Tag Archives: religious freedom

Article: DoD Not Doing Enough for Religious Liberty

First Liberty’s Mike Berry wrote at the Washington Examiner calling on the Pentagon to be “more vigilant in protecting the religious liberty of men and women in uniform.” It’s an appropriate admonition based on two significant recent events.

In the first, Col Leland Bohannon was fired and removed from a promotion list after a retiring homosexual subordinate complained. As Berry notes:

A formal complaint was filed and the Air Force Inspector General ruled that Bohannon had violated Air Force policy. It took none other than the secretary of the Air Force, Heather Wilson, to 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

Religious Liberty Advocate US Representative Walter Jones Dies

US Representative Walter Jones (R-NC) died last week, and he was buried in Farmville, NC. He was widely remembered for the length of his service, his kindness, and also his support of the US military.

It is this latter point that makes his name familiar here. Rep Jones was a staunch advocate for the military — including military religious freedom, which put him in the crosshairs of Michael “Mikey” Weinstein more than once.

In 2009, he introduced a bill to ensure US military chaplains could Read more

Mikey Weinstein Gets Owned by USAFA in NCLS Complaint

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein has complained that the US Air Force Academy has invited Rodney Bullard to be one of its speakers at its annual National Character and Leadership Symposium. Bullard graduated from USAFA in 1996 and served as a JAG — not unlike Weinstein himself.

The NCLS is scheduled to occur next week.

The reason Weinstein objects is Bullard is Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Chick-fil-A.

Weinstein wrote an email to LtGen Jay Silveria, the USAFA Superintendent, demanding Bullard’s invitation be rescinded because it was Read more

Cory Booker Questions Nominees Religious Beliefs. Again.

During a judicial confirmation hearing, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) asked nominee Neomi Rao what her religious beliefs were regarding sexuality [emphasis added]:

Booker asked Rao…whether she personally thinks gay relationships are “immoral.”

Rao…pushed back, saying she didn’t think that line of questioning was relevant.

But Booker responded: “I think that [it is] relevant, your opinion if you think that African-American relationships are immoral, do you think gay relationships are immoral? Do you personally believe that gay relationships are immoral?”

After reluctantly responding that Read more

Trump Gets Damages After Article by Mikey Weinstein’s Mouthpiece

British magazine The Telegraph has agreed to give Melania Trump “substantial damages” after publishing (and then retracting) a piece by Nina Burleigh that “included several inaccuracies.”

We apologise unreservedly to The First Lady and her family for any embarrassment caused by our publication of these allegations. As a mark of our regret we have agreed to pay Mrs Trump substantial damages as well as her legal costs.

Nina Burleigh… Does that name sound familiar?

It should. Burleigh was the mouth of Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF at Newsweek for about the last two years. Not unlike the Colorado Springs Independent’s Pam Zubeck, Burleigh has a reputation for Read more

Army Major, Presidential Candidate Tulsi Gabbard Discovers Religious Freedom

Tulsi Gabbard is a Democrat representing Hawaii’s 2nd District in the US House of Representatives. She is also a Major in the Army National Guard and a recently declared presidential candidate.

She is also a Hindu.

In response to criticisms regarding her religion and her political aspirations, Gabbard wrote a strongly worded rebuttal published at Religion News Service saying “religious bigotry is un-American” [emphasis added]:

While the headlines covering my announcement could have celebrated this historic first [a Hindu presidential candidate], and maybe even informed Americans about the world’s third largest religion, some have instead fomented suspicion, fear and religious bigotry about not only me but also my supporters…

Some media outlets have chosen to craft a false narrative of intrigue by profiling and targeting all of my donors who have names of Hindu origin and accusing them of being “Hindu nationalists.”

Today it’s the profiling and targeting of Hindu Americans and ascribing to them motives without any basis. Tomorrow will it be Muslim or Jewish Americans? Japanese, Hispanic or African Americans?

While Gabbard is right to protest Read more

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