A Religious Freedom Fight at Air Force Academy

By Rod Anderson, CP Cartoonist Monday, March 17, 2014

The Liberty Institute expressed "outrage" at the decision of a Colorado-based Air Force Academy to have a cadet's Bible verse erased from the whiteboard that hangs outside of his dorm room.

The Bible passage was removed following a complaint from Mikey Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. A spokesperson for the academy said the cadet would not be punished for his Bible post.

"If the cadet didn't violate any rules, then why was the quote removed?" Michael Berry, Liberty Institute's senior counsel and director of Military Affairs, said in a statement.

"It appears that the Air Force now believes Bible verses are a violation of AFI 1-1," he added, referencing the Air Force's guidelines to proper cadet behavior that, among other things, requires a neutrality toward religion in the ranks.

"This is a blatant violation of 1300.17 and the Constitution," said Berry. "But the Air Force seems to think that AFI 1-1's neutrality towards religion requirement means forbidding religious freedom. If that's true, then I suggest the Air Force officials read DODI 1300.17, which supersedes AFI 1-1 and guarantees religious freedom for all service members."