Tag Archives: Public Expression

Appeals Court: No Requirement for Atheist Invocation

The US Court of Appeals for the DC circuit ruled last week that the US House of Representatives was not required to permit an atheist to “pray”. Dan Barker of the Freedom From Religion Foundation had sued Patrick Conroy, the former House Chaplain, for denying him the opportunity to “pray” at the opening of the legislative day.

Importantly, the court made a point of saying the House’s exercise was a religious exercise — and since Barker wasn’t offering a religious exercise, he had no claim: Read more

Air Force Colonel David Murphy on Chick-fil-A and USAFA

Responding to the effort by Michael “Mikey” Weinstein to ban Chick-fil-A’s Rodney Bullard from speaking at the US Air Force Academy’s 2019 NCLS, retired Air Force Colonel David Murphy penned an interesting piece at the Defense Post.

Citing a public complaint by USAFA professor Craig Foster (of DFBL, the behavioral sciences department) over alleged Chick-fil-A views on marriage, Murphy said [emphasis added]

Despite Foster’s shockingly shallow argument, I’d like to focus on the one good thing he did cover…Dr. Foster said: “Lt. General Silveria sent a clear message when he told cadets, “If you can’t treat someone with dignity and respect, then you need to get out.”

Let’s focus on the general’s quote, and not Foster’s Read more

Mikey Weinstein Continues War on POW/MIA Tables

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein continues to scour the country in search of POW/MIA remembrance tables about which he can complain — if they should have the gall to have the traditional Bible on them.

Weinstein has had some (though not total) success over the years wielding his “ignoramus’ veto” over the Bibles in the displays. It has tended to be the gift that keeps on giving, because no matter how the targeted organization responds, Weinstein will try to vaunt the story in the press and use it as fundraising material. Either it is a great victory for his anti-Christian cause, or it is an indicator of Christians trying to take over the world. Either way, he tells his followers, send more money.

Many of the groups that have responded by removing Bibles from POW/MIA tables have done so simply because it seems like the “easier” course of action — to make the loudest critic go away. As a result, when the opposing viewpoint raises cries later, the organizations shrug.

However, the First Liberty Institute recently weighed in Read more

USAFA Prof, MRFF Activist Barry Fagin Files Report on the Shroud of Turin

US Air Force Academy Computer Science professor Barry Fagin is continuing his role as an inside source for Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s vendetta against religious freedom at USAFA. Last Wednesday he attended an Easter-themed presentation (only because he wanted to report on it) sponsored by Christian Faculty Fellowship on the topic of the Shroud of Turin.  As dutifully repeated by the MRFF mouthpiece, Pam Zubeck [emphasis added]:

Barry Fagin…argues the school’s seeming endorsement of the talk…is embarrassing in light of scientific evidence that the shroud is merely a 14th century forgery…

Military Religious Freedom Foundation founder Mikey Weinstein says that 23 people — cadets, faculty and staff — complained to him about the lecture…Weinstein says he was told by the complainants that they were disappointed…

A former insider, former Col and now retired BGen Marty France, moved directly from USAFA to Weinstein’s board and wrote a letter to USAFA complaining about the presentation on Read more

Transgender Sailor Booted for Sexual Misconduct and No One Notices

In the ongoing public relations campaign claiming transgenders prima facie “strengthen our military” (while Christians are “a severe failure of leadership“) no one is talking about Alexandra Marberry, a ‘conservative Christian‘ and recent US Naval Academy graduate supposedly destined for pilot training when his assignment was held up for over his decision to be a woman.

Marberry has just been booted from the Navy for sexual misconduct:

In June [2017], a commanding officer called her into a meeting and told her she had to be off the ship in an hour, she said.

Marberry was forced to resign…after another officer accused her of groping. She denies the accusation.

“I had been falsely accused of groping a transphobic officer who I had originally believed was an ally,” she wrote.

So, he did something with someone he thought was an “ally,” and when that Read more

See the Speech Mikey Weinstein Tried to Stop: Chick-fil-A at USAFA

Below, see the speech Mikey Weinstein didn’t want USAFA cadets to see.

Rodney Bullard, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Chick-fil-A, spoke to a packed house at the US Air Force Academy’s Character and Leadership Symposium in February, and USAFA quietly published the video shortly thereafter.

If you recall, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein had tried to have Bullard banned (despite Weinstein himself having once been an NCLS speaker.)

Bullard gave a moving and motivational speech on leadership, specifically citing Rosa Parks, and then he took questions.

The second question came from USAFA Professor of Computer Science, Dr. Barry Fagin.  Fagin has long been an outspoken advocate for Mikey Weinstein‘s cause. Much Read more

Muslim Soldier Claims Persecution with Mikey Weinstein’s Help

As has now been widely reported, US Army SPC Cesilia Valdovinos — who converted to Islam in March 2016 — has claimed discrimination over her wear of the hijab, for which she was granted a religious accommodation just last summer. According to Valdovinos, a senior enlisted leader required her to remove her hijab to prove her hair was being correctly worn underneath it. (While the accommodation was granted, she is still required to maintain certain standards, even under the hijab.) The reason for the “inspection” was the belief her hair was not properly maintained while under her hijab, as was required. When she removed the hijab, her hair was, indeed, down — though Valdovinos says it was because it was held up by the hijab itself. Valdovinos apparently found this exchange inappropriate and filed an EO complaint.

There are aspects to this story on both sides that Read more

US Army Captain Judd Lienhard Opposes Bladensburg Cross

A member of the US military wrote an article published online noting he was an Army Captain and Christian — and yet he opposed the existence of the Bladensburg Peace Cross:

My name is CPT Justin M. Lienhard…I am absolutely opposed to any public funds being used to support any religious institutions or beliefs. The Bladensburg cross at the heart of the ongoing Supreme Court battle is an example of exactly that, and it doesn’t represent my service, nor the service of the many people I worked alongside…

I am an avowed Christian. I know that Jesus is my lord savior.

Lienhard’s article is not compelling — and it’s also not entirely forthright.

First, he gives a passionate critique of several strawmen. The Bladensburg Peace Cross has nothing to do with “public funds [supporting] religious institutions or beliefs” — despite his categorical claim it was “exactly that.” He writes about not “march[ing] as a Christian army,” which has nothing to do with the Peace Cross — or just about anything else. Further, contrary to his passionate claim, the Bladensburg Peace Cross wasn’t erected to represent his service, nor honor all veterans. It was erected with the use of private funds to honor the families of 49 local citizens who were killed in World War I. That he would somehow personalize their memorial changes its meaning not one whit.

It is interesting that a US Army Captain would Read more

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