Tag Archives: dadt

USAFA Should Rescind Atheist’s Religious Respect Training Invite

A recent article on the US Air Force Academy Cadet Interfaith Council made a passing reference to an upcoming USAFA “religious respect conference” in November.  The purpose of the conference is reportedly to work on the cadet “religious respect” training program.  It seems this is the “next step,” following the respect training given to all basic trainees this past summer that was designed and developed by the Jewish Anti-Defamation League.

Jason Torpy, a former Army Captain and current president of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, recently announced on his website that he had been invited to the religious respect conference.

Broadly speaking, it is not at all unreasonable that an atheist would be invited to such a conference, as the military environment is one that favors no particular faith, or lack thereof.

Jason Torpy is an abysmal choice, however, and the Academy should rescind his invitation.

Torpy has actively worked against religious freedom in the military; he has Read more

DADT Case Goes to Supreme Court

The Log Cabin Republicans have asked the US Supreme Court to reinstate Judge Virginia Phillips’ injunction prohibiting the US military from enforcing its ban on open homosexual service.  The military has said DADT will continue to be enforced during appeal.

In perhaps the supremest of ironies, the request lands on the desk of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.  Some have speculated that DADT would be 4-4 at the court, with Kennedy being the deciding vote.

The filing demonstrates a self-righteous and self-centered Read more

Marine General Opposes DADT Repeal

Update: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen expressed “surprise” that General Amos aired his views opposing the administration’s push to end DADT, rather than keeping those comments private.

The Associated Press reports General James Amos, newly installed Commandant of the Marine Corps, has continued his predecessor’s opposition to a repeal of the policy known as “Don’t ask, Don’t tell.”  (Nearly simultaneously, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called for repeal “quickly.”)

The article notes one unique aspect of the Marines:  Read more

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: The Military Christian’s Perspective

The ongoing public debate over homosexuality and the US military (most often referred to as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”) presents a unique conflict for Christians in the military.  There are those who believe homosexuality is morally wrong and must be prohibited at every possibility, and there are those who believe people have the freedom to do as they please in their private lives.  This situation has implications from both the Christian perspective and the military perspective (in isolation), though they must be integrated to form the military Christian’s perspective.  Each of these three is addressed individually below.

The Christian Perspective

The Christian faith considers homosexuality a sin, just as theft, adultery, murder, and lust are sins.  Still, Christianity does not condemn the person who expresses a homosexual preference.  In addition, while many people in this world are tempted to sin (as was Jesus during his incarnation), the temptation to participate in sinful conduct is not itself wrong.  Finally, man is a fallen creation and has a sinful nature; thus, succumbing to temptation and sinning are a common experience of many on this earth — even the stereotypically staunchest Christians.

For a Christian, it is disheartening to see the culture, government, and now military move to end opposition to immoral behavior.  This is a dramatic indicator of the direction of cultural morality in the United States:  Few other issues have so rapidly moved from Read more

General Mixon Revisits DADT Comments

According to the Stars and Stripes, LtGen Benjamin Mixon has “regrets” over the controversy caused by his remarks earlier this year on the policy known as “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”  At the time, he wrote a letter to Stars and Stripes encouraging members of the military who opposed the repeal of DADT to “speak up.”  Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, subsequently implied Mixon should resign if he disagreed with the military’s policy direction.

“I do regret having put Army senior leadership on the spot with my response in the Stars and Stripes,” said Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon…

General Mixon reportedly said he planned to work “within the system” on this issue.

Appeals Court Upholds Stay of DADT Injunction

A three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the government when it upheld its prior stay of the controversial injunction issued against the military’s “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy.

In an eight-page order, two judges said they were persuaded by the Department of Justice’s argument that U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips’ worldwide injunction against the policy “will seriously disrupt ongoing and determined efforts by the Administration to devise an orderly change.”

Importantly, the ruling may portend future issues in appeal.  First, the judges Read more

Survey: Military Majority Backs DADT Repeal, Chaplains Protest

Despite General Conway’s prior anecdotal evidence, several news outlets have reported on “leaked” details of the Department of Defense’s study on the repeal of the policy known as “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”  Reportedly, “a majority…would not object” to the service of open homosexuals.

The reports also indicated “some…but not a majority — objected strongly” and “said they would quit the military if the policy changed.”

Notably, whether or not personnel “objected” was not supposed to be the intent of the DoD study.  Secretary of Defense Robert Gates repeatedly said the study was to determine how best to implement repeal, not determine whether to repeal.

Meanwhile, the previously reported response of retired Chaplains was Read more

Military Archbishop Opposes DADT Repeal…on Constitutional Grounds

Military Archbishop Timothy Broglio has previously expressed his opposition to the repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  In a recent article, however, he articulated his opposition not strictly on religious grounds, but on Constitutional ones:

The archbishop explained that while individuals may have a legal right to declare their sexual preferences, they have no comparable “right” to serve in the military at the same time.

Rather, he said, the military reserves to itself the right to deny individuals that privilege —  just as soldiers may forfeit the privilege of military service in many other ways, through their speech and behavior.  Read more

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