Help Americans United block religious bias in the military

[Ian David]

From: "Barry W. Lynn, Americans United" <[e-mail]>

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State

No doubt you've seen or heard in the news that the U.S. Air Force, citing a detailed report issued by Americans United, says it will organize a task force to study allegations of widespread discrimination and hostility toward non-evangelical Christians at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

Despite what Religous Right groups like Focus on the Family are telling their members (see an example below), AU's goal is to ensure that all members of the Air Force Academy community -- students and staff -- are free from religious coercion or pressure, making choices about their own spirituality as conscience dictates. The Academy has a responsibility to protect these rights -- and we'll do all we can to see that they fulfill it.

The Air Force's response to our report demonstrates the effectiveness of AU's endeavors -- but we can only undertake watchdog projects, court cases, grassroots organizing, and legislative and educational efforts with the financial support of others who cherish Thomas Jefferson's church-state wall.

We truly appreciate your interest in, activism for, and commitment to church-state separation. Please take the next step by becoming a contributing member of Americans United today. Together, we can protect the wall of separation for all Americans.

Sincerely,

Barry W. Lynn, AU Executive Director

To become a member of AU, please click or cut/paste into your browser the following link: http://www.au.org/site/R?i=sUeihNo-xmjdVM0SF8w0fg..

(If you have recently made a contribution to Americans United, please accept our apology for including you in this membership invitation. If you'll reply to this e-mail, we'll update our records with your new contact information. Please consider sharing this invitation with someone else who supports church-state separation. Thank you for your financial investment in Americans United!)

Americans United for Separation of Church and State
518 C Street NE
Washington DC 20002
202-466-3234
202-466-3353

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FAMILY NEWS IN FOCUS

May 3, 2005

Complaint Filed Against Air Force Academy Christians

by Stuart Shepard, correspondent

Americans United for Separation of Church and State claims Christian
staff and students are being too aggressive with their faith.

Christians at the U.S. Air Force Academy are simply too aggressive and
outspoken, according to a formal complaint by the activist group
Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The complaint puts the academy in the crosshairs of the mainstream
media and liberals.

In a 14-page report, Americans United (AU) spells out what it calls
"extremely troubling religious policies and practices."

"There's a very systemic problem at the Air Force Academy of religious
discrimination--of support for evangelical Christianity, but a
real denigrating of other religious traditions and that is
inappropriate," AU Executive Director Barry Lynn said.

Chaplains have sometimes encouraged Christian cadets to witness to
classmates, he added, and the cadets are sometimes led in prayer. He
said more than a dozen non-Christian students have told him they feel
like second-class citizens.

"I'd like to see a real and genuine policy that prevents senior cadets
from harassing non-Christian junior cadets over their religious
beliefs," Lynn said.

Tom Clemmons, an Air Force Academy graduate and former officer, said
it's really an attempt to quash the free speech of Christians.

"I totally disagree with what they're saying. I applaud any chaplain
that would encourage students to know the Lord," Clemmons said. "This
is a free country, even in the military.

"If I did experience a bias in the Air Force, it was against
Christians. The secular humanists kind of run the show, by and large.
Now, while we do have Christians at the Academy and in the Air Force,
it's definitely a minority."

Everyone, he added, is a witness to what they believe, one way or the
other, and that Christians have a right to share in the public arena.