MRFF Ad. Board Member Marty France sends strong message to Air Force Academy Vice Superintendent in reference to Academy’s failing to remove official Academy video of Christian nationalist Ben Carson calling belief in separation of church and state “schizophrenia”
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From: Martin France
Subject: Carson
Date: March 11, 2022 at 12:15:57 PM MST
To: “Jones, Otis C Col USAF USAFA HQ/CV” <[email protected]>
Cc: Mikey Weinstein <[email protected]>
Otis, we’re being inundated at MRFF by USAFA staff, faculty, and cadets who object to the YouTube video with NCLS speaker Ben Carson. His comments comparing the separation of church and state to a serious health condition (schizophrenia) is particularly egregious. I take his statement as counter to supporting the Constitution that our military takes an oath to protect and defend and is akin to calling for a theocracy. He doesn’t even realize that the addition of the “Under God” phrase to the Pledge of Allegiance AND the “In God We Trust” occurred in the Red Scare 1950s of Joseph McCarthy and Hollywood blacklists. As opposed to inspiration, this speech runs counter to many of the values we expect our cadets to internalize and paints a picture of a “Chistians Welcome Only” military. It should be taken down immediately as an embarrassment.
I checked out a few of the other YouTube videos but couldn’t find the NCLS speech by George Takei. Was that one not loaded or did I miss something?
It occurs to me that Carson is invited and uploaded to appease the big-giver 60s-70s grad conservative Fundamentalist Christian giving community, while the true hero (who happens to be gay and was held in an internment camp) can’t be found. Funny that. (I hope I’m wrong here and can find George’s talk soon on YouTube).
I realize that this will fall on deaf ears–that’s why our clients won’t give us their names. They’re afraid of zero action or worse–retribution.
(46) NCLS 2022: Ben Carson Keynote – YouTube
Cheers, Marty