West Point crybaby cries
Let me preface this with an explanation. I have no religion, it’s been decades since I stepped through church doors, not because I don’t believe in God, but for different reasons entirely. I won’t discuss it because I don’t feel it’s an appropriate public discussion. So having said that, let’s look at this pencil dick moron, Blake Page, who has resigned from West Point because he thinks that his right to not have a traditional religion is being infringed upon at the US Military Academy. Of course, when he resigned, he had to explain it on Huffington Post because anyone who disagrees with the majority of the country feels a need to make a spectacle of themselves in public to prove how independent they are.
While there are certainly numerous problems with the developmental program at West Point and all service academies, the tipping point of my decision to resign was the realization that countless officers here and throughout the military are guilty of blatantly violating the oaths they swore to defend the Constitution. These men and women are criminals, complicit in light of day defiance of the Uniform Code of Military Justice through unconstitutional proselytism, discrimination against the non-religious and establishing formal policies to reward, encourage and even at times require sectarian religious participation. These transgressions are nearly always committed in the name of fundamentalist evangelical Christianity.
Two decades in the military, all of it with “No Pref” stamped on my dog tags, and I never had anyone preach to me about my lack of religion. There was a pretty young blonde girl in Hinesville, GA who tried to convert me once, but she wasn’t part of the military, and it didn’t take.
In fact, as I think back on my career, I don’t think I ever knew what the religious persuasion was of any of my leaders. I remember I had a Baptist minister as one of my squad leaders in my first platoon at Fort Hood, but he never tried to influence me or any of his subordinates.
And, oh, Page is completely wrong on the Constitution;
Many here are regularly told they do not deserve a place in the military. They are shown through policy that the Constitution guarantees their freedom of, but not from religion. Many are publically [sic] chastised for seeking out a community of likeminded [sic] people because it is such a common belief that Humanism and other non-religious philosophies are inherently immoral and worse.
The First Amendment says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof….” I don’t see Congress making a law respecting religion, at West Point or anywhere else, so obviously, smartypants here doesn’t know what the Constitution says. That’s probably another reason that its good that he resigned from the academy.
As the President of the West Point Secular Student Alliance (SSA), a Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF) affiliate, and first Director of Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) Affairs at West Point….
It sounds to me as if he’s a fanatic about his religion, or rather, the lack thereof, and I’m sure he’s probably done a fair amount of proselytizing himself about his personal superiority over Christians. That Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers shit gets me…like they are the only freethinkers on the planet just because they don’t want to be judged in this life by God. By the way, philosophies aren’t immoral, people are immoral.
I’m thankful that Page resigned from the Army, he wasn’t going to be a good leader, anyway, because he’s way too sensitive about his personal choices and I doubt he could keep his opinions out of the platoon CP. his single-minded adherence to all of those organizations instead of focusing on his studies and becoming a good leader would have had consequences under fire. I mean the dude can’t even read the Constitution. So the Army has dodged a bullet on this one.
Category: Military issues, Shitbags
You missed my favorite line…
They are shown through policy that the Constitution guarantees their freedom of, but not from religion.
Um, yeah, show me that again in the Constitution. There is no freedom from Religion mentioned anywhere in the Constitution, and anyone who thinks that there is should be neither in the military nor in one of our most prestifious universities.
It drives me nuts how some atheists go on and on about not wanting to hear anything remotely having to do with religion, yet think it’s perfectly fine shoving their lack of religion down everyone else’s.
Oxygen thief. Glad he won’t ever be a commissioned officer in our Army!
If he was a Cadet, I bet he’s using this issue as a reason to cover some other fault that is keeping him from graduation. I think he didn’t want to be there in the first place, and saying “I quit” isn’t nearly as sexy as saying “I leftt on prinicple I tell you!”. I know nothing of this guys life though, so this is purely speculation on my part of ocurse.
I’m also surprised he didn’t try the whole “seperation of church and state” thing being in the Constitution.
And people wonder why so many 2nd Lts never made it back from nam ? Prime example here. Book smart but no common sense.
>he wasn’t going to be a good leader, anyway, because he’s way too sensitive about his personal choices
Bingo! If someone tells me they are a Baptist, Atheist, Agnostics etc. it doesn’t offend me. I believe what I believe and am confident in that belief.
Melle, I thought you were a member of the Scarlet Monastary?
BTW- See you at around 6 tonight? We’ll meet in that same place? (Azeroth)
@ TSO, I am and I am quite confident in my WOW religion. 🙂
Yeppers same place, Pray and I will be waiting.
Religions are just like sex organs. I dont care which one (or how many) you have, just don’t wave it around in my face.
On a side note, wouldn’t a leader worth his/her salt be willing to take the time to learn about OTHER religions outside their own to gain a better understanding of their troops??? Or am I WAY OFF BASE on this one?
Just FYI I had Pagan put on mine rather than “All of the above”…
True Story…a guy in my unit had had his tags lost from his mobility folder about 3 times. They kept writing him up for it (not his fault) and he kept going to the wing to get new ones.
He got pissed after the second time and when we processed through the line and they were not in their proper place, he said “F*ck it, I’ll show them”…when they had him fill out the little piece of paper so the guy could put it in to the computer and they’d stamp his new tags, he put down “Religion: Witch Doctor”.
As God is my witness (WKRP) I saw them and wish I had a photo of them cause when I saw it in the mobility line, I about pissed myself laughing.
/the things you can get away with when you’re an AF SSgt
The Founders were quite implicit re: the need for a leader to have Faith in God.
Remember history, also – the same Founders were still rather pissed because an English king (Henry VIII) wanted an annulment from Catherine of Aragon. The Pope wouldn’t grant it and the Catholic Church was sent back to Rome so the English King could “establish” his own church (Anglican) that allowed divorce and annulments wholesale.
That is the basis for “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”.
Militant Atheists strike again. I love how there is a perceived right in this country now that says you have the right not to be offended that a religion exists. Christians exist, deal with it pansy.
What gets me is how nonbelievers/atheists rail so hard against something they claim doesn’t exist!? The Marine Corps is probably the most conservative branch around and the only religious affiliation of any of the guys in my company, officer or enlisted, that I knew were other Catholics I went to Mass with. Crybaby is right.
I am astounded at the social engineering being attempted in what MUST be an apolitical organization. The service (any branch) just isn’t suitable for this crap.
Tremendous difference now, from my days.
Still, it would be an immeasurable honor to wear the uniform again with these young men and women.
I never knew the religious or political affiliation of any of my leaders in the army and, for that matter, I didn’t even know much about the religious and political views of many of the lower enlisted ranks with myself.
No one in the army ever told me to believe one thing or another. I don’t know if it was because none of that stuff really matters when you are relying on a friend to do his job and keep you alive, but I am guessing that is it.
I have noticed that both the exceptionally religious and the exceptionally non-religious are always the moste vocal in exclaiming their views to all who are near, yet each of those people dislike one another’s message even though they are essentially the same.
This sounds like so much sour grapes to me. Cadet Whiner probably found out he isn’t going to graduate, so he decided to bail before they gave him the ax.
Because if he is suddenly quitting on an issue of principal, what took him so long? He’s been there 3 1/2 years, why wait till now to quit?
@12: Why would our founding fathers, who lived in the 18th century, give a FF about what Henry VIII did in the 16th century, 200+ years before they were born?
And being all protestants, why would they give much respect at all to the Catholic pope, particularly given that Catholic kings had brought ruin and revolution to England for most of the 17th Century, which ultimately resulted in the English Bill of Rights in 1689 as well as laws that required the King to be protestant?
Consider also that the reason the pope didn’t grant Henry VIII his divorce from Catherine of Aragon was because Catherine’s father, the king of Spain, was at that very moment, besieging the Vatican, not for high-minded moral reasons.
I’ve read a bit of history about the founding of the US and have never – ever – heard of any of our founders giving a rat’s ass about Henry VIII or his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. From what I can tell, they cared as much about Henry VIII’s marriages as most of us today care about Grover Cleveland’s sex life.
@17, How about he was put on academic probation at the beginning of the 4th year. Meaning, his grades stunk for the previous three years and he may or may not graduate.
This way, it’s everyone else’s fault that he’s out of West Point.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t Blake have to serve in the Enlisted ranks since he didn’t complete his four years? Or do they just make him pay the tuition back?
First, I don’t give a darn about ones religion or lack there of. If you have strong character and you are a good neighbor … that is good enough for me.
I am a God fearing re-adjusted Irish Catholic, who lives 20 or so miles from West Point. My family shops there, we walk and exercise on the base and campus, we go there for religion sometimes, ocassionally a military ceremony, but mostly because it is my retired homeport now.
West Point is a great institution, including the chapels and cemetary, the buildings, the sports venues, it’s perch above the Hudson River, the cache of cannon … and othe war trophies, but most of all, it’s history and symbolic importance to our great Nation. You can feel the strength of our Nation when you visit West Point.
So in hearing that Blake Page has resigned because he put HIS agenda ahead of the aforementioned, I say, “good, because you lack charater and you are a sh*tty neighbor”.
BTW the Fourth of July Concert at West Point is the finest military musical and fireworks display on this great land!
Holy Smokes! We have the SSA, the MAAF, & the MRFF.
All we need are some otters preaching about the logic of eating off your own stomach instead of tables, and we have a South Park episode.
HAIL SCIENCE!!!!
@18, Grover Cleveland was a randy bastard. Hasn’t Kitty Kelly written a book on the subject, or am I imagining that?
Maybe I’m a bit more cynical than most, but it sounds to me like the individual may be setting himself up for a career.
1. Do something “controversial” for your principles.
2. Write a book based on your experiences.
3. Hit the talk show and lecture circuit.
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 as bank account requires
@20. I can’t say definitively that is the case, but I’ve met two people who were enlisted because they got booted. I was told this was because they had spent at least two years (IIRC- I know there was a minimum but can’t be sure I remember exactly what it was. I don’t recall any mention of an option to pay back school costs. In any event it seems unlikely he would have the means. I’m guessing that price tag would be at least 60k. Possibly much more.
It does occur to me that this could be a move on his part to get out of an enlisted hitch. You know, what with the forced religion violating his rights and all.
Maybe the guy’s just sick of so-called grownups trying to tell him to believe in fairy tales.
@ 26 … what fairy tales?
martinjmpr Says:
Actually, I think @12 just got too deep into the weeds. There had been a Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) and a Hundred Years war (1337 to 1453), not to mention the Spanish Inquisition (1480-1834) and a Reformation 1517-1648 and Counter-Reformation, and in England, after a civil war and Reformation initiated by the antics of one Henry VIII, it was illegal to be Catholic until at least about 1829. And all of THAT happened after the Crusades.
So, religion, religious wars, and the mis-use of religion as an excuse for wars was indeed a topic of careful consideration by our forefathers, because they wanted to end the misuse of religion by scoundrels to cause wars.
What I find amusing and interesting is the way the United States, which declared that the government should stay out of religious matters, became a place where all the world’s religions could flourish.
@26, Please refer to #2.
Good riddance to this oxygen thief
One less bonehead LT I will have to counsel and mentor
Twist I’m just responding to the hostile tone exhibited by the so-called faithful here. You want to believe in Hansel & Gretel, knock yourself out, just don’t try to convert me to your lunacy.
@20: When I was in the CO ARNG I had a guy in my section who was an AFA graduate, who declined to be commissioned (I didn’t ask him why) and he ended up serving 4 years in the USAF as an enlisted guy. He transferred to the Army after that (he was an E-4/SPC.)
He was also one of four enlisted lawyers I served with. I think he was an assistant prosecutor in Denver.
Am I not correct in saying the non-belivers are the reason we no longer say the Pledge of Allegiance, pray in schools and have the commandments posted.
@31, Please point out where anybody is hostile to this guy’s lack of religion or where anybody is trying to convert you. If you want to see some hostile tones try rereading your own comments. Glass houses my friend.
Why did he wait so long to leave – took a spot from someone who might have been a good officer – at least better than him!
#20 Last I heard if he left – under good terms – after 2 years no harm no foul & no paying $$ back. After that 1st day of 3 year he can be made to pay back everything we Tax payers spent on him and be sent to the Army to be a Specialist for up to 5 years – his obligation for getting his education paid for by the tax payers and no possibility of promotion the entire 5 years.
@ … You Aint Shit … no one is trying convert anyone here.
BTW how many years did you spend in the USMC and to what position of leadership did you elevate to?
Just curious!
Amen!! This guy is a POS big time and the military is definetely better off without him. I am not particulary religious, but when I was in the Army, I had the utmost respect for servicemembers who were deep in their faith, and would trust them more to watch my back. They were the ones who took the standards of integrity and honesty of our military seriously. Few tried to force their faith upon me and when they talked about how their spirituality motivated them, it was like me talking about my favorite sports team. Yes, many of them would have shunned me if they had known that I was gay, but I served back in the 1990s, and I am sure some of them that are still serving are okay with the recent repeal of don’t ask, don’t tell. This looser is just a big pussy that couldn’t hack it as a Cadet at West Point.
33 The Pledge is still given in schools every single day with “Under God” included just as it has been since 1954. The thing stopping school prayer or the Ten Commandments from being posted is a little thing called the First Amendment. Maybe you should read up on these things, instead of kneejerking?
36 I was in the Infantry, not the Marines.
“Marines take islands, the Infantry take continents.” -Sam Fuller
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Where exactly does it mention school prayer or the Ten Commandments?
Ummmmm, the Marines have Infantry. What Army Infantry unit where you in?
@38 I’m guessing you are, therefore you are.
Well, a lot of you guys, especially Jonn, are remarkably tone deaf to religious issues. Maybe it’s a generational thing – old guys like you (and me) were less fanatical, more live-and-let-live than this new crop of christian fundamentalist warriors, and the situation today could in fact be much worse than it used to be. This is just a different manifestation of all the stuff you read about – troops foisting bibles to afghanis, rifles with religious notations, generals telling their troops they are religious warriors in a holy war, a christian fundamentalist takeover of the USAFA, generals (active and retired) spouting fundamentalist drivel, and on and on and on. Thank goodness for people like Mikey Weinstein. Be willing to admit you don’t really have insight into the current situation.
Real justice would see sissy boy serve his years as an EM–with one after another of his class his superiors. And for an extra dose, he should be assigned to the chaplain.
Joe, I have never seen Bibles handed out, rifles with religious notation, or been called a religious warrior in a holy war. As a matter of fact it has been the complete oposite. If you look at chaplin services while deployed very few people go to them, from what I have seen. So I’m not getting where you are getting “Christian fundamentalist warriors” from.
You can have your faith as long as it doesn’t interfere with mine. Why do atheists struggle with this concept? The true question is why is this individual so weak minded to the point where he thinks people who believe differently then he are out to get him? If you want to believe in nothing, fine. If you want to believe in one God, whose name is Zorgon and lives in a lake, fine, though you may want to consider a psychological evaluation. I notice atheists are the only ones claiming persecution, discrimination, violations of their constitutional rights, blah, blah, blah, when in reality no one really cares. So why is it they care what everyone else believes in?
If your religious beliefs, or lack thereof, put roadblocks in your career path, then that is a definite problem. It goes further than which church you go to, what someone else believes in.
I’ve never seen it happen. Not once. Generally it isn’t even a topic of discussion.
@38….
Ahh…. you must be a Paultard. the first thing they always holler when confounded by intelligence that excoriates their own beliefs/arguments is “read a book!” or some variation thereof.
The clause within the 1st amendment regarding religions is a safeguard against the establishment of a state, or government, church, as in the Anglican Church of England. It protects the populace from being forced to pay tithing and be baptized within a particular religion, which was muvch the norm when the founders wrote our illustrious Constitution.
Up in New England, where I live, folks early on were required to belong to a particular church just in order to own land and live within the boundaries of the various villages towns and cities. You HAD to pay the tithing, and it was regularly collected with your taxes.
The religious clause within the 1st amendment did away with that on the federal level and, later on, under the establishment clause it was pushed through to the states.
I believe that this best sums up the situation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
===========================================================
Accommodationists, on the other hand, read the Establishment Clause as prohibiting the Congress or any state from declaring an official religion or preferring one to another, but hold that laws do not have to be shorn of morality and history to be declared constitutional. As a result, they apply the Lemon Test only selectively, holding Justice Douglas’ statement in Zorach v. Clauson, “[w]e are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being”.
As such, for many conservatives, the Establishment Clause solely prevents the establishing of a state church, not from publicly acknowledging God and “developing policies that encourage general religious beliefs that do not favor a particular sect and are consistent with the secular government’s goals.”
=========================================================
If you don’t like public recognition of God, then don’t join in. I’m a Pagan, but there’s nothing in the Pledge that bothers me one whit.
#43 Joe: 9/10th of what you wrote is pure lie. The other 1/10 is opinion.
Is this the same USAFA with the wiccan/pagan church built because the wiccans and pagans were too good to use the common-faith building some Christians call a chapel? Is this the same Mickey Weinstein who wants our military to be as godless as the Einsatzgruppen? What Bibles to the Afghans?
Joe – you put forward lies, and then ask Jonn if he’s out of touch? You’ve managed to recycle every lie about religion in the military since Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Don’t Pursue came out.
The question is this: Will Page repay our government for his education? To him it was free. To all the readers and commenters here – you paid for Page’s education with your taxes. Page has decided to not honor his contract and should be given the choice to repay, or to serve as an enlisted man or woman (science permits that choice, too).
Page can do whatever he wants – AFTER he repays America.
And now for a question: was Mickey Weinstein ever a Christian?