Posted on 07/08/2009 4:47:39 AM PDT by Bulldawg Fan
An Idaho community had secured an Air Force flyover for its local festival every year for more than 40 years, organizers say, but this year, the Air Force turned the request down over the festival's religious focus.
The God and Country Family Festival in Nampa, Idaho, applied to the Pentagon for the flyover but was denied in an e-mail, board member Patti Syme told KTBV. Syme said the e-mail from a defense official informed her the Pentagon prohibited support of special interest groups.
"I called him immediately and just said, you know hey we've been doing this for 42 years, we've had flyovers, what is the problem?" Syme told KTBV. "And he said, well we have looked up your Web site and everything on your Web site seemed to focus on Christianity, ministry booths. And he said, in fact, ma'am it sounds like it focuses on Christianity. And he said, in fact, it would be great to go to, in fact, if I personally, could come I would, but we can't endorse such an endeavor, so they couldn't do the flyover."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Officials should tell the AF that its all or nothing, if this festival isnt good for the AF, then recruiting for the AF in Idaho isnt good either. Take a hike.
Nothing but a big group of MINOs.
You can thank Mr. O for that policy! By the way, I heard today that he has changed the hospital where he was “born”.
I guess they should have said that it is for the Muzies.
Fox had a minster on that said the only change was Obama
was president!
From the TV coverage of the event, all memebers of the military were featured and honored. There was even a swearing in of new recruits held on the stage for members from all branches.
So, what is the problem?
The Senators from Idaho should have making noise at the Pentagon over this disgraceful snubbing of a patriotic festival.
This has already happened. Which is too bad—a Freeper brigade burning down the phone lines to DC might have helped to correct his oversight.
Yes, you’re right - the Air Force has led the way with this stupid nonsense.
Let’s examine some possible long term ramifications. If I was a Christian young man or woman would I enlist in the Air Force? Probably not. Will Christians continue to join the armed forces if their faith is continually marginalized? If not, what effect will that ultimately have on the overall quality of the armed forces?
Take a guess.
“Syme said the e-mail from a defense official informed her the Pentagon prohibited support of special interest groups.”
That’s pretty funny from people who spend their careers shipping the pork to defense contractors in return for sweet no-show retirement jobs. Contractors aren’t a special interest group? Too funny.
I just wonder how uncomfortable Obama was in Russia where Christianity is honored and plays a major role in the government again. Must have felt REALLY sad that a country he onceprobably admired has slid away from Marxism.
Hopefully, by mid-century all military planes will be flown by robots and controlled by enlisted men on the ground. The missile force should be just that. The Air Academy can shut down, and the adventurous who want to fly can do so on their own hook.
Its only going to get worse...
Those who assume that we (conservatives) will always have the support of the military are mistaken. We will never have as much support from the individuals in the military as we do today, and yesterday we had more... Tomorrow we will have less.. Point being, that time is not on our side. If we are ever going to take decisive action to end the tyranny of collectivisms influence over our lives we are going to have to do it soon or not at all, and just resolve ourselves to be slaves.
“Hopefully, by mid-century all military planes will be flown by robots and controlled by enlisted men on the ground. The missile force should be just that. The Air Academy can shut down, and the adventurous who want to fly can do so on their own hook.”
A very foolish idea.
It would be nice if Christians started looking to the Lord rather than the government. Why in the world would Christians want the military to fly over their event. Totally weird.
Isn't the govt prohibiting the free exercise of religion if it punishes religious organizations by withholding govt services that they freely offer to others?
WHERE ARE THE CONSERVATIVE LAWYERS???
I see what you're saying from that practical point of view.
My issue is using religion itself as a disqualifying factor. That, in my non-lawyer opinion, is an injustice and anti-first amendment.
It all boils down to equal protection under the law.
"I can consider giving this service to you - unless you are freely exercising your religion" doesn't pass the equal protection test.
Common sense leads one to believe that would hold up in court IF the court is ruling based on the constitution (well, at least I think so.)
I would like to point out that the military hires Chaplains to maintain the morale of personnel. Thousands of Chaplains have done so and do so today without becoming sectarian. Only a small minority cannot contain themselves, preach their sectarian beliefs to mixed audiences, and play the victim card when called out on it.
This is not limited to just using the word “Jesus” in invocations. Other expressions of both favoritism and dismissal occur, and these are deeply offensive to people of other faiths. Some of these Chaplains also confuse their sectarian beliefs with military policy. Again, they are a small minority.
But this is not the purpose for which they have been commissioned.
Some years ago, there was a major scandal at the US Air Force Academy. Favoritism was shown to cadets by cadre on the basis of religion. When exposed, the argument was turned around so that supposedly being told to discontinue this favoritism amounted to persecution. This is nonsense.
The majority of Chaplains perform very difficult ministries, yet have no conflict with obeying the rules and regulations. In turn, this reduces sympathy to those who cannot.
Keep in mind that even the AF chief of staff has to follow the orders of the “civilian authority”. The AF and other services as well have always considered these types of activities to be excellent PR and usually have no problems doing them. I’m betting that this came down from one of the Nazi Socialists who now are appointed as the “civilian authority”. The hedge on this is that it came from a 4-star political appointee general acting for the “civilian authority”.
Robots will not be issued parachutes and will be useless as prisoners of war.
This is an example of why I discontinued the military discount in my store. Our armed forces are now extensions of Obamaville and will follow ANY order he gives them.
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