Tag Archives: religious freedom

Military Religious Freedom, Sikhs, and Christians

“When Army leaders or other government officials fail to protect the rights of Sikh soldiers, Muslim prisoners and other religious minorities, they weaken the rights of everyone, [said Douglas Laycock, a distinguished professor of law at the University of Virginia.].

“Religious freedom is an all-or-nothing proposition. The arguments the government makes in cases about Sikhs and Muslims, and the judicial precedents it establishes when it wins, are fully available to use against Christians,” he said.

The same holds true in reverse, of course: The judicial Read more

Christian Soldier Col Greg Gadson Addresses USAFA Character Symposium

The US Air Force Academy recently hosted its 2017 National Character and Leadership Symposium, and its keynote speaker was a retired US Army Colonel — and outspoken Christian:

Retired Army Col. Greg Gadson said he’s grateful to be alive…Gadson lost his legs after his armored vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Baghdad in May 2007…

“I remember rolling to a stop, lying on my back and just asking God not to let me die here. Then I was unconscious.”

At a 2013 prayer breakfast at Fort Lee, Col Gadson has said the IED attack was a “test of faith” — and one that ultimately turned his life around:  Read more

US Soldier: Combining Religious, Military Uniform Inspires Confidence

For Kalsi, wearing his “religious uniform” with his military uniform provides him confidence as a soldier.

“I know that my faith makes me a better soldier,” the lieutenant colonel said. “It makes me stronger, it makes me more resilient and it sustains me in ways that I would have a hard time explaining.”

The Stars and Stripes recently noted a surge in waivers for observant Sikhs to serve in the US military while retaining the outward symbols of their faith:

Eight Sikh Army recruits have received waivers this year allowing them to maintain their religiously mandated beards and turbans in uniform, nearly doubling the number of observant Sikhs in the Army despite a decades-old policy barring visual symbols of faith.

The success of Sikh adherents publicly exercising their religious faith in uniform has befuddled Michael “Mikey” Weinstein — the self-proclaimed Read more

US Army Veteran Charged with Trying to Aid ISIS

Robert Hester spent a very short in the US Army from 2012-2013 before leaving under a “general discharge” following “numerous violations of US Army regulations.”

By 2016, he had converted to Islam, had a new name — and was attempting to plot attacks against the United States he once served.

[Hester] was charged last week with trying to support the Islamic State as part of what he thought was a coordinated attack against civilian targets and military installations, authorities say…

Hester joins a growing list of more than 100 people in the United States arrested in connection with the Islamic State. But he’s one of just a handful with a military connection.

Hester joins more than a dozen civilians or veterans who have planned Read more

Tom Carpenter, Gay Chaplains Group Takes on Tolerance of Islam

In a fascinating example of his tone deaf prejudice, Tom Carpenter of the Forum on the Military Chaplaincy managed to, yet again, demonstrate his bias when he highlighted Chaplain (LtCol) Khallid Shabazz — the soon-to-be first Muslim Division chaplain in the US Army.  Carpenter said Chaplain Shabazz was

A real world example of how a chaplain of one faith provides support for troops and their family members who do not share his religion.

It is worth noting every military chaplain is tasked to provide support even for those who do not share his religion — and Carpenter has never provided a “real world example” of one who didn’t, though he has certainly made plenty of baseless accusations.

More tellingly, Carpenter made a fascinating assumption in Read more

Muslim Chaplain to Oversee 14,000 Troops in US Army Division

US Army Chaplain (LtCol) Khallid Shabazz has been all over the news the past few days in response to the recent revelation he — a Muslim chaplain — was being installed as the chaplain for the 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.

Given the social reaction to Islam in America, to an outsider it may sound a bit dramatic for a Muslim to become the “spiritual leader for more than 14,000 mostly Christian soldiers,” as he has been portrayed in the press, but it’s not quite the fuss it’s being made out to be.

For one thing, Shabazz is no more a “spiritual leader” (a term the media is using, not Shabazz or Read more

Concerned US Troops on Transgender Policy and Children

On military moves to a state that would allow a boy to use a girl’s locker room:

[Military families with children] are being asked to choose between our country and keeping our kids safe. Being military, we don’t have a say which state we move to next. We don’t know if it will be a state that protects our civil rights or one that won’t.

On policies that would create a “right” to choose which bathroom, shower, or other traditionally private facilities they want to use:  Read more

Air Force Censors “Gendered Language” — Declaration, Constitution Next

The Virginian-Pilot reports the US Air Force has taken down posters hung at Langley Air Force Base because they contained “gendered language.” The Air Force had previously defended the posters against accusations by Michael “Mikey” Weinstein that they violated regulations on religion. With that avenue closed, the National Organization for Women rolled in and declared the posters “sexist” because they referred to “men” and “gentlemen”. The Air Force now says [emphasis added]

With additional time to review all seven posters outside the narrower, primarily religious context of the original complaint about two of them, we concluded the gendered language used in the display interfered with intended messages about personal integrity.

We’ve chosen to update the display with something that reflects the diverse and inclusive force we are today.

How the Air Force believes “gendered language” “interfere[s]” with “personal integrity” might make a fascinating discussion.

For his part, Mikey Weinstein — ignored by the Air Force, again — appeared Read more

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