Posted on 07/03/2009 7:45:45 PM PDT by Man50D
Contact: Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Christian Defense Coalition, 540-538-4741, 202-547-1735; Brandi Swindell, Director, Generation Life, 208-867-1307; Patti Syme, Director, The God and Country Rally, 208-573-9300
NAMPA, Idaho, July 3 /Christian Newswire/ -- This marks the first time in the 42 year history of the event that a flyover request was denied by the Pentagon.
The event is held ever year to honor the spiritual foundations of our country with a special emphasis on the men and women who serve in the armed forces.
In past years, the "God and Country Rally" has focused on honoring and paying tribute to those veterans who have served our nation in the past and those who are currently on active duty.
At the rally this year, all five branches of the armed services were featured with over 60 new recruits sworn into the military at the event.
After a phone conversation and an e-mail response from the Pentagon, Rally Director Patti Syme says they were denied the request for a flyover this year because of the "Christian" nature of the event.
The e-mail from the Pentagon can be seen here.
The Christian Defense Coalition says this is a "slap in the face" to all those who have proudly served or are currently on active duty in the armed services.
The group is concerned that this new policy may indicate an open hostility toward public expressions of faith by the Obama Administration.
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, states,
"For years, flyovers have been allowed by the Pentagon at the 'God and Country Rally' in Nampa Idaho. These flyovers were not to endorse or promote any one religious faith tradition. Rather, they were held to honor and pay tribute to our heroic men and women who have served or are currently serving in our armed forces.
"For the Obama Administration to deny a flyover for the first time, is a slap in the face to all those who proudly serve our country especially when we are at war. These flyovers have been a special part of the 'God and Country Rally' for many years.
"Will the new policy of President Obama be that a person has to surrender their faith tradition to honor and pay tribute to our courageous men and women who serve in the military?
"With respect to the economic concerns that the Pentagon mentioned, I would answer this way. If we can pay hundreds thousands of dollars for President Obama to go on a date with his wife to see a Broadway show and have an expensive dinner in New York City, we can certainly find a way to honor our brave men and women who serve in the armed services with a simple flyover.
"The Christian Defense Coalition will diligently work to reverse this unjust policy and determine why this flyover was denied in the first place."
Brandi Swindell, national Christian activist and Director of Generation Life, based in Idaho, adds,
"For the Pentagon to deny this flyover for the first time in the history of our state is deeply troubling and disturbing.
"During a time of war and especially around the 4th of July we should be doing all within our power as a nation to honor and respect our military.
"It must be stressed that the flyover was not to honor Christianity but to honor our fallen heroes who have proudly given their lives to protect our country and advance the cause of liberty around the world.
"Does this mean in the future that all public rallies must be stripped of any expressions of faith to respect our military? This Administration should be protecting religious expression in the public square not crushing it.
"I hope that President Obama will reverse this unjust policy and next year we will be allowed to give the military the honor they deserve."
The e-mail from the Pentagon:
Thank you for your request for Air Force aviation support during God and Country Festival on 01 Jul
2009 in Nampa , ID.
We have carefully reviewed this particular event. As you may recall from the request form’s
instructions, the Department of Defense (DoD) authorizes the Air Force to participate in flyovers for
those recognition events held in direct support of the five patriotic holidays (Armed Forces Day,
Memorial Day, Independence Day, POW-MIA Day and Veterans Day) and for aviation-related events,
such as airshows and airport dedications. Sporting events that fall on one of the five patriotic holidays
mentioned above are not considered to be events held in direct support of a holiday commemoration
and will require a waiver.
Your Air Force aviation support request doesn’t fall into either approved category, as such, we are
unable to approve it. Air Force and DoD policy prohibit support for events which appear to endorse,
selectively benefit, or favor any special interest group, religious or ideological movement.
With an increasingly high operations tempo and limited resources to meet our training and operational
commitments, we are required to take a hard look at all of our requests and carefully follow our
policies and guidelines. In denying your request, we are not questioning the worthiness of the event,
but rather enforcing DoD and Air Force policy to preserve the operational and training requirements of
our aviation units and to practice the prudent stewardship of taxpayer-financed resources.
We hope that you can appreciate and understand our position. We believe that your event will,
nevertheless, be a success. Any further questions can be referred to me at 703-695-9664.
Tech. Sgt. Roy Utley
Aviation Support
703-695-9664 Phone
703-693-9601 Fax
But they can send the white house terror plane over new york city!
Keep it up Obama and your pentagon tag alongs. You are opening the way for Sarah.
Hope the libs are happy. “zero”, the first President who actually hates America and Christianity. He hid it from a lot of sheep during the campaign, with the help of the msm, but now makes no bones about it.
BO has got to go. I suggest impeachment for misdemeanor....he is not carrying out the duties of the Office of President in a manner befitting the Office.
Good News!!!
Obama is putting a nail in his own coffin every day. He’s committing political suicide!
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream.
It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same,
or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children
and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
President Ronald Reagan
NOW:
"Obama Obama shifts FBI from Counter Terrorism to Fraud"
Sounds like the Nascar fly overs may be nixed if they continue to have a prayer before the race?
No surprise here. Our Boy Scout troop always requests congratulatory letters from the White House to present to our new Eagle Scouts at their award ceremonies. The office of the “Undocumented One” has not responded to our requests. Either they are hopelessly inept in these matters or they don’t care to congratulate Eagle Scouts. (or both . . . )
Democrats are Christian haters...very simple stuff.
I always remind my Dem family members at the 4th of July picnic that this is the reality that they deny.
I flip good burgers or I’d be loathed.
Actually a lot of the sheep hate America as much as zero does. The idea of having to work for something is as old-fashioned as an unbiased media. Communism's been their goal since the Sixties.
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” John Adams —October 11, 1798”
That is why it so inadequate for the One: not moral, nor religious.
I know, I just repeated the intent of your quote, but it is for emphasis.
True.
The military served OUR country, not Barry Soetoro. Barry is only serving himself.
oh, and, I hope that barry won't be residing at the WH next year.
Prolly not if the pastor is wearing a rag and has his butt in the air.
“The office of the “Undocumented One” has not responded to our requests. “
Recommend you advise the “Office” that you have a large number of young muslim boys scheduled for awards and you would appreciate a timely response. Having both requests side by side with only one response will be priceless.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/1st-amendment-petition.html
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