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VA Cemetery to Veterans: The Word "God," "Jesus" are Offensive, no Longer Allowed
Pundit Press ^ | 6/29/11 | Aurelius

Posted on 06/29/2011 4:58:40 AM PDT by therightliveswithus

The Houston National Cemetery has told veterans and volunteers alike that they can no longer use the word "God,""God bless," or "Jesus" at any and all funerals or condolence cards. The word has been deemed 'offensive.'

That is according to local volunteer and veterans groups that work at the cemetery. They are now suing the Cemetery in federal court so that they can use the word God.

To cite one specific example given in the suit, the director of the cemetery, Arleen Ocasio commanded volunteers never to use "God bless you" and "God bless" ever again at the cemetery.

Cheryl Whitfield, founder of Houston National Memorial Ladies, could not simply stand by. "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 said. "We all had to stand up for what we believe in."

Specifically, the suit brought against the cemetery and the Department of Veterans Affairs states that there has been "a widespread and consistent practice of discriminating against private religious speech."

(Excerpt) Read more at punditpress.blogspot.com ...


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: politicallycorrect; religion
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To: Jack Hammer
The fellow behind it all is right here in the WarshDC area:

(from one of the pieces we have already referenced): "Pastor Rainey appealed Ms. Ocasio’s decree to the Department of Veterans Affairs counsel, John H. Thompson who swiftly told the pastor that he had until three o’clock that same afternoon to consent to the deletions of Jesus’ name from the prayer"

Ocasio is the hapless EIEIO hire but Jack Thompson, Deputy General Counsel, is the puke gunning for Christians.

I wonder if he set her up for this ~ with her responding to some sort of inquiry from someone who said "We were there last year and we were so mortified when someone dared to say "Jaysus' and we were offended and we are a minority".

She'd call Jack, give him some sort of story in broken English, and he'd come back with the stock answer given when you have a GOVERNMENT SPONSORED ACTIVITY ~ which this one isn't.

The government can presumably dictate to its own people on the clock, but this was a simple "use of facility" and the government has NO AUTHORITY to dictate what private individuals say ~ and Jack knows that ~ but he screwed up.

That would also explain why the VA field counsel didn't bother investigating anything before showing up in court.

41 posted on 06/29/2011 5:51:36 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: therightliveswithus
The article is somewhat dated, it looks like the VA has been given a “temporary” restraining order concerning this incident. That does not mean the battle if over.

--

U.S. VA Lost Suit to Stop Pastor from Using Jesus’ Name on Memorial Day

http://sleeplessandtired.com/?p=2534

The U.S. government through its Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) attempted to prevent a Houston pastor from using Jesus’ name in a Memorial Day prayer to honor fallen U.S. soldiers and their families. The voices of God, sanity, and a federal judge prevailed in the ruling. Lynn N. Hughes, United States District Judge in Houston Texas, granted a temporary restraining order on May 26, 2011 which prevented the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and Arleen Ocasio (Director of Houston’s National Cemetery) from requiring Pastor Scott Rainey to remove Jesus’ name from his Memorial Day prayer.

Judge Lynn N. Hughes, on May 26, 2011, at Houston, Texas declared in her temporary restraint:

“Arleen Ocasio, the United states Department of Veterans Affairs, and all those in concert with them are forbidden from dictating the content of speeches – whether those speeches are denominated prayers or otherwise – at the Memorial Day ceremony of National Cemetery Council for Greater Houston. The government is cautioned that interferences for this suit’s having been brought would be a further Constitutional violation.”

42 posted on 06/29/2011 5:51:50 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
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To: therightliveswithus
How about "Allahu Akbar?"

Is it OK to say that?

43 posted on 06/29/2011 5:57:23 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (If Sarah Palin really was unelectable, state-run media would be begging the GOP to nominate her.)
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To: therightliveswithus

However,New Age pagans can dance under the moonlight on top of soldiers graves chanting prayers to Mother Gaia.

sarc//


44 posted on 06/29/2011 6:03:05 AM PDT by Le Chien Rouge
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To: therightliveswithus

This is part of the Communist agenda and has been discussed here many times.


27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with “social” religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a “religious crutch.”

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of “separation of church and state.”


Communist Goals (1963)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1595013/posts

The Communist Takeover of America: 45 Declared Goals (Congressional Record, 1963)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1561529/posts

How far have we fallen. Communist Goals (1963)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1552829/posts

Communist Goals (1963)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1529020/posts

1963 Communist Goals
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/651116/posts

Communist Goals (1963)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/650918/posts

Communist Goals (Agenda)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1226386/posts

Communist Goals (1963) (Should now read - The Liberal Agenda)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1056942/posts


45 posted on 06/29/2011 6:12:08 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back. He ain't my president either.)
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To: therightliveswithus

We don’t need a lawsuit we need Arleen Ocasio fired! Who’s her boss? Call and email him/her and demand that this insensitive bit-h be fired, post haste.


46 posted on 06/29/2011 6:15:33 AM PDT by mistfree (The Law! How Quaint.)
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To: therightliveswithus

I’ll bet if muslims demanded they be allowed to say “allah,” these a-holes would back right down.


47 posted on 06/29/2011 6:18:26 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Imagine.... a world without islam.)
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To: sand88

This was a rule by the VA cemetery director, Arleen Ocasio. A judge ruled they could say Jesus and God:

The U.S. government through its Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) attempted to prevent a Houston pastor from using Jesus’ name in a Memorial Day prayer to honor fallen U.S. soldiers and their families. The voices of God, sanity, and a federal judge prevailed in the ruling. Lynn N. Hughes, United States District Judge in Houston Texas, granted a temporary restraining order on May 26, 2011 which prevented the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and Arleen Ocasio (Director of Houston’s National Cemetery) from requiring Pastor Scott Rainey to remove Jesus’ name from his Memorial Day prayer.

http://sleeplessandtired.com/?p=2534

Sometimes instead of judges, it is idiot bureaucrats who act way above their pay grade!


48 posted on 06/29/2011 6:19:39 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: therightliveswithus

So, let me have this right... if I were to get up and eulogize a veteran family member on those grounds and used the words “God” or “Jesus,” I’d be breaking...

...what law?


49 posted on 06/29/2011 6:23:12 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Imagine.... a world without islam.)
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To: Texas Fossil
Here's some more...The documents allege that VA prohibited volunteer honor guards from providing optional recitations to families for consideration, and that when burial teams conduct military honors for a veteran's funeral, a government official monitors what is said.

This is a time I wish I lived in Houston. I'd wear a tee with Jesus on the front and back. She clearly overstepped her bounds and it's a time when the tough fight back and squash her. The veterans already did their job - it's our turn to support them.
50 posted on 06/29/2011 6:24:24 AM PDT by presently no screen name ( The Palin Party: The Party of Patriots.)
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To: presently no screen name

This insanity did not originate at the local VA, this originated from the Obozo administration. More of the same crap they are known for.

Traitorous Bastards.


51 posted on 06/29/2011 6:47:49 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
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To: Jack Hammer

If true?

Read the details here:

Houston VA accused of censoring religious speech

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7630537.html#ixzz1QfWaA6N1

The judge gave a restraining order to the VA and was NOT happy with their attorney’s inability to answer questions.

This came from the TOP in DC.

FUBO!


52 posted on 06/29/2011 6:55:51 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
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To: DCBryan1
Someone there in Texas needs to kick the shit out of the peon that implemented this

The POS who originated this resides at 1600 Penn. Ave. FUBO!

53 posted on 06/29/2011 6:57:34 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
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To: therightliveswithus

Well then, try to enforce it you idiots. Any government agency or entity that tries to force approval of prayers recited will be in true violation of the Constitution by forcing adherance to a particular view of what religious prayer is.

The democrat party and der Fuehrer have become far more intrusive and dictatorial than George III was with regard to the colonies. History may be about to repeat itself.


54 posted on 06/29/2011 6:58:12 AM PDT by RJS1950 (The democrats are the "enemies foreign and domestic" cited in the federal oath)
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To: Westbrook

Found her: Arleen Ocasio (with pic)

Ocasio Selected as New Director of Houston VA National Cemetery

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000025672


55 posted on 06/29/2011 7:46:21 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
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To: Texas Fossil

56 posted on 06/29/2011 8:01:27 AM PDT by Sgt_Schultze (A half-truth is a complete lie)
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To: Sgt_Schultze

The lady that I talked to at the cemetery stated that this did not come from Arlene. She proceeded to tell me that she was just following orders. I told her that defense did not work at Nuremberg. Those following orders were just being good little Nazi’s, but still guilty.


57 posted on 06/29/2011 8:25:59 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
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To: Texas Fossil
Guy named Jack Thompson who is Deputy General Counsel at VA in DC appears to be the highest level culprit. That's an appointee job.

However, the Director of the Cemetery is from CHICAGO.

I suspect institutional IGNANCE and miscommunication with no intent, good or bad, either way.

That's usually how things end up looking like the Antichrist is making all the calls. That's how he swings anyway!

58 posted on 06/29/2011 9:40:28 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: therightliveswithus

God and Jesus are not just words. They are proper names ans should be accorded the appropriate respect. They certainly have earned that.


59 posted on 06/29/2011 9:42:59 AM PDT by NCC-1701 (In Memphis on January 20, 2009, pump price were $1.49. We all know what happened after that.)
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To: Texas Fossil

> Found her: Arleen Ocasio (with pic)
>
> http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000025672

A lesbian shrew. Imagine that. No wonder she is offended by Jesus.


60 posted on 06/29/2011 9:44:06 AM PDT by Westbrook (Having children does not divide your love, it multiplies it.)
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