**
<http://doctorbulldog.wordpress.com/author/doctorbulldog/> V.A.
Censoring References to God in
Houston?<http://doctorbulldog.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/v-a-censoring-references-to-god-in-houston/>
*doctorbulldog <http://doctorbulldog.wordpress.com/author/doctorbulldog/>* |
29 June, 2011 at 9:44 am | Categories:
Military<http://doctorbulldog.wordpress.com/?cat=488>,
Religion <http://doctorbulldog.wordpress.com/?cat=116> | URL:
http://wp.me/p1NPg-7dB
*When will they learn? *
watch?v=4E2Jsh0Ha-8
*Is The V.A. Censoring ‘God’ Out of Funeral Prayers At Houston Cemetery?*
*Mike Opelka - The
Blaze<http://www.theblaze.com/stories/is-the-v-a-censoring-god-out-of-funeral-prayers-at-houston-cemetery/>
*
Imagine how you would feel if you lost a loved one serving in the military.
Your family has paid the ultimate price, protecting the freedoms that all
Americans enjoy. And now friends and relatives have gathered at the
“National Cemetery” for a funeral service and to pay respects to the
departed. However, nothing can proceed until the words of the memorial
service have been screened and approved.
Sound a little far-fetched? Well, That‘s the battle that’s been happening
between Texas veterans and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) for months.
Earlier this year, the (VA) asked that all specific references to God be
removed from the Memorial Day ceremonies slated to be held at the Houston
cemetery. A judge granted a
stay<http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7583145.html>against
the VA and the prayers were allowed to go on without government
oversight or editing. But the battle continued, despite a very clear warning
from the <http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7583145.html>
bench <http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7583145.html>:
the judge warned the agency it had stepped too far, saying officials were
essentially “decreeing how citizens honor their veterans.”
But despite the judge’s warning, it seems the censorship has continued. 740
<http://www.ktrh.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=121300&article=8770750>KTRH
NewsRadio in
Houston<http://www.ktrh.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=121300&article=8770750>has
interviewed several people who have experienced it first-hand:
Attorney Jeff Mateer represents the Liberty
Institute<http://www.libertylegal.org/>;
he says the cemetery director won’t allow the use of “God” or “Jesus” unless
the family submits the prayer in writing for her approval.
“In addition, director Arlene Ocasio has stated the National Memorial
Ladies<http://www.nationalmemorialladies.com/>cannot tell families
‘God Bless,’ they cannot communicate in writing or
orally,” says Mateer. “And that violates the U.S. Constitution.”
Marilyn Koepp is with the National Memorial Ladies. “I would have been
appalled if when the VFW <http://www.texasvfw.org/>did my father’s funeral
in 2004, if they could not have said ‘God,’ what is happening to our
country?” she asks.
Vietnam veteran Nobelton Jones hands out shells from the 21-gun salute to
families, but says the cemetery director is trying to censor him as well.
“On March 15, she said that at the District 4 ceremony, that I could not say
‘We wish that God grant you and your family grace, mercy and peace,’ she
specifically said that,” claims Jones.
“It’s just unfair that somebody would ask us to take God out of our
vocabulary,” Cheryl Whitfield, founder of Houston National Memorial Ladies,
told <http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7630537.html> the
Houston Chronicle.
“I could’ve kept my mouth shut and let things happen, but when it comes to
standing up for your belief in God and giving comfort to the families, I
don’t want to regret not saying anything,” she added. “We all had to stand
up for what we believe in.”
The Liberty Institute has
filed<http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7630537.html#ixzz1Qg2M96Qy>a
formal complaint alleging “a widespread and consistent practice of
discriminating against private religious speech” at the cemetery.
Get more of the story from
KTRH-RADIO<http://www.ktrh.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=121300&article=8770750>
.
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