Category Archives: Government and Religion

Patriotic “God Banners” Ruled Unconstitutional

In a case that has been going on for a couple of years, the Thomas More Law Center has been advocating for Poway teacher Brad Johnson’s right to display banners that quote founding documents with the word “God” in them.

The district court ruled in his favor in 2010, saying the school district displayed unConstitutional viewpoint discrimination when it required him to drop his banners, but did not do the same for other religious viewpoints that Read more

US Military Helps Afghans Build “True Muslim” Army

The US military’s support of the Afghan’s practice of Islam has been reported, though not necessarily widely so.

The Washington Post recently noted the Afghan military is working to be viewed as “true Muslims,” or more Islamic than the Taliban.

The [Afghan] campaign represents a bold effort to counter Taliban propaganda and establish the Islamic credentials of the armed forces.

Fighting the battle over religion — often the key to public support in this conservative Islamic nation — is perhaps the Taliban’s strongest suit. If Afghans doubt the spiritual bona fides of their army, the institution stands little chance of gaining popular support.

The Post article notes US officials have been “eager” to bolster the credentials of the Afghan military, and supporting this effort is one way they can do that:  Read more

US Soldier Worked “as for the Lord”

The Killeen Daily Herald, local to Fort Hood, notes the July death of US Army CPL Frank Gross, who was killed in Afghanistan one month into his deployment. CPL Gross had a consistent motivation:

Cpl. Frank Gross wrote the same Bible verse, Colossians 3:23, inside his baseball caps throughout his high school and college pitching career: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

“Basically, whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability,” his mother, Toni Gross, said…”That was his life verse.”

Notably, Gross had not only a Bachelors degree but also Read more

DADT: Ambiguity, Calls for Protections Continue with Repeal

A US Department of Defense news release indicated the Defense Department was “set” for the repeal of the policy most commonly known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  The release had an interesting statement regarding policy changes:

While many changes in policies and regulations already have taken place, some changes in how repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law will be implemented must wait until after the law takes effect.

These policies and regulations will be promulgated tomorrow [Tuesday], the Pentagon press secretary said.

This was elsewhere described as

As soon as the ban is lifted, the Defense Department will publish revised regulations to reflect the new law that will allow gays to serve openly. The revisions [include] eliminating references to banned homosexual service…

This appears to be some of the “missing” information Read more

Congress Calls for Delay in Tomorrow’s DADT Repeal

The Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Representative Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA), and committee member Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) have called on the Department of Defense to delay the planned repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

The Committee and others have complained the DoD has failed to provide any of the documentation required for the certification to the President that occurred two months ago.  The documentation was supposed to cover policies and regulations implementing repeal.

Since it is evident that the department does not have final, approved policies in place, we believe it is essential that you take immediate action to Read more

US National Guard “Values Muslim Tradition”

US Air Force General Craig McKinley is the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.  He recently hosted an Islamic iftar in Washington, DC.  The dinner highlighted the Guard’s “State Partnership Program” through which the Guard “foster[s] relationships with Muslim and Muslim-majority nations.”

With several senior Muslim and National Guard leaders in attendance for the dinner, Imam Mohamed Magid, the executive director of Read more

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