February 16, 2006
ROUND UP THE USUAL ANTI-RELIGIOUS BIGOTS:
Jewish Groups Divided Over New Air Force Guidelines (E.J. KESSLER, February 17, 2006, The Forward)
Two months after the head of the Anti-Defamation League called for a united Jewish front against evangelical attempts to "Christianize" America, the ADL found itself pitted against a raft of other communal organizations in a controversy over guidelines for religious speech in the U.S. Air Force.The Air Force released revised interim guidelines last week to address what the military has acknowledged were "systemic" problems with Christian religious coercion at the Air Force Academy. The academy is situated in Colorado Springs, Colo., home of a number of evangelical Christian organizations.
An earlier draft of the guidelines, released in June 2005, was criticized by evangelical groups and some conservative congressmen as overly restrictive of religious liberties. Conservatives last week hailed the new guidelines as a victory that would safeguard Christians' rights to share their views in the military.
The guidelines were slammed by the national director of the ADL, Abraham Foxman. He was joined by activist Mikey Weinstein — the New Mexico lawyer and 1977 academy graduate who is suing the federal government over religious coercion at the academy — and by the Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Mr. Foxman has essentially turned the ADL from an anti- into a pro- hate group. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 16, 2006 5:28 PM
Remember - Foxman represents Jews, like Jesse represents blacks.
Posted by: obc at February 16, 2006 6:18 PMThe Christian Right is easily one of the most..shall I say "Jew friendly".. populations in the world. With anti-Semitism on the rise virtually everywhere has the ADL nothing better to do?
Posted by: Brian at February 16, 2006 6:38 PMBrian, that's not what most Jews I know think. It's the Christian right they think are out to do them harm. Don't ask. I have no idea why this is so.
Posted by: erp at February 16, 2006 7:33 PMerp - When dangerous killers are out to get you, it's comforting to forget the killers and find somebody harmless you can worry over. It's a well-known psychological defense mechanism known as 'displacement.' Closely connected to 'denial' and 'paranoia.'
Posted by: pj at February 16, 2006 8:07 PMAll generals prepare for the last war.
Posted by: David Cohen at February 16, 2006 9:44 PMOrrin sees this as some great victory for evangelicals. But the regulation was only necessary because of evangelical misconduct at the AFA. As the article states, there were "systemic problems with Christian religious coercion ". So even though the guidelines were weakened, the evangelicals are still on notice. They've been duly spanked.
Posted by: Robert Duquette at February 17, 2006 8:21 AMRobert:
Yes, the notice is that the peoples' elected representatives approve of their doing God's work. As always in America, a frontal assault on religion backfired.
Posted by: oj at February 17, 2006 8:26 AMYou're an excellent spin doctor, have any politicians made offers for your services?
Posted by: Robert Duquette at February 17, 2006 9:23 AMYes, I've worked for politicians. I like them.
Posted by: oj at February 17, 2006 11:13 AMAs always in America, a frontal assault on religion backfired.
... just as frontal assaults by religion backfire.
Posted by: gdb at February 18, 2006 8:43 AM"Conservatives last week hailed the new guidelines as a victory that would safeguard Christians' rights to share their views in the military."
Posted by: oj at February 18, 2006 8:48 AM