Posted on 09/09/2016 7:31:10 PM PDT by Impala64ssa
The U.S. Military Academy is launching an inquiry into a prayer led by coaches following Army’s opening-day victory over Temple last week.
Video of the post-game invocation was pulled offline on Monday after West Point officials received a complaint from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
Mikey Weinstein, who heads the MRFF, said he received complaints from six members of the football team, two of whom he said identified as Christians, as well as dozens of Army graduates and staff who took exception to the religious expression.
He said the video showed head coach Jeff Monken directing an assistant coach to lead the team in a prayer, which reportedly concluded with the name of Jesus.
Although the video is no longer available online, a cached version of the post on the West Point Facebook page shows a thumbnail of football players kneeling with their heads down and arms outstretched on one another.
LTC Christopher Kasker, director of West Point public affairs, said the Army received “allegations that this act violated First Amendment rights of some of the cadets.”
“As a result of this allegation, West Point officials are conducting an inquiry into the matter,” Mr. Kasker said in a statement. “The video, which was posted on social media, was removed pending the inquiry.”
Mr. Weinstein said West Point coaches are state actors and therefore “cannot order subordinates to take a knee and pray.”
He said he was pleased with West Point’s decision to take down the video and won’t request a third-party inspector general’s investigation, as the MRFF has done in other cases.
But he is demanding a public apology from Mr. Monken.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Ten bucks says Weinstein is a pathological liar who is making this a big deal because he despises Christians.
If West Point officials are investigating this, then they simply have no balls and do not deserve to be in any portion of the American Army. There is right and there is wrong. Praying with your team is right.
Weinstein is a little Jewish boy who got his feelings hurt by the big bad Christians while at the Air Force Academy. He never got over it.
OMG! The humanity!
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