Does it pass the Air Force common sense test that a Nativity is officially removed because no one else wants to put up another display alongside it?
In an event that drew national attention — including from the US Congress — Shaw Air Force Base erected a plastic figurine Nativity in front of the base’s Palmetto Chapel. As predicted, it was placed in its traditional location from years past: Read more
…Who is in charge of the nation’s military[?] “Is it in fact the military chiefs or is it Mikey Weinstein?”
— Tony Perkins, Family Research Council President
A few news sources have picked up on the story about the US Air Force Academy pulling a poster that had the cadet Honor Oath on it — an oath that ends in “so help me God” (discussed here a few days ago). Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, president of his self-founded charity, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, has celebrated this as his latest “victory.”
The cadet committee on the subject has met, though not yet made a recommendation to the Superintendent:
Academy spokesman Maj. Brus Vidal said the Honor Review Committee…discussed…making no change to the oath, making the “so help me God” portion optional, or striking the entire oath…
Vidal said. “We value an inclusive environment that promotes dignity and respect for all.”
The Public Affairs director did not explain how “no change to the oath” could follow LtGen Michelle Johnson’s order Read more
This is an administration that has told servicemen and women that they cannot share their faith or risk discipline. This is an administration that has reprimanded an Air Force chaplain in Alaska for writing in a blog post “there are no atheists in foxholes.” Now, mind you, he was quoting President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who, I might note, has some passing familiarity with the military…
“The Administration” can either be interpreted as a broad swath of people that includes the Secretary of Defense, or potentially a direct reference to the President.
It is exceedingly difficult — though it has been tried — Read more
After weeks of stewing, Michael Weinstein finally responded to Col Brian Duffy’s decision to re-post Chaplain (LtCol) Kenneth Reyes’ once-banned article on the base website, over Weinstein’s objections.
Michael Weinstein’s response was predictable, though it went counter to his public face of supporting “religious freedom.”
Weinstein blamed bad Christians for the Air Force reversal. Weinstein said:
This was the Air Force caving in to pernicious, fundamentalist Christian pressure…
So much for supporting “military religious freedom,” eh?
ADVERTISEMENT
Update: Now covered at the Christian Post, Christian News, WND, The Blaze, the ACLJ, OneNewsNow, and Charisma News.
In what will certainly be a blow to Michael Weinstein’s ego, the Air Force has re-published the article his “religious freedom” organization had convinced the Air Force to censor because they said it was “bigoted” and “defiles the dignity of service members.”
With noticeably no publicity, the article was quietly reinstated last week. (The article by Chaplain (LtCol) Kenneth Reyes can now be read here [updated link]) Col Brian Duffy, with “higher headquarters consultation,” issued the following statement:
Arctic Warriors, our “Chaplain’s Corner” will return and be accessible from our JBER Official Web Page…. Commentaries presented are designed to enhance the spiritual resilience and wellness of our community of Active Duty, DoD civilians, family members and retirees as part of the Air Force and Army Comprehensive Fitness programs.
We believe this new approach, taken in Read more
In what is likely a continuation of an action by the Military Religious Freedom Coalition, the Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking to learn how and why the Air Force chose to censor an article on faith written by Chaplain (LtCol) Kenneth Reyes. The ADF notes Col Duffy’s decision — based explicitly on someone’s “offense” — has wider implications than just one web posting by Chaplain Reyes.
The FOIA also seeks to know the extent of the relationship between Col Brian Duffy, the Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson commander, and the MRFF — namely, Read more
Skip Ash, the senior litigation counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, has stated that in its effort to appease Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, the Air Force actually committed the very violation it thought it was trying to avoid:
Despite the MRFF rantings, the chaplain committed no violation of the U.S. Constitution, federal law or military regulations by what he did. It was the commander at the base and his staff who actually wronged the chaplain by buying into the MRFF’s skewed view of what the Constitution and military regulations require. The commander was wrong.
The ACLJ also sent a letter (PDF) to Col Brian Duffy, the base commander who ordered Chaplain Kenneth Reyes’ article removed because of someone’s claimed “offense.” The letter rightly notes Blake Page, Michael Weinstein’s “special assistant,” didn’t even get the basic facts of the situation correct, nevermind accurately apply the law [emphasis added]: Read more
The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty has called on Col Brian Duffy to formally apologize to Chaplain (LtCol) Kenney Reyes — and then re-publish the banned article to
resolve this unfortunate injustice without taking recourse to legal measures.
Col Duffy had indicated the article was pulled because people were offended. The stern admonition from the Chaplain-endorsing group appears to be the first engagement of the recently announced Military Religious Freedom coalition. The letter from retired Chaplain (Col) Ron Crews notes that the MRFF misrepresented the article in the most demeaning way — and Col Duffy appears to have either bought their line or simply failed Read more