Secular families face special challenges in military communities September 18, 2014 | Filed under: Chaplain <http://militaryatheists.org/news/category/chaplain-2/>,Featured <http://militaryatheists.org/news/category/featured/>,Marquis <http://militaryatheists.org/news/category/marquis/>,Military Policy <http://militaryatheists.org/news/category/military-policy/>,Network <http://militaryatheists.org/news/category/network/>,Profile <http://militaryatheists.org/news/category/profile/> | Posted by: Rose <http://militaryatheists.org/news/author/rosalind-eaton/>
[image: douglass 20140802 1] <http://militaryatheists.org/news/wp-content/uploads/douglass-20140802-1.jpg> *Contributed by Erika Douglass* Last year, my son attended a theist preschool. While waiting for class to be released, I asked another parent about how she got started being a foster parent. She rambled on for a few moments, giving me Christian based websites to look at, then she did something I still can’t believe. She said to me “people like you and me need to be fostering these children, because if we don’t, you know who will?” I expected her to say something rational, maybe pedophiles who slipped through background checks? No. She looked around, like a closet racist would do before telling a racist joke (to give you a visual) and whisper sneered, “Atheists. Those people should NOT be parents.” I was in shock, and I could feel my anger rising. But, hidden within my anger was hurt. I’m a good mom, maybe even on some days, a great mom. My kids are loved and well cared for. We’re a modern version of the quintessential American family. Dad is active duty Air Force, and I’m a stay at home mom who takes her kids with her for volunteer work. For her to say that atheism automatically makes one an unfit parent was appalling. Why would my love be no less welcome to a child who needed it? Wouldn’t a loving atheist mother be better than no mother at all? In her opinion, no. Before kids, I spoke before thinking. Parenthood has forced me to stifle some of that, and this woman should be thanking her ever living stars for that. In that moment, as this woman said that my love, my parenting wasn’t good enough for orphaned children, as I held my six-month old baby to my chest, my eyes welled up with tears and I walked away. There were so many things I wanted to say to her, but I was in my child’s school. I was surrounded by two and three year olds, so it was neither the time nor the place. It’s been months since this happened, but obviously, it does still bother me. It made me wonder why she looked around before spitting “atheist” out…did she think she’d be able to spot one of us with horns and a spiked tail? I’ve questioned religion since high school, I attended a military boarding school where we had to attend church services five days a week. When I started asking myself why god would grant one families prayers to bless their food, but allow a family down the street to starve while they were praying just as hard; why would god protect one army and smite another, while both armies were praying for protection and victory….it didn’t make any sense. Unlike everything else, the more I thought about it, the less sense it made. I want my son to have good answers to those questions. [image: douglass 20140802 2] <http://militaryatheists.org/news/wp-content/uploads/douglass-20140802-2.jpg>My son and I both did make some good friends at this school. One of the mothers of my sons friends invited us to go to church with them, when I told her thanks but no thanks, she responded with “I’ll be praying for you.” Every time I saw her after that, she’d tell me that she was praying for my soul and that one day I would let god into my heart. But we were still looking for a supportive community. The MAAF Guam chapter <https://www.facebook.com/groups/533492160106553/> was just started. Their first meeting was just a month ago. Since I saw the posting advertising the meeting on a base Facebook page, I was elated. I immediately requested to join the group and thus far, have found everyone to be incredibly helpful. The group is in its infancy, and I cannot wait to be involved. I’m looking forward to meeting more like minded people, and hopefully my kids will make some new friends too! A few months ago, I had posted in the base’s Facebook page asking if there were any organizations of freethinkers or humanists on the island. I assume that some of the responders took to Google to learn what I was asking, (or they didn’t) because I started getting information about area churches and women’s religious studies groups. I ended up deleting the post. I posted the same question in a natural mothers (cloth diapers, breastfeeding, etc.) group for the island and got mixed answers; none were negative, some inquired about humanism and freethinking, and a few asked me to let them know if I found anything! I’ve also gotten good support at Secular US Military Families <https://www.facebook.com/groups/222123581234153/616227765157064/> Facebook Group. 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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