Though its organizers have said nothing publicly, it seems entirely likely the atheist counter-event to be held at Fort Bragg, NC, known as “Rock Beyond Belief” — the atheist come-back to the Billy Graham Evangelical Association’s “Rock the Fort” — will yet again come to loggerheads with the US Army.
In fact, the March 31st “concert” may even be cancelled. Again.
Its primary organizer, US Army Sgt Justin Griffith, cancelled the event Read more
In an article that actually says very little, the US Army notes nothing has really changed since DADT repeal was implemented. Part of the reason is “many” homosexual servicemembers have continued to keep their sexual preference to themselves. The only “change” was the absence of their fear they would be discharged if discovered.
Many “out” gay and lesbian Soldiers say they haven’t noticed much change in Army culture since the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” Sept. 20, and many still remain in the closet to those they serve with.
For most, it has been a relief that they can no longer be prosecuted or their Army careers jeopardized for being gay.
One “out” Army NCO said the repeal resulted in a changing perception: Read more
You have to give Jason Torpy a little credit. Unlike Michael Weinstein, who is characterized by ellipses, alliterative vitriol, and threats of lawsuits, Torpy has demonstrated an ability to actually communicate with people and achieve at least some level of influence (that is, until he steps into more “controversial” areas.)
The one-man wonder that is the Military “Association” of Atheists and Freethinkers recently “needled” an Air Force agency into changing the motto that has graced their patch for some years.
The US Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office “expedites” acquisitions programs, many in “sensitive activities.” The RCO had a patch that, like many units’ patches, contained embedded in-jokes, clever double-speak, and probably even hinted at national secrets. Torpy’s beef? The slogan at the bottom:
Opus Dei Cum Pecunia Alienum Efficemus
“Doing God’s Work with Other People’s Money”
Apparently, the phrase “Doing God’s Work” is Read more
It was noted here once before that US military fighter pilots sanitize their uniforms prior to combat missions, so if they are captured they have little on their person to provide information to the enemy. However, intel officers occasionally encouraged pilots to carry family photos, thinking the “personalizing” aspect of the photo might positively influence their captors’ perspectives. Similarly, some encouraged carrying a religious item like a cross that would be found on them if they were captured.
Why carry an obviously Christian item on a combat sortie into a predominantly Islamic country?
Simple: Adversaries, primarily of the Islamic faith, respected Christians as “people of the book.” Many have misunderstood Muslims’ use of the term “infidels,” which refers to those “without faith.” In short, hostile Islamic adversaries viewed a Christian in the US military far more positively than an atheist in uniform.
The US Marines recently capitalized on that knowledge, using the faith of an American soldier as a positive message of religious respect to counter the Taliban propaganda of American “infidels” — militant atheists trying to get rid of religion in Afghanistan: Read more
By now most are probably aware that a Rhode Island federal district court ordered Cranston High School to permanently remove a mural hanging in the gymnasium. The mural contained the “School Prayer,” which has hung there since the 1960s.
The plaintiff in the lawsuit against the high school was atheist student Jessica Ahlquist. Notably, she didn’t even notice the banner until someone pointed it out, and she later publicly stated she wasn’t offended by it, but it violated the Constitution. This was largely the premise of the defense: The plaintiff had no standing to sue because she wasn’t “injured” in any form, as required by law; she merely had a political disagreement.
The words at issue were apparently these: Read more
The Associated Press noted three of a group of 8 men were recently sentenced for conspiring to attack Marine Corps Base Quantico as well as other targets. Known in some places as the Raleigh jihadists, the men were arrested in July of 2009.
Hysen Sherifi, [the only non-US citizen] will serve 45 years in prison; Ziyad Yaghi…got nearly 32 years; and Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan…was sentenced to 15 years.
Lawyers for the men have claimed they were
discussing terrorism rather than committing terrorist acts…But US District Judge Louise Flanagan said the men went beyond talk to planning violence.
The father of one defendant accused the judge of attacking Islam: Read more
A US Army platoon leader has a fascinating article in Army Magazine: former US Army Captain Kevin Bell wrote How Our Training Fails Us When it Counts, recounting a story from 2008 in which he led a platoon in Afghanistan. He uses his personal experiences to describe how the US Army woefully fails in its efforts to prepare its soldiers for ethical challenges in combat.
No infantryman who sits through the required PowerPoint classes on the Geneva Conventions and treatment of enemy prisoners of war (EPW) leaves the classroom with a new perspective on the ethics of war…As it stands, though, classroom and field training on detainee operations do almost nothing to help soldiers untangle the twisted moral landscape of anger, intelligence gathering and justice in wartime.
Without directly addressing it, he highlights the weakness of the situation-based ethics currently taught in much of the military academia: Read more
By now most of the world is probably aware of the accusation that four US Marines urinated on corpses in what is apparently Afghanistan. One of the group videotaped the event for posterity.
The event brought out a slew of condemnations from all sides: