AIR FORCE TIMES – 3-star ripped for presentation reference to God
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Lt. Gen. Ronnie Hawkins is entitled to believe and live his life according to his biblically orthodox Christian rules, values and whatever other principles he chooses. That is an absolute no brainer.
However, I find it hard to fathom … why on God’s green earth …General Hawkins chose to include his religious themed points #1 and #18 of his “Ronnie’s Rules” (from the referenced Air Force Times article) in his “all hands” commander’s call power point presentation!
General Hawkins is an educated, intelligent man by any standard. But he should have realized, before making his power point presentation, that his slides and words could be taken for more than just “his own personal road map or compass or be guide to live by.”
My experience working around general and flag officers, during my military career, when one of them said this is “the way I see things” or this is “the way I govern, lead my life” … as a member of the staff and a subordinate officer … I could not help but think this is “what I was expected to embrace” and by that expectation “how I was to conduct myself in the performance of my duties” … while I was a member of the organization or command.
Air Force Chief of Staff Norton A. Schwartz made it very clear in his Air Force wide memo of last year on his position and that of the Air Force regarding … the direct or indirect endorsing of any religion, religious views or any implication thereof during the course of military presentations, discussion, training courses, and meetings to include commander’s calls … was not appropriate under any circumstance.
No doubt, General Hawkins, thought no one would connect the dots of his “Ronnie’s Rules” with General Schwartz’s and the Air Force’s position on the endorsement of any religion or religious views on the Air Force’s time!
However, more than 20 people (according to the S & S article) at the mandatory commander’s call … did connect the dots … spoke up accordingly and rightly so!
I read the above article and referenced Air Force Times article, where General Hawkins attempted to explain away his misstep on Air Force policy regarding the indirect or direct endorsement of any religion or religious views.
His tap dancing around his mistake and established Air Force policy … “my presentation was taken out of context” … rings very hollow!
Additionally, if one critically looks at any number of the other 16 points of “Ronnie’s Rules” (from the Air Force Times article), one could surmise or reasonably believe his point “#1 Always put God first, and stay within His will.” and point “#18 Remember that God is good–all the time!” are the “rose colored glasses” that General Hawkins would be using to view and evaluate the abilities and performance of his subordinates both military and civilian.
Is what General Hawkins said and did in his power point presentation a court martial offense? I don’t know!
Should General Schwartz hold General Hawkins accountable for his actions which were contrary to Air Force policy? I believe definitely yes!
I agree with Alan Freidenrich and also while the General may have “personal” belief in a deity, there is really no reason to share that at a formal Commanders Call, no more so than someone coming out as gay or twice divorced. We are a nation of many faiths and beliefs and all of them are personal, and not everyone shares them. In reality, it is the General’s way of telling people to watch out what [they] say or do because he will judge them accordingly; and I would be very afraid of his power as a senior officer.
Sirs: I respectfully disagree with you here. If I want anyone to know who I am and where I stand as a leader, the first thing I say is, “I am a Roman Catholic”. Does that mean I hate atheists? Or that I want to burn Jews at the stake? Not at all, and not ever. What it means is that when it comes time for me to make a public policy, decision, or chart a course of action, everyone who knows me and who I am can expect to see my decision line up with the moral compass I claim by faith, and if I don’t follow through with that, then I fully expect to be held accountable publicly for failing to do so. At the same time, I expect everyone else to abide by the common, understood, and enforceable law of the land, and by any public oaths of office or duty they have taken. PERIOD. At no time would I as a person of faith expect anyone who holds contrary opinions to mine to violate his or her conscience to curry my favor or approval. In fact, if I am honorable I would deplore that kind of cow-towing. I hope that most of the men in the military, especially at the top of the pile are honorable.
The mention of God or His will is not a profession of any paticular religion. No different than our elected officicial who also swore and oath in the US Congress who hold prayer before a session. Mikey W. is only out to promote MRFF. I’m thankful for this Lt. General and pray that he will join the likes of LTG (Ret) Boykin. Mikey’s time is running out and he knows it. He will use any means to trump up phoney lawsuits w/o merit in an attempt to trample the fine officers in our military. Just makes me sick and has nothing to do with our constitution.
Nothing wrong with passionate Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, or otherwise. Nor is there anyrhing wrong with passionate republicans, democrats, libertarians, liberals or conservatives. In either case I do not need to know in a public forum about any of these beliefs in direct language such as the general used. That one is a devout adherent of a religion is generally recognizable and that is as far as it needs to go.
Jo Flemings
Saying “I am Roman Catholic” means that you are compromised because at least some of your guidance is coming from a bunch of child abuse and rape condoners in Rome.
You are supposed to be working 100% for your country. Nothing less is acceptable.
Here are two links that reference the US Capitol building. Where does it say that a citizen is unable to freely express their religion? In fact, there are numerous examples to the contrary. It’s what we work for in many nations around the world. I think that if folks WANT to be offended, that they can find numerous opportunities to do so. Political Correctness at its very worse.
http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=90
http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/rotunda/baptism_pocahontas.cfm
I bet if he had exchanged “Allah” for “God” everyone would be way too afraid to complain and would in fact defend his right to invoke “Allah.”