pagan site at air force academy vandalized

[niyad]

"It boils down to the key issue of re spect -- respect for everyone's right to practice their faith as they choose."

-- Academy spokesman John Van Winkle

-- The Air Force Academy, stung several years ago by accusations of Christian bias, has built an outdoor worship area for pagans and other practitioners of Earth-based religions.
But its opening, heralded as a sign of a more tolerant religious climate at the academy in Colorado Springs, was marred by the discovery two weeks ago of a large wooden cross placed there.

"We've been making great progress at the Air Force Academy . This is clearly a setback," said Michael Weinstein, a 1977 academy graduate. He is founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, and has often tangled with the academy over such issues.
. . . .

Academy spokesman John Van Winkle said officials reported the situation to those on base and issued a message reiterating the school's policy of religious tolerance and respect.

In a statement, Gould said: "We absolutely will not stand for this type of destructive behavior. I consider this no different than someone writing graffiti on the Cadet Chapel."

. . . . .

http://epaper.orlandosentinel.com/OS/OS/2010/02/03/ArticleHtmls/03_02_2010_003_003.shtml

[Hardrada]

1. I was reading quickly and thought it said "Reagan site!"

Same difference.

[niyad]

2. you see no difference between reagan and pagans? please tell me you forgot the sarcasm thingy

[Hardrada]

3. Idol worship

or perhaps Idle Worship in the case of Reagan. They must have some shrine to him around there somewhere!

[niyad]

5. oh they do, they do--the section of I-25 that runs through el paso county is officially the "ronald

reagan highway" I told the commissioners when they did that that I would never drive that section of I-25, and could not understand how they could name it after that clueless twit.

[Hardrada]

9. I've never seen a Reagan anything in Iowa so I guess we lucked out!

[grytpype]

4. Totally predictable.

The AF Academy is Evangelical Central.

[Raster]

6. Remember: it's THEIR Air Force and THEIR god, and you damned well better worship as THEY choose.

It's the American Christo-fascist way! Now run along, before we send a cruise missile in to bomb your momma!

[MineralMan]

7. Actually, I'm guessing that the cross didn't come from anyone

at the Academy. There are bunches of fundamentalist church organizations in that area. I think it was probably someone from one of those who planted the cross. If it were an academy student or official, it would be a dismissal-worthy offense. That's why I think it was a civilian act of vandalism.

[DeSwiss]

8. A Wiccan circle.....

...will garner little respect from those who make their church from the shapes of weapons of war:

U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel


- K&R

[OneBlueSky]

10. wow . . . I composed a post when I first heard about this site . . .

in which I predicted that some of the Christian crazies that populate the Air Force Academy would do something like this . . . but I didn't post it, thinking that maybe I was being too cynical . . . guess not . . .