Religious intolerance at USAFA

docfrance
Thu, 19 May 2005 12:41:16 +0000

I don’t think anyone has an issue with peer-to-peer proselytizing in a non-professional (social) setting. Where we in the military have to be particularly careful (and this holds true for many other professions) is discussing/advocating/imposing specific political or religious beliefs in a professional, hierarchical setting. Where power is involved, those personal issues have no real place. Ask yourself, “If I read about military officers overtly advocating one political party or candidate over another to people of lower rank in a professional setting, would that be okay?” If it’s not right to inject politics into the situation, it shouldn’t be okay to inject religion. At USAFA, the lines occasionally blur–when does the professional setting end and the social setting begin when cadets go to the dorms and wear uniforms sometimes and civies other times? I don’t have the total answer on every situation here, and neither does the USAFA leadership. They are, I’m convinced, doing their best to make sure that cadets understand the limits upon some personal speech that military service demands. After all, those that attend USAFA and are commissioned, pledge first to “support and defend the Constitution…”