Category Archives: Government and Religion

Arlington Dedicates Jewish Chaplains’ Memorial

As noted last week, Arlington National Cemetery’s Jewish Chaplains’ Memorial was added to Chaplains’ Hill and dedicated yesterday.  Despite the claims of some military atheists, speakers at the event noted there are chaplains on the front lines of America’s battles, serving the troops who serve their country:

“The 14 men we honor today were rabbis in uniform,” said Maj. Gen. Cecil Richardson, the Air Force chief of chaplains. “These men did much more than preach sermons. … They walked where warriors walked, and that is what made them military chaplains.  Read more

Update: Atheist Soldier Refuses to Bow Head at Graduation

The CNN.com blog that covered the atheist Soldier refusing to lower his head during a training graduation prayer updated their post with input from Fort Jackson:

Fort Jackson officials said Friday that an atheist soldier was asked to lower their head during a prayer portion of a graduation ceremony rehearsal, but then decided it was ok for the soldier to stand at Attention. [sic]

As originally thought, the desire for a Read more

Consent Decree Issued in Case of VA Prayer Censorship

In a little-reported conclusion to the lawsuit accusing a Texas Veterans’ Affairs cemetery of censoring religious content, Federal District Judge Lynn Hughes signed a consent decree largely acknowledging the validity of the accusations.

The consent decree contained 50 individual points, though it applied only to the Houston National Cemetery, and the VA reiterated it felt some of the decrees were already VA policy.

Notably:

  • The Cemetery is prohibited from interfering with prayers or Read more

Atheist Soldier Refuses to Bow Head at Graduation

According to a CNN blog, an atheist US Army Private First Class graduating from Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, SC, was expected to “bow his head and clasp his hands” during the prayer portion of his unit’s graduation. 

After almost being pulled from a graduation ceremony for refusal to lower the head during a benediction, a soldier is now allowed to attend but must instead stand at attention.

The rehearsal occurred yesterday, the graduation itself is today.  Notably, the CNN article was written only on the basis of information from the Soldier and Michael Weinstein; Read more

Mount Soledad Case Review Denied

The Mount Soledad war memorial cross in San Diego has been previously ruled as unconstitutional, violating the Establishment Clause.  The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently refused to rehear the case or grant an en banc review.  Notably, however, 5 of the 11 judges dissented in the denial of an en banc rehearing.  The premise of their dissent was that the court had inappropriatelly analyzed the memorial:  Read more

US Marines Sole Representative at Gay Pride Event

For the second time, US Marine Corps recruiters have been the sole respondents to an invitation by a homosexual group to set up a recruiting booth, though they had to get a little funding help from the organizers to attend:

Alan Chan, San Gabriel Valley Pride’s secretary, invited military personnel in the Pasadena recruitment office across from the college to set up booths at the event. The Navy, he said, did not have adequate staffing. The Army had previously committed to another event. The Air Force Read more

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