Give Me a Break
Hugh Hewitt, of the Weekly Standard, comes off as a total jackass in this piece on the controversies occurring at the U.S. Air Force Academy. According to Hewitt, there seems to be no reason for an investigation in the matter. He tries to whitewash over the issue, attributing the student’s claims as attacks from secularists. Never mind that the report from Americans United for Separation of Church and State came as a result of a longer chain of events:
Concerns about the religious environment on the campus first surfaced after the academy conducted a survey of staff and faculty early last year on the broader culture there. When the academy solicited further expressions of concern over religious influences, about eight people came forward with accusations of 55 specific incidents of bias spanning four years, said Lt. Col. Laurent Fox, the academy's director of public affairs.
About that time, Mikey Weinstein, an academy graduate and Reagan administration official, visited Colorado Springs and discovered that his son, a cadet, was frequently a target of slurs because he is Jewish. Mr. Weinstein took his complaints to the academy, Americans United and the news media.
Never mind that this is the second inquiry the Air Force has conducted after nearly 150 women there said they had been sexually assaulted by fellow cadets. Hewitt seems to think it can all be chalked up to Christian persecution by the mainstream media.
Concerns about the religious environment on the campus first surfaced after the academy conducted a survey of staff and faculty early last year on the broader culture there. When the academy solicited further expressions of concern over religious influences, about eight people came forward with accusations of 55 specific incidents of bias spanning four years, said Lt. Col. Laurent Fox, the academy's director of public affairs.
About that time, Mikey Weinstein, an academy graduate and Reagan administration official, visited Colorado Springs and discovered that his son, a cadet, was frequently a target of slurs because he is Jewish. Mr. Weinstein took his complaints to the academy, Americans United and the news media.
Never mind that this is the second inquiry the Air Force has conducted after nearly 150 women there said they had been sexually assaulted by fellow cadets. Hewitt seems to think it can all be chalked up to Christian persecution by the mainstream media.
posted by Anonymous at 10:34 AM
13 Comments:
Sorry to push my agnosticism, but if people are going to push Christianity, a belief, as opposed to knowledge, they should be put in their place. If you want to say Jesus is the son of God, cool, but that is a BELIEF. You do not know this. Read the first 10 words of the first amendment. We do not recognize one religion, and so, when a religion that is in the vast minority is treated as if they are wrong for what they believe, the persecutors deserve to be exposed for what they are: bigoted dickheads. Now, the USAF does not represent true Christianity as far as I am now concerned. For example, there's an exception to the golden rule at these people's convenience, while for a real Christian there should not be. The Jews and Muslims have taken enough shit- and do they push their shit on other people as much as Christians push theirs? One, who the fuck cares what someone else believes, and seriously, if some hippy in a robe came into my neighborhood saying he was the son of our creator and my king, he would probably get the shit kicked out of him. Not saying I would participate because, personally, I do not care what anyone else believes. But, people really should just mind their own goddamned business and care about those who share their beliefs, as opposed to condemning those who do not.
Hugh Hewitt is a complete and utter asshole. He is living proof that one can possess no end of impressive credentials, and still somehow be etirely devoid of brain cells. I have listened to him before, and I am constantly amazed that anyone believes anything he says.
Gee, I hope I don't sound like I'm being too nice or anything...
Hi Neos! I'm back from vacation, and ready to hop back into the fray.
Ok, I'm news starved, so I can't make much comment on the issue. I CAN however make comments on my friend, CH's comments.
Let me do a spoof:
Sorry to push my christianity, but if people are going to push homosexuality, or even evolution (a belief system based on theory), as opposed to knowledge, they should be put in their place. If you want to say homosexuality is something I'm born with or we are descended from apes, cool, but that is a BELIEF. You do not know this. Read the first 10 words of the first amendment. We do not recognize one religion, and so, when a belief system that is in the vast minority is treated as if they are wrong for what they believe, the persecutors deserve to be exposed for what they are: bigoted dickheads.
The Christians have taken enough shit- and do they push their shit on other people as much as Jews and Muslims and atheists and animal rights activists and homosexuals and abortion proponents and...push theirs? One, who the fuck cares what someone else believes, and seriously, if some gay person in a robe came into my neighborhood saying he was the son of our creator and my king, he would probably get the shit kicked out of him. Not saying I would participate because, personally, I do not care what anyone else believes. But, people really should just mind their own goddamned business and care about those who share their beliefs, as opposed to condemning those who do not.
hmm...not as politically correct as the original...
(just picking at you CH :)
-Jack
Jack, I know you are doing a turn-around here to illustrate a point, but you use wrong information compared to Chickenhawk's correct information.
1) Evolutionary theory does not state "we are descended from apes." It only states that current species are the result of natural selection, and that apes and humans share a common ancestry. Furthermore, evolutionary theory does exclude the existence of God, it only attempts to work out the details from ancient allegories. Also, Evolutionary theory is based on observed data through scientific method. Hard facts. Religion is based solely on faith.
2) Christians most certainly do force their beliefs on others. History, including recent, is proof of that, and I have witnessed it myself. A lot.
Your last sentence, though, that "people really should just mind their own goddamned business and care about those who share their beliefs, as opposed to condemning those who do not," is what we agnostics have been telling christians for years. I wish they would listen.
Shea, I understand where you're coming from too, but I have to differ on a couple of things. I was just picking at, CH (like the guy! and always enjoy our discourse) so I just copied his comments and played substituties...
The STUDY of evolution can be scientifically driven (and it is supposed to be, albeit it is sometimes ideologically driven too), but the facts are few and far between. Evolution is a theory, and will always be--because past can't be proven with instrumentation insufficient to validate current findings. Sure, we can look at a fossil and guess a lot of things about it, but the only "fact" we have is the fossil in our hand, its size, shape, composition, etc. The public has been taught to view evolution as "fact" because they don't understand true science and its limitations. So keep in mind, that if you adopt "theory" as "fact" then you have a system based just as much on faith as any cult or religion. But gee whiz! This is exactly what you said in your comment!
On comment 2, this is an impossibility. No one can FORCE anyone to believe anything. Persuade, coerce, perhaps, but the choice of paradigm is the individual's. I would welcome examples (past and present) of people being forced to "believe" something. (For example, you could torture me to within one inch of my life and could never make me actually believe that brussel sprouts taste good)
The last comment--was actually CH's. We all have choices in this world, and in this country no one is forcing people to become "Christians" any more than people who are being forced to become atheists by trying to remove "under God" from the pledge or barring prayer in schools. But, Shea, do I detect just a hint, (tiny--because I know you to be a stand-up guy!) of hypocrisy? Your comments, suggestions, your posts, they don't strike me as someone who "[mind(s) his] business and care[s] about those who share[s] [his] beliefs, as opposed to condemning those who do not"
Regards,
-Jack
I dont think we were pushing our beliefs or condemning anyone as much as we were reacting in a characteristic manner of liberal ire to Hugh Hewitt's article, which otherwise seemed to label the Christians as the victims. "Undocumented hearsay." You mean, people accusing others of being harrassed for who they are and it not being recorded? Ok Hugh, send an email to all the Jews and Muslims and anyone else who is hated on by a majority and tell them to bring their fucking boom mikes and a camera crew. I do also like the last paragraph of the first page, because it makes no goddamn sense. What does a harrasment victim who maintains their confidentiality have to do with 3rd party investigators? I think it is common that a victim who is the small minority is usually afraid to reveal such things openly because of what he would have coming for him. Hewitt does a horrible job of playing victim here. But at the same time, who knows, maybe it is some Yiddish scheme to bring down the Christians. Either way, Christianity and religion itself are the victims. It always gets abused as a weapon for people and against people. What the fuck is next, are 3rd and 4th graders going to start fighting about the existence of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, and which story is true? That "hippy in a robe" I talked about (that was a little overboard I admit) would be disgusted at all the negativity surrounding religion nowadays.
Its all so childish anyway you look at it. Im gonna go back to worshiping David Blaine. He does not impose himself on others negatively. And he performs miracles! Admit it, YOU never saw Jesus or Allah levitate!
and Hell, I can always enjoy a good spoof at my expense.
Okay, I'll offer some needed clarification for my bit above. On that "comment 2", I didn't mean that someone can be forced to change their beliefs. What I was referring to was the historic record of cultures forcing others to accept their religion at the point of a sword; to convert or die. Many religions and cultures are guilty. Where I grew up, it wasn't that long ago that Native American tribes' children were taken away to be turned into Christians. Also, I was both witness to, and victim of, a backwoods theocracy that forced people believe as they did or suffer consequences. More examples exist.
As for he last bit, it's a logic puzzle: I don't condemn people for not sharing my beliefs. I do condemn certain beliefs that others have. There's a difference. Further, I don't enforce my beliefs, I only describe them. If you don't think Christians force their beliefs on others, tell that to my gay friends who would like the freedom to marry without government restriction based on religious values (as one example).
CH! It just so happens that I can levitate too, just like David! (truth--i have always been interested in magic so i bought the secret from a magic company. you would be disappointed at the simplicity of it, but if you want to know how its done i'll tell you).
Shea, on the marriage issue I have to agree with you. I think marriage should not be jurisdictional to the government. But unfortunately for our nation we turn to the government for all of our answers, empowering it, bloating it with our endles tax dollars; therefore we have to live with tyrannical legislation no matter what form it takes. The same government who would deny gay people to marry (something that is not even covered in the Constitution) tries to trample rights such as the second ammendment (that IS in the Constitution). We can't have it both ways, and the left and right in this nation have done nothing but empower the politicians (rulers) of our nation to take away our freedoms. I try to fight for all the rights of individuals as guaranteed under the Constitution whether they fit my personal ideology or not. I understand what you say though about the people versus the behavior. Thats why you guys really do love Tom Delay, Rush Limbaugh and Pat Buchanan deep down. :)
One more thing. I again maintain you don't force "belief" on someone by legislation. For example, I think animal sacrifice should be illegal--even though there are some religions who think I would be forcing my "beliefs" on them by empowering the government to prevent it.
This is an interesting article too. I have always been leary of alarmists, Shea. They are reactionary, and reaction usually contains little in the way of judgement.
Let me know what you think:
http://www.nationalreview.com/goldberg/goldberg200505130806.asp
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Here's what I think of the National Review article you cite: it's just more right-wing whining; faulty conclusions drawn from fallible logic, convenient omissions, and cheap shots at other journalists. He paints a scenario of persecution where none exists, and ends it up by giving the coded secret salute to his fellows by employing the right-wing pundits' favorite "so there" statement: "Clinton was bad, too!" In short, it's everything the mainstream media loves in a column.
Now, tit-for-tat: Here's one back at'cha: The Religious Right: An Anti-American Terrorist Movement
Ok, I get your point, Shea. That national review article was probably not the best, but there are truths within. The article you threw back however, is not even close to a well written article or the truth.
-Jack
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