Air Force Academy (Again)
A retired Army major general is throwing fuel on the hot issue of religious discrimination at the U.S. Air Force Academy
by writing to commanders there to urge their backing a Christian evangelical rally for military personnel sponsored by
Rev. Billy Graham's ministry - and signing his letters "Your Partner in the Gospel".
The academy, which has been dogged by allegations of harassment against non-Christian cadets, charged that Bob Dees has
sent promotional literature to commanders at the Academy, saying the event "will spiritually refresh you and equip you
to share your faith in Jesus Christ with your brothers and sisters in arms."
In his letter, Dees, wrote, "We wholeheartedly recommend that you give (the event) the widest possible distribution
within your command... This seminar is designed to provide assistance to chaplains and other military personnel who are
followers of Jesus Christ to enable them more effectively serve their religious faith groups while serving their
country... Your support in making this known to your chaplains for dissemination."
Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU), an advocacy group that has played a leading role in exposing
religious bias at the Academy, warned military officials not to promote a Christian evangelistic rally for military
personnel sponsored by Billy Graham's ministry, now run by Rev. Graham's son, Franklin Graham.
AU said it took action after learning that Dees, who is now executive director of the Military Ministry of Campus
Crusade for Christ International, had sent e-mails to installation commanders nationwide, not only at the Air Force
Academy, informing them of a Sept. 9-11 "Serving God and Country" seminar in Asheville, N.C.
Promotional material for the event says other speakers will include U.S. Army General Robert Van Antwerp, who will speak
about how "to lead and influence others with the character and life of Jesus Christ."
The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, AU's executive director, said, "The military must never favor one faith over others. The Graham
Ministries' event is intended to teach Christian evangelism, and that's not something the military should be involved
in."
In a letter sent to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and base commanders
nationwide today, AU's Lynn pointed out that the Constitution forbids government to promote religion.
Lynn's letter said that promoting this Christian event to members of the military "could convey an unconstitutional
message of governmental endorsement of religion, and to therefore urge you to ensure that military leaders do not
encourage members of the military or their spouses to attend the event or otherwise promote it in any way."
Lynn's letter says it would be "highly inappropriate for the military to endorse a rally sponsored by Franklin Graham, a
harsh and controversial critic of Islam, at a time when the nation is fighting a war in a Muslim region of the world."
The 4000-cadet Air Force Academy, which trains future officers, is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a town that is
also home to a number of the nation's most high-profile Christian evangelical organizations.
In response to recent accusation of religious discrimination at the Academy, a military task force led by Lt. Gen. Roger
Brady reported that the Academy failed to accommodate the diverse religious needs of cadets and staff.
"Religious slurs and disparaging remarks have no place at the Air Force Academy", Gen. Brady said.
Retired Chaplain Jack C. Williamson told legislators that the current problems at the academy were result of "years of
practice that have gone unchallenged", adding that the problem "goes far beyond tolerance".
Dr. Christian Leslie, an ordained minister who is a professor at the Yale University Divinity School, said she was
concerned about the power relationship between teachers and students.
"There is a problem when a chaplain defends saying 'Jesus will be with you, Jesus will save you' with the response
'That's the way we do it here - we promote Jesus'."
Patrick Mrotek, founder of the new Christian Alliance for Progress, told this writer, "Separation of church and state
has been a fundamental American value that both protects us from the government imposing a particular religion while
also guaranteeing our freedom from that government in our place of worship. The Christian Right seeks to
institutionalize and impose their beliefs on all Americans when our country's political and religious traditions honor
precisely the opposite values." The Alliance is a religious organization advocating moderation and the separation of
church and state.
The furor exploded this summer when a chaplain at the academy, Capt. Melinda Morton, charged that the religious problem
at the academy was "pervasive."
Captain Morton was given an unwanted transfer, but resigned from the Air Force saying she did not believe her superiors
genuinely wanted her to stay on to help resolve the problem. Before she resigned, she lodged a formal complaint, which
is currently being investigated by the Air Force Inspector General.
Among the incidents highlighted in the task force report were fliers that advertised a screening of "The Passion of the
Christ" at every seat in the dining hall, more than 250 people at the academy signing an annual Christmas message in the
base newspaper that said, "Jesus Christ is the only real hope for the world" and an atheist student who was forbidden to
organize a club for "Freethinkers."
The commandant of cadets, Brig. Gen. Johnny A. Weida, came in for particular
scrutiny by the Air Force panel. He sent an academy wide e-mail message to announce the National Day of Prayer,
instructed cadets that they were "accountable to their God" and invented a call-and-response chant with the cadets that
went, "Jesus ... Rocks."
Brian J. Foley, a professor at Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, said in an interview, "We are often told
that the reason we spend more than any other country on our armed forces is because our military exists to 'protect our
freedoms.' If the allegations about the Air Force Academy are true, then the Air Force must immediately move to protect
its own future officers' constitutional right to freedom of religion. These brave and talented young men and women, who
have committed to risk their lives to defend their country, deserve the ability to practice their religion, or no
religion at all, free from government pressure and coercion, and free from the government's supporting one religion over
other religions."
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THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BILL FISHER - http://billfisher.blogspot.com/