the service of all those hundreds of thousands at Arlington Cemetery, our nation’s most sacred shrine.

The atheist considers Arlington so “sacred,” in fact, he thinks the government should yank the crosses out of it — something even the ACLU doesn’t advocate.

Court Upholds Exclusion of Atheist Christmas Display

A federal district court has ruled that the City of Warren, Michigan, was within its rights to exclude an atheist display from its annual public Christmas display.  In short, the court said the purpose of the atheist display was to be nothing more than a counter-display and its content could be disruptive.

[T]he Mayor sets forth permissible bases for denial—that the Sign was meant to counter the Nativity Scene, not celebrate the holiday season, and that the anti-religious language of the sign, in this context, could lead to a disruption of city business. There is nothing indicating the Mayor denied placement of the Sign solely in defense of religion; religion was simply not the appropriate subject-matter.

The case was Freedom from Religion Foundation, Inc. v. City of Warren, Michigan.

This is relevant to the military because atheists last year tried the same Read more

MASH Star Pontificates on the Military Chaplaincy

Mike Farrell, better known as BJ Hunnicutt of M*A*S*H fame, apparently thinks his “service” with Father Mulcahy qualifies him to speak with authority on the US military chaplaincy.  He authored a lengthy piece on the Huffington Post written in the style of Chris Rodda; that is, heavy on vague accusations and light on facts:

Today, a huge percentage of our military chaplains, according to thousands of aggrieved American servicemen and women, present themselves as fevered salesmen for a fundamentalist version of Christianity rather than as simple, caring souls with a willingness to listen and no attached quid pro quo. These religious hucksters see themselves as “government-paid missionaries” and the youth under their domain “as ripe as black bananas.”

Farrell fails to quantify or provide support for his “huge percentage,” and provides no source other than the vague anecdotes of Michael Weinstein’s MRFF “clients.”  (Farrell, conveniently enough, is a member of Weinstein’s advisory board.)  Farrell is also apparently blind to his own prejudice, calling people who hold beliefs with which he disagrees “hucksters.”

He authoritatively continues:  Read more

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