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HUFFINGTON POST – BLAKE PAGE – Applause for the Moral Paupers?

Published On: March 19, 2013|Categories: News|0 Comments|

Selected Article Excerpts:

  • On Friday March 8, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) successfully executed its first public protest of actions taken by the U.S. military. Following the protest, I was interviewed by a reporter who had a question to ask which I do not believe has been given the public response it deserves. Her question was simple: “Why do you think members of the military are able to get away with violating the Constitution so often?” Good question.
  • I have met and heard from hundreds of military members who describe the unlawful abuses of authority of those above them in rank who have genuine fear of coming forward with their complaints. I have heard stories of soldiers being told they could not self-identify as “Atheist” and professing themselves to be “Jewish” could be worse, only to give in to the pressure and go with something socially palatable (if you guessed non-denominational Christian, you’re a winner!). I have had soldiers describe to me how their children have been chastised in on-post public schools for not wanting to participate in religious (Christian) holiday celebrations. I have had Christian cadets lament their frustrations with peers and superiors providing unlawful pressure to participate in off duty religious services under the popular guise of “unit cohesion” or “esprit de Corps!” The question moves on now to: why are so many so afraid to be vocal?
    The answer is community coercion.
    No socially acclimated person (with the rare exception of true idealists) would willfully sacrifice their position in their peer group for something that they have no reason to believe will change quickly enough to preserve their social safety. In this case, that means rank, promotions, duty assignments, accolades or lack thereof. In this case, it means the good ol’ boy system is in full swing in the military, twirling like a club and ready to bash anyone who gets in the way. 

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