Groan. Colonel Richard Young of Texas, formerly of Ellwood Cty has a letter to the editor in the Trib. He argues against the repeal of DADT because it will impinge on military chaplains.
While chaplains are willing to minister to everyone, including people they disagree with, they cannot allow the government to censor parts of their faith. Not only would chaplains lose religious freedom, but so would service members who wouldn't have the benefit of the full counsel of God if chaplains are muzzled.
Pitting “religious liberty” against LGBTQ equality always frustrates me. There are no freedoms to be lost for homophobic military chaplains if gay soldiers live openly. Colonel Young disagrees:
Teaching on sexual morality would be endangered. Counseling biblically could generate charges of “discrimination.” Declining to perform same-sex “marriages” could bring the ire of activists. And these scenarios could easily bring about career-ending Officer Efficiency Reports for chaplains who obey God rather than man.
Not true, Colonel. The repeal of DADT won't have any impact on your ability to counsel soldiers. Your argument would carry more weight if you could provide evidence that desegragating the military had an adverse impact on chaplains who found that decision offensive. Other than personal angst …
Gay activists don't care if you perform same sex marriages. Seriously. The obey God, not man piece is quite a nugget — this is the military, for God's sake. It is all about obeying men (and some women).
Stll, Colonel Young took the time to write and submit his point of view in socially conservative SW Pennsylvania. Are we effectively exercising our First Amendment freedom to do the same?
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