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Air Force veteran sues after being pulled from ceremony mid-speech
Cristina Corbin, Perry Chiaramonte | Fox News ^ | Cristina Corbin, Perry Chiaramonte | Fox News | Cristina Corbin, Perry Chiaramonte | Fox News

Posted on 04/02/2018 4:41:43 PM PDT by MarvinStinson

Retired Air Force sergeant Oscar Rodriguez, who was forcibly removed two years ago from a retirement ceremony as he recited a traditional passage honoring the flag filed a lawsuit Monday, claiming he was ousted for mentioning the word "God."

Video of the event showed Rodriguez being physically removed by service members at Travis Air Force Base in California as he was delivering a flag-folding speech.

"I was removed from the speech because my script mentioned God. Air force officials did not want me to utter those words."

Rodriguez delivered the speech at the request of Master Sgt. Chuck Roberson, who was retiring from the U.S. Air Force after 33 years of service.

Even though the Air Force revised the script in 2006, Rodriguez claimed it was his right -- and Roberson's right -- to invoke the older version.

"[The U.S. Air Force] did not have the authority to ban him from the base and they did not have the authority to ban him from participating in the ceremony," said Hiram Sasser, general counsel for First Liberty Institute.

The complaint claimed officers at the base exchanged an email shortly after the incident where an officer -- whose name was redacted -- suggested filing assault charges against the men who removed Rodriguez from the ceremony.

Roberson confirmed that it was his wish to have Rodriguez recite the speech at his retirement ceremony.

"I wanted the ceremony to reflect the American values I spent my career defending – respect for God, family, and country," Roberson said.

"I couldn’t believe what happened. I still can’t believe it. All I want now is for the Air Force to apologize for ruining this once in a lifetime moment but they refuse to do so," he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: california; chuckroberson; god; hiramsasser; oscarrodriguez; travisafb
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SMSgt Oscar Rodriguez

"Let us pray that God will reflect with admiration the willingness of one nation in her attempts to rid the world of tyranny, oppression, and misery," part of the flag-folding speech reads. "It is this one nation under God that we call, with honor, the United States of America."

The speech closes with the words, "God bless our flag. God bless our troops. God bless America."

1 posted on 04/02/2018 4:41:44 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: MarvinStinson

According to a U.S. Air Force official, flag folding scripts that are religious in nature can be used for retirement ceremonies. “I can’t speak to the specific incident,” Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman, told Fox News in 2016. “[But] Air Force personnel may use a flag folding ceremony script that is religious for retirement ceremonies.”

Stefanek continued, “Since retirement ceremonies are personal in nature, the script preference for a flag folding ceremony is at the discretion of the individual being honored and represents the member’s views, not those of the Air Force.”


2 posted on 04/02/2018 4:42:26 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: HarleyLady27; LucyT; Liz; I want the USA back; 444Flyer; Iron Munro; FlingWingFlyer; JDoutrider; ...

bmp


3 posted on 04/02/2018 4:45:04 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: MarvinStinson

Did you ever think you would ever see the day where “God” is offensive?


4 posted on 04/02/2018 4:45:17 PM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (Vox populi, vox dei)
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

It is offensive to lefties.

Also the word Bible.


5 posted on 04/02/2018 4:47:01 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: MarvinStinson

Obama regime.
He would have gotten a medal for saying allah, instead
(and no, forget about Arabic translators....allah’s definitely NOT the one true god of the Bible! just the opposite, it appears...)


6 posted on 04/02/2018 4:48:20 PM PDT by faithhopecharity ("Politicans aren't born, they're excreted." -Marcus Tillius Cicero (3 BCE))
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

Did you ever think you would ever see the day where “God” is offensive to the US military?


7 posted on 04/02/2018 4:48:29 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: MarvinStinson

Another sad episode during 0EvilOne’s reign.


8 posted on 04/02/2018 4:50:11 PM PDT by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow.)
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To: MarvinStinson

“God bless America” is now a crime.


9 posted on 04/02/2018 4:50:23 PM PDT by Flick Lives
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To: MarvinStinson

“Evidence indicated Mr. Rodriguez was removed by members of the squadron because he attempted to participate in the ceremony even though his participation had been disapproved by the hosting squadron commander...”


Hmmmm! There’s more to this story,I think.

.

.


10 posted on 04/02/2018 4:51:04 PM PDT by Mears
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To: MarvinStinson; markomalley; DYngbld; TADSLOS; xsrdx; big'ol_freeper; Mark17; mikefive; ...

Ping.


11 posted on 04/02/2018 4:51:35 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
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To: Mears

There usually is! :)


12 posted on 04/02/2018 4:53:54 PM PDT by JennysCool
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To: MarvinStinson

In a statement to Fox News, Roberson confirmed that it was his wish to have Rodriguez recite the speech at his retirement ceremony


13 posted on 04/02/2018 4:54:57 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
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To: MarvinStinson

He should have punched them in the nose the minute the carpet baggers laid hands on him.


14 posted on 04/02/2018 4:55:20 PM PDT by healy61
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To: MarvinStinson

Hard to believe they would do this, but of course this was under Obama.


15 posted on 04/02/2018 4:55:53 PM PDT by libertylover (Kurt Schlichter : "They wonder why they got Trump. They are why they got Trump")
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To: Mears
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

You didn't read post 2.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

And you don't have a clue what Valerie Jarrett, Samantha Power, Susan Rice, Obama did to the US military.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

16 posted on 04/02/2018 4:57:13 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: MarvinStinson

I recall that scene. It was both disturbing and very confusing. Not sure why he waited till now. Maybe waiting for Obama (and most of his peeps) to leave the White House.


17 posted on 04/02/2018 4:57:21 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: MarvinStinson

The current Air Force Academy super is currently being run by a lesbo dyke who also lives with her “partner” on site. Just shows you how obamatard ruined the military..


18 posted on 04/02/2018 4:57:55 PM PDT by max americana (Fired libtard employees 9 consecutive times at every election since 08'. I hope all liberals die.)
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

“Did you ever think you would ever see the day where “God” is offensive?”

God was booed three times at the Charlotte DNC convention in 2012.


19 posted on 04/02/2018 5:00:15 PM PDT by moovova
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To: JennysCool
Read post 2, Jenny.

Then try to familiarize yourself with

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION and the US MILITARY.

20 posted on 04/02/2018 5:00:27 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
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