Help Defend a Secular, Pluralistic U.S. Military This afternoon, leaders of the religious right will take to Capitol Hill and testify <http://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=102755> to the United States House Armed Services Committee that the U.S. Armed Forces have become hostile to religious faith and members of the military face burdensome restrictions on their religious expression. *These claims could not be further from the truth.*
As the Center for Inquiry (CFI) detailed last year in a policy paper <http://www.centerforinquiry.net/advocacy/for_god_and_country_religious_fundamentalism_in_the_u.s._military/> written by retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Parco, *there has instead been a disturbing expansionand entrenchment of conservative Christian fundamentalism in the U.S. military* — an institutional force which remains at times both implicitly and overtly endorsed by senior military leaders. Parco makes clear that, rather than open the floodgates to even more religious proselytizing, the military must finally enforce the rules and regulations already in place that appropriately require the separation of military leaders’ personal religious beliefs from their official duties and responsibilities. *The U.S. military must not be a haven of religious fundamentalism and proselytization.* Leaders must recognize that a dutiful servicemember can hold a variety of religious beliefs, *or a variety of doubts*, and that a democracy’s military must be a neutral, tolerant space for members of all religious and philosophical backgrounds. Shamefully, religious right leaders testifying today on Capitol Hill don’t want this sort of religious liberty. Instead, they want to guarantee free reign for likeminded members of the military — *especially* those in positions of power and authority over others — to spread their particular version of Christianity throughout the ranks. Unchecked, the religious right’s sectarian influence could wreak even more havoc not just on the good order and discipline within our increasingly diverse military, but also undermine public confidence in the military at home, and distort perceptions of the U.S. military’s intentions abroad. *That’s why we need you to speak out*. CFI urges you to write <https://secure3.convio.net/cfi/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&id=353> or call <http://www.contactingthecongress.org/> your U.S. Representative today and urge them to reject the religious right’s corrosive dogmatism, reinforce the necessarily secular foundation and spirit of the U.S. military, and protect the true religious freedom of *all* Americans who volunteer to serve. On Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 7:25:58 AM UTC-5, Travis wrote: > > > > > > > Pentagon investigating military's crackdown on 'God' > Veteran forcibly removed from Air Force flag-folding ceremony > > > > The U.S. military, under commander in chief Barack Obama, hasn’t > necessarily been friendly to Christians, ordering them not to post Bible > verses at work stations and more in various disputes. But a physical > assault on a military retiree who was using a religious script for a > flag-folding ceremony apparently is a step too far. > > The non-profit legal advocacy group First Liberty Institute, which only > a few days earlier had notified the federal government of the assault, > said it has been told Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James has > ordered the Air Force inspector general to review the actions taken > against Oscar Rodriguez. > > It was the retired 33-year veteran of the Air Force who was “forcibly > dragged” away from a retirement flag-folding speech “that included the > word ‘God,'” the organization reported. > > “We view the Pentagon’s action today as a positive first step toward not > only acknowledging that religious scripts may be used at retirement > ceremonies, but also ensuring these kinds of situations are not > repeated,” said Mike Berry, director of military affairs for First > Liberty Institute. > > First Liberty sent a letter on Monday asking the Air Force to > “acknowledge that religious scripts may be used in retirement > ceremonies,” to apologize to Rodriguez and to “hold all responsible > parties accountable for the assault.” > > Within 48 hours, the military was on the record releasing a statement to > the media: “Air Force personnel may use a flag folding ceremony script > that is religious for retirement ceremonies. Since retirement ceremonies > are personal in nature, the script preference for a flag folding > ceremony is at the discretion of the individual being honored and > represents the member’s views, not those of the Air Force. The Air Force > places the highest value of the rights of its personnel in matters of > religion and facilitates the free exercise of religion by its members.” > > Then, First Liberty reported, came confirmation that James ordered the > inspector general’s review. > > The organization posted a video online of the assault: > > > “For many years, Rodriguez regularly performed a patriotic flag-folding > speech at retirement ceremonies, and civic and patriotic events,” the > Institute reported, “In 2013, Congressman John Garamendi, D-Calif., sent > Rodriguez a hand-written note thanking him for his service, and > expressing how moved he was when he observed Oscar delivering his > flag-folding speech at the California State Fair.” > > So when Master Sgt. Charles Roberson retired just two months ago, he > arranged for Rodriguez to deliver his flag-folding speech. > > However, when Roberson’s unit commander “discovered that Rodriguez would > be delivering the flag-folding speech, which mentions ‘God,’ during the > ceremony, he attempted to prevent Rodriguez from attending.” > > “After learning that he lacked authority to prevent Rodriguez from > attending, the commander then told Roberson that Rodriguez could not > give the speech. Rodriguez asked Roberson what he should do, and > Roberson responded that it was his personal desire that Rodriguez give > the flag-folding speech as planned. > “Roberson and Rodriguez tried to clear the speech through higher > authorities at Travis Air Force Base, even offering to place notices on > the door informing guests that the word ‘God’ would be mentioned. They > never received a response from the authorities. As an Air Force veteran > himself, Rodriguez stood firm on his commitment to Roberson. > > “But when Rodriguez stood up to perform the flag-folding speech on the > day of the ceremony as requested by Roberson, uniformed airmen > approached him and warned, ‘You’re really going to do this?'” First > Liberty reported. > > When he started speaking he was dragged from the room, and Travis Air > Force Base officials then removed Rodriguez from the installation entirely. > > “I have given more than three decades of service to the military and > made many sacrifices for my country,” said Rodriguez in a prepared > statement. “To have the Air Force assault me and drag me out of a > retirement ceremony simply because my speech included the word ‘God’ is > something I never expected from our military.” > > Berry said the Constitution protects Rodriguez’s statements. > > “The Air Force had no right to assault a citizen, much less a 33-year > military veteran, because they didn’t want him to mention ‘God,'” he > said. “Mr. Rodriguez has a constitutional right to free speech and > religious expression, even on a military base.” > > In 2011, the military demanded a pastor submit his prayer for approval > before a Memorial Day event at a military cemetery in Houston, resulting > in an order he not say “God” or “Jesus.” > > First Liberty successfully fought the demand. > > > > > http://www.wnd.com/2016/06/pentagon-investigating-militarys-crackdown-on-god/ > > > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > https://www.avast.com/antivirus > > > > ------------------------------------ > Posted by: "Beowulf" <[email protected] <javascript:>> > ------------------------------------ > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo Groups Links > > <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/grendelreport/ > > <*> Your email settings: > Individual Email | Traditional > > <*> To change settings online go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/grendelreport/join > (Yahoo! 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