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
The Colorado Springs Gazette, local to the US Air Force Academy, noted that religious freedom critic Michael Weinstein apparently bought a billboard ad to publish Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz’s memorandum on religious neutrality, which Chris Rodda says USAFA is “withholding.”
Air Force Academy critic Mikey Weinstein, miffed that a four-star’s memo on religious respect wasn’t e-mailed to cadets at the Air Force Academy, published the 200-word memo himself Tuesday on a Colorado Springs billboard.
Weinstein is apparently relegated to billboards because USAFA won’t answer his voluminous emails or return his phone calls. Publicly, he claims he billboarded the memo because General Gould wouldn’t give in to his demands: Read more
Michael Weinstein and his associates in his self-founded “charity” have a history of being unable to defend an argument by relying on simple truth. Instead, their accusations have to be dramatized with hyperbolic language or, in some cases, the facts simply need to be misrepresented.
And Chris Rodda, Weinstein’s researcher, has done it again. And again, apparently.
Weinstein and Rodda have recently been trying to make hay out of General Norton Schwartz’s recent memorandum on “religious neutrality.” Naturally, they imply it was their eloquent arguments (and senior-leader influence) that convinced General Schwartz to issue the memo. That’s not enough glory, however.
The accusation that US Air Force Academy Superintendent Read more
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
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 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
Jason Torpy of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers has complained over a poster in the halls of a Simi Valley government building.
The poster features a God Bless America / God Bless You prayer sandwich as well as a reference to Psalms 33 indicating Christian requirements for such a blessing. This display is primarily religious in nature, co-opting patriotism to promote their personal Christian beliefs. This is disrespectful to nontheistic military personnel…
Interesting, isn’t it, that atheists are so intent on framing an issue as “Christian” they continue to assign ‘exclusive Christian’ intent to things like passages from the Hebrew Bible — which is, of course, Jewish.
It’s also fascinating that Torpy is so hypersensitive Read more
General Norton Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, has apparently issued a memorandum to his commanders entitled “Maintaining Government Neutrality Regarding Religion.” It makes what is probably the most significant official change to the religious environment in the Air Force in some years (reference the “Religious Guidelines” of 2006).
First, it notes that “leaders at all levels”
must avoid the actual or apparent use of their position to promote their personal religious beliefs to their subordinates or to extend preferential treatment for any religion.
which is substantially similar to previous military positions. Of course, the complexity of the environment prevents a detailed explanation as to what constitutes “apparent use” or what may be “apparent…preferential treatment” vice the expected (and required) accommodation of religion. This has long been an understandable challenge with regard to religion and the government, not just the military.
The memorandum then raises new content: Read more