Posted on 06/25/2008 6:02:19 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
ACLU tries to halt mealtime prayer at Naval Academy
By Josh Mitchell | Sun reporter 8:09 PM EDT, June 25, 2008
A national civil liberties group is renewing a push to end mealtime prayer at the U.S. Naval Academy, where a group of midshipmen recently complained to officials that they felt pressured to participate in the longtime practice.
The tradition, believed to date back to the college's founding in 1845, now involves a chaplain's leading grace before a noon meal that all 4,200 midshipmen must attend at King Hall. Midshipmen are not required to pray, though they must stand during the recital, and most bow their heads.
Nine students recently approached the American Civil Liberties Union for help in getting the academy to end the practice. In a letter recently sent to the academy's superintendent, Vice Adm. Jeffrey L. Fowler, the ACLU threatened legal action.
"The government should not be in the business of compelling religious observance, particularly in military academies, where students can feel coerced by senior students and officials and risk the loss of leadership opportunities for following their conscience," Deborah A. Jeon, legal director for the ACLU of Maryland, wrote.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
The obvious solution is to isolated the complainers in a sound proof room so they aren’t touched .
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
EVERYTHING to do with the ACLU working to undermine our military and its academies.
"The government should not be in the business of preventing private religious foot bathing...
"The government should not be in the business of preventing private short prayers five times per day in specific directions...
"The government should not be in the business of ...
Let’s see...the Democrats promote no religion, they insist we can’t drill anywhere, and Obama has promised a huge tax increase. Why are they winning? Exactly what percentage of Americans say “Let’s ban prayer, oil should be higher, and my taxes are too low?”
As a grad - the ACLU can kiss my A..................
Twice
Since the military and the military academies are separate from cilivian life, isn’t there some way Congress would pass a law, or the pres. issue an executive order, to make them exempt from lawsuits that might be possible in the civilian world?
Or, alternately, since the military courts function under the UCMJ, could there be a requirement that such a nuisance lawsuit by the ACLU would have to be tried in a military court?
Dare I hope that their classmates might, uh, discourage them from pursuing this?
Discouragement as in O’dark-thirty (nocturnal) visits and motivational sessions.
Good grief. What planet IS this?
OK, how many MCV folks out there can remember the prayer: God Bless this food for our use, and us to thy service. Amen. Take Seats.
Every friggin meal. Every friggin day. For four years.
Not very religious....
But the ACLU should keep their mitts out.
A national anti-Christian hate group ...
"The government should not be in the business of compelling religious observance,..."
The ACLU says that the government should not be in the business of permitting the overwhelmingly Christian majority at Annapolis to participate in daily organized prayer, nor should the Naval Academy's leadership expect non-Christians to show respect for the faith of others.
On a personal note, I would hope that no one will retalliate against those who filed the complaint, but I also doubt that the six who want their will imposed on 4200 classmates have the character to earn respect.
Hey American Communist Liberal Union; STFU. Followed by a quick trip to hades..
group of midshipmen?
What do they do, go find a FEW idiots that will protest anything
and to hell with the MANY? Grrrrrrrr
Minor correction. everybody elses taxes are too low , Mine are just fine.
It’s coming to that. That’s why they want to disarm us before it goes much further.
One of these days the ACLU may achieve it’s goal of taking the good parts of this nation down. And when it does, the government and public that are left are going to take every one of it’s members, draw and quarter them.
I hope they reap what they have sewn one trillion times to the x.
Easy answer for this. No grace, no eat. Done.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.