Crossposted from the paying gig, but I thought some of you might want to weigh in…<\/p>\n
When I deployed to Afghanistan and Bosnia as an infantryman, in dealing with different cultures my guiding star was to remember that I was acting as a sort of Ambassador for my country.\u00a0 As such, I had to show respect for the culture, whatever my personal opinions on certain things.\u00a0 In both warzones I participated in various public events, gatherings and discussions with the locals.\u00a0 On some of those occasions the discussions had a religious component, either specifically stated, or latently present.\u00a0 I drank innumerable cups of sugary tea with Imam\u2019s, local religious leaders and people of religions other than my own.\u00a0 When a local leader would call upon Allah to guide us in our discussion, I simply bowed my head and mirrored my own invocation that peace and progress would come from the meeting.\u00a0 When I rode along in the Afghan National Army vehicles emblazoned with the flag of their country, I respected their love of country and culture.\u00a0 It never really bothered me.\u00a0 When I went to Senegal last year a village wise man and religious leader asked if he could pray over us.\u00a0 I have no idea what religion he was, although our interpreter struggled to explain the tenets which seemed to have an Anamist bent to it.\u00a0 Again, I bowed my head and internally asked for blessings to come upon these West Africans.<\/p>\n
To me, that seemed the respectful thing to do.\u00a0 I certainly had the constitutional right to walk out, I just didn\u2019t see a need to avail myself of it.\u00a0 I\u2019m a bit of a liberal religiously I suppose.\u00a0 To each their own.\u00a0 If someone had called on the power of the Great Spaghetti Monster to smite our enemies, I would have kept my head bowed, and my opinions to myself.<\/p>\n
Now, I bring that up only to let you know where I stand on such things.\u00a0 Because it does factor in to this debate.\u00a0 First, the background from the Chicago Tribune<\/a>:<\/p>\n This fall, members of American Legion Post 134 [Illinois] announced that the group no longer would contribute financial and volunteer support for park programs until [Morton Grove, IL] Park District Commissioner Dan Ashta stands when the pledge is recited at the start of Park District board meetings.<\/p>\n Post commander Joseph Lampert said at the time that the veterans group did not expect Ashta to recite the pledge or place his hand over his heart. They did, however, expect him to stand out of respect.<\/p>\n Ashta, an attorney who focuses on constitutional law, said placing the pledge on the agenda forces meeting attendees to stand, which is an act of speech. His refusal to stand, he said, is a defense of the public’s right to free speech.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Not standing is certainly Ashta\u2019s right.\u00a0 And not donating resources is certainly a prerogative of an American Legion post.\u00a0 I want to cite to another article which more fully lays out the Legion posts position:<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Post 134 Commander Joseph Lampert attended the Oct. 24 park board meeting to confront Commissioner Dan Ashta on his choice not to stand for the Pledge, and to announce the Legion\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n \u201cOn behalf of our post, it is with some regret that we fully respect the right of individuals to not stand during the pledge of allegiance,\u201d Lampert said. \u201cAll veterans have been willing to lose their lives for that right, and many have. With that being said, while we support that right, we do not accept it.<\/p>\n \u201cRegrettably, we will be withholding funds from the park district until such time that everyone rises for the pledge,\u201d Lampert continued. \u201cWe feel that it\u2019s disrespectful to all veterans that have been willing to sacrifice their lives for this country and it is a great dishonor to all servicemen and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and died for this country.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Now, some of you might note the story, and the incongruence with my opening statement, and ask \u201cwhy did you start with a discussion of religious respect when this issue deals only with respect for the flag\u201d?\u00a0 Well, because this has somehow morphed into a battle between \u201cChristian activists\u201d and atheists.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0A blogger going by the name of \u201cThe Friendly Atheist\u201d [pictured above]\u00a0takes a dim view of the Legion withholding these resources.\u00a0 \u00a0Among his statements include these:<\/p>\n \u2026[An] American Legion group is punishing a public institution for not catering to their juvenile demands.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2026.Yeah! Our veterans died so you could have the freedom to express your beliefs! And if you express them, we\u2019re gonna punish you! We love the Constitution, just not the First Amendment!\u00a0 [This portion he assures me is sarcasm]<\/em><\/p>\n \u2026how petty do you have to be to punish the residents of Morton Grove because one of the park district\u2019s board members doesn\u2019t want the Pledge to be on the meeting\u2019s agenda<\/a>?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0You can read his posts HERE<\/a> and HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now, since The American Legion post withdrew their $2,600 support for these events, \u201cThe Friendly Atheist\u201d did what seemed the appropriate response to me, and raised the funds from within his circle of readers and supporters..\u00a0 I\u2019m certainly very fine with that.\u00a0 (As was the Post Commander, Joe Lambert who I talked with earlier today.)\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Here is a video that the blogger made:<\/p>\n