Posted on 01/22/2011 4:23:01 PM PST by Sad Hill
Marine 1st Lt. Clebe McClary Next, they'll be trying to snuff out officers who are too straight, or too white...
(Gazette) A religious rights group is calling for the removal of the Air Force Academy’s top officer after a flap over a speaker planned for a February prayer luncheon at the school.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation says the academy’s choice of retired Marine 1st Lt. Clebe McClary shows that superintendent Lt. Gen. Mike Gould remains tilted toward evangelical Christianity and tolerates an environment where proselytizing is accepted.
Lt. Gen. Mike Gould
“We’re done,” said academy graduate Mikey Weinstein, the foundation’s founder and a frequent foe of religious practices at the school. “Gould needs to go.”
An academy spokesman, Lt. Col. John Bryan, defended the choice of McClary and said the planned prayer gathering is optional and inclusive of a broad spectrum of religious views.
“Nobody is being forced or coerced to go to this luncheon,” Bryan said.
McClary is a wounded Vietnam veteran who overcame his disabilities and now says he’s in the “Lord’s Army.”
Bryan said he’s heard McClary speak and came away with inspiration for overcoming obstacles rather than religious philosophy.
“He’s a nationally recognized motivational speaker,” Bryan said.
McLary’s website lists testimonials from celebrities including The Rev. Billy Graham and former Denver Broncos coach Dan Reeves.
The academy first sought retired Army general and former Secretary of State Colin Powell to speak at the luncheon, but when he couldn’t make it due to schedule conflicts, McClary was picked to keynote the annual event. He’ll be paid $2,500 and airfare reimbursement.
Weinstein points to McClary’s website for evidence that the speaker is too evangelical for the academy.
“To him, USMC will always mean a U. S. Marine for Christ,” McClary’s website says.
“Such statements are not only antithetical to the clear mission of the United States Air Force Academy, they are totally anathema to the purportedly globally inclusive purpose of this National Prayer Luncheon,” Weinstein wrote in a letter to Gould and Defense Department officials.
Several groups, including the Colorado branch of the American Civil Liberties Union have written Gould in support of Weinsten’s effort.
Weinstein has battled the academy in recent months over the school’s failure to include him in a conference on the school’s religious tolerance practices and the academy’s initial failure to release results of a survey that showed concerns about prosyletizing there.
Gould hasn’t responded to Weinstein’s latest letter.PLEASE let the United States Air Force Academy Public Affairs know what's on your mind. Tell 'em Sad Hill sent ya...:
Mailing Address HQ USAFA/PA 2304 Cadet Drive Suite 3100 U.S. Air Force Academy, CO 80840-5016
Phone: 719.333.7731 Fax: 719.333.4094
Community Relations: pa.comrel@usafa.af.mil Media Relations: media.pam@usafa.af.mil
If I remember correctly, this was the man and the organization that got Franklin Graham “disinvited” to the National Day of Prayer at the Pentagon by sending a complaint letter to the Sec of Defense on behalf of muslims. He’s rabidly anti-Christian and I don’t say that about many people.
Thanks rlmorel!
Dad ‘ll read this tonight and appreciate everyone’s concern and efforts.
He’s doing his part with the upper ‘management’ at USAFA. But it’s going to take more than a letter and his voice.
Guess Janet Napolitano was ‘right’, labeling war veterans ‘lone wolf’s’ and whatnot...imagine Dad senses he’s flying solo at times.
Cheers.
This thread will help.
Here is a link to his silver star citation:
http://www.homeofheroes.com/members/04_SS/5_RVN/citations/marines/m.html
Thanks Retain Mike!
Added it to the news article.
Just sad.
Thanks taxesareforever.
Posted it on the original article.
Our fathers were in the same graduating class.
Good info for Dad.
Thanks wita!
Yup.
Amen
Too cool!
That was a small class.
Love looking thru Dad’s yearbooks.
Cheers, ya Air Force Brat!
editor-surveyor,
Dad ‘laughed’ at the same thing when he first mentioned the ‘news’ to me.
Right back at ya!
Dad stays in touch with his classmates. When he gets back in town I’ll mention McClary if he hasn’t already heard.
My son wants to attend there, so know your father has my support, too.
Sometimes we feel like we are all flying solo.
But we are not. And it is forums like this that make me remember it.
I wish my dad was alive so I could get his input, but I think I know.
I can just see him sitting on the other side of the kitchen table next to the window, cigarette in one hand, coffee cup in the other with his crewcut hair and blue eyes, looking out the window.
As I ask him what he thinks of this, he would take a drag on his cigarette, pull it out of his mouth and tap the ash, exhaling the smoke in a disorganized cloud.
He would tap the ash in the tray, and while looking at it, would begin: “Well...”
I can imagine perfectly what your dad thinks of this. God bless him.
It sounds to me as if your Dad has never left your home. Hang on tight to those fabulous memories and never let go.
I’ll let him know.
Cheers.
Right you are, B4Ranch, right you are.
I have found it to be an extraordinarily comforting thing, to be able to think of him now without feeling pain or loss. Granted, it is 10 years now, but it is reassuring nonetheless, that one can reach that stage.
My brothers and I can sure have a great laugh about him sometimes now...the one that keeps popping into my mind is the time I stopped by unexpectedly to visit, and as I walked up to the front door, I saw him sitting there on the steps. He had no shirt on (he was pretty thin), his beat up blue jeans and penny loafers.
He had a cigarette between two fingers, and as he looked at me, his eyes had an odd, glassy look to them, and even his short crewcut gray hair looked disheveled.
When I asked what was up, he shook his head from side to side, didn’t say anything and took a puff of his smoke.
After a few seconds, he said he had accidentally cut through a live wire with a pair of dykes...then he shook his head and took another drag.
I don’t know why, but I found it hilarious...I guess you had to know him, but maybe I am still relieved he didn’t electrocute himself!
Dollars to donuts it's a bunch non-military lawyers with one or two DADT washouts.
DING DING DING!!
We have a winner!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.