COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE – LETTER: Weinstein is not the bully; public safety should take priority

Published On: November 15, 2013|Categories: News, Top News|2 Comments|

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Mikey Weinstein is not the bully

The optional removal of “So help me God” from the Air Force Academy’s pledge elicited three letters in last week’s paper, one of which was especially offensive as it portrayed Mikey Weinstein (the lawyer who is himself an Air Force Academy graduate and has threatened a lawsuit if the above mentioned phrase will continue to be mandatory) as a bully.

Contrary to the letter writer’s opinion, Weinstein is not the bully in this equation but watches out for those who are of different faiths or none at all and are forced to recite religious pledges they do not agree with. How would people react if the pledge ended in “So help me Allah or Zeus” or any other deity we humans have ever come up with throughout the ages.

This is the 21st century, and quite a number of folks have decided they can no longer believe in supernatural beings, and they shouldn’t be forced to pretend that they do.

Another letter writer felt the removal of the phrase would give cadets license to commit criminal activities. If the pledge’s “So help me God” is the only reason cadets refrain from those activities, we seriously need to examine how we raise and teach our children. Human beings should refrain from criminal or immoral behavior because it’s the right thing to do and not because a supernatural being has decreed so.

Religion is an intensely private matter; that’s why the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but it should not be forced on people, especially not in our tax-supported institutions.

Beate White, Colorado Springs

Click to read at Gazette.com

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2 Comments

  1. Bernard Valentin November 20, 2013 at 2:46 pm

    Mikey,
    If you were true to your beliefs wouldn’t you just not say the part you do not like? A tru e atheis shouldnot be frightend by the magical name of God being spoken out loud.

    Use this line of logic for reference to future arguments, feel free to change Republican with Christian (orin you case “evil Christian”) and Democrat with Atheist where it fits better.

    If a Republican doesn’t like guns, he doesn’t buy one.
    If a Democrat doesn’t like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

    If a Republican is a vegetarian, he doesn’t eat meat.
    If a Democrat is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.

    If a Republican is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
    If a Democrat is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.

    If a Republican is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
    If a Democrat is down-and-out he wonders who is going to take care of him.

    If a Republican doesn’t like a talk show host, he switches channels.
    A Democrat demands that those they don’t like be shut down.

    If a Republican is a non-believer, he doesn’t go to church.
    A Democrat non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced.

    If a Republican decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.
    If a Democrat decides he needs health care, he demands that the rest of us pay for his.

    If a Republican wants to become rich, he take a gamble by investing his own money starts his own business, becoming responsible for everything.
    If a Democrat wants to become rich, He finds a way to tax, fine or steal from the people illustrated above.

    Good Luck and God Bless!

  2. Penny Horwitz December 10, 2013 at 11:26 am

    Oy vey. You’d have people who don’t believe in God swear in His name, Bernard? You do know that is insulting to God, correct?

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