In a case that has fallen from public view, the Thomas More Law Center has continued to defend Poway teacher Brad Johnson’s right to display banners in his classroom that contain patriotic quotes with “God” in them:
In a classic example of discrimination against anything Christian, the School District allowed religious classroom displays by other teachers, including displays included a 35 to 40-foot string of Tibetan prayer flags Read more
Head Navy Chaplain (Rear Adm) Mark Tidd has reportedly issued a “one-line” statement suspending his prior decision allowing US Navy Chaplains to perform homosexual marriages in military chapels.
As previously noted, members of Congress had objected to the announcement, saying it was in conflict with the Defense of Marriage Act.
If nothing else, the controversy stands in contrast to those who have had a dismissive attitude toward repeal, claiming it would be a non-event and transparent in its removal. As demonstrated by the concerns raised during training and the sensitivity of this announcement, it very evidently isn’t.
The US military academies appear to have hammered out their graduation speakers for this year:
The top military leadership speaks at the military academy graduations on a rotating basis. For those keeping count, Obama has already spoken at Annapolis, West Point, and now the Coast Guard academy, so if tradition holds he will address USAFA next year.
Another US Navy fighter squadron conducted a change of command in the air recently.
The “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 held an airborne change of command ceremony above the deployed aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) April 27.
Cmdr. Daniel J. Sullivan IV relieved Cmdr. Randy Stearns as VFA 11 commanding officer.
Sullivan and Stearns both flew Read more
The name of the US Air Force Academy’s “Cadet Chapel Falcon Circle” was noted yesterday in the discussion of its dedication. In a response to a Washington Times editorial that accused the Academy of “pandering” to fringe ideas, Michael Weinstein now claims USAFA was “insensitive” in the naming of the area, which led to the “resignation” of the pagan lay leader at USAFA. If you can get past Weinstein’s gratuitously florid language, he says:
The Times article showed a picture [captioned] as “the Pagan lay leader at the Academy.” Wrong again, Times editorial buffoons. [The pagan lay leader], a courageous MRFF client, resigned that titular post a fair number of weeks ago in direct protest over the blatant, strong-arming insensitivity, which the Academy was using in the administration of the naming of that stone circle…
Always quick to resort to the grade school antic of name-calling, Weinstein apparently failed to realize the Times didn’t Read more
Below:
Camp Pendleton Marines recently went through the required DADT training for the upcoming repeal of the policy most often known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Despite some people dismissing the concerns of servicemembers Read more
The US Air Force has reportedly taken delivery of the first production-model F-35 Lightning II — the first of a planned 1,700+ order.
The creation of a “pagan area” under the auspices of the US Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel was highly controversial more than a year ago. Originally, a “dedication” was scheduled in March 2010. It seems the ceremony was delayed more than a year.
USAFA announced it had dedicated the “Cadet Chapel Falcon Circle” last week on May 3rd. As previously discussed, the US military does not make a site “sacred,” so the “dedication” seems to have been more ceremonial or functional in nature.
Interestingly, the article seems to indicate a slight tweak on the original purpose of the outdoor chapel. Originally, USAFA was said to be adding “a worship area for followers of Earth-centered religions.” The new wording was somewhat more careful this year: Read more