Christianity And The U.S. Military

  Kind of on the sick side today so I've had ample time to cruise around the Internet while having no reason to do so.

   I ran across a website The Public Record, which has an interesting story about a lawsuit brought by Jeremy Hall and Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) because it seems as if Hall was denied a promotion because  of a pending lawsuit against the military.

He does not believe in God. Mr. Hall is an atheist and he refused to hold hands  and pray at a Thanksgiving dinner in 2006. It get really good from that point on.

The complaint alleges that Hall's First Amendment rights were violated as early as Thanksgiving 2006 when, because of his atheist beliefs, Hall declined to participate in a Christian prayer ceremony commemorating the holiday.

"Immediately after plaintiff made it known he would decline to join hands and pray, he was confronted, in the presence of other military personnel, by the senior ranking ... staff sergeant who asked plaintiff why he did not want to pray, whereupon plaintiff explained because he is an atheist," the lawsuit states. "The staff sergeant asked plaintiff what an atheist is and plaintiff responded it meant that he (plaintiff) did not believe in God. This response caused the staff sergeant to tell plaintiff that he would have to sit elsewhere for the Thanksgiving dinner. Nonetheless, plaintiff sat at the table in silence and finished his meal."

Additionally, the complaint alleges that last July, when Hall received permission by an Army chaplain to organize a meeting of other soldiers who shared his atheist beliefs, his supervisor, Army Major Freddy Welborn, broke up the gathering and threatened to retaliate against the soldier by charging him with violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The complaint also alleges that Welborn vowed to block Hall's reenlistment in the Army if the atheist group continued to meet - a violation of Hall's First Amendment rights under the Constitution.

"During the course of the meeting, defendant Wellborn confronted the attendees, disrupted the meeting and interfered with plaintiff Hall's and the other attendees' rights to discuss topics of their interests," the lawsuit alleges.

The complaint charges that Hall, who is based at Fort Riley, Kansas, has been forced to "submit to a religious test as a qualification to his post as a soldier in the United States Army," a violation of Article VI, Clause 3 of the Constitution.    Entire Article

Technorati Tags: U.S. Military,Christianity,First Amendment,Jeremy Hall

The Bush Economy Loses More Jobs In May

  This must be the Bush booming economy that we have heard so much about this year. Those permanent tax cuts are supposed to do what? Create jobs? I just don't see it.

The Gavel

Leader Hoyer:

It is increasingly clear that the only people who believe the Bush Administration’s policies are working are the cheerleaders who reside and work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Today’s dismal jobs report is more bad news for American workers, who not only are struggling with the reality or fear of job loss but also with decreasing household incomes, exploding gas and food prices, and skyrocketing health care costs.

While economists debate whether the economy is technically in recession, the one-half point jump in the unemployment rate in May to 5.5 percent and the loss of more than 300,000 jobs since the first of the year demonstrate that the Bush economy is wheezing to the finish line.

The American people want and deserve economic policies that are designed to generate economic growth and create jobs, to ensure tax equity and fairness, to invest in our future, and to restore fiscal responsibility. These are precisely the goals put forward in Senator Barack Obama’s dynamic economic plan, and I look forward to working on his behalf in the campaign ahead. It must trouble all Americans that Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, has flip-flopped and now promises to pursue the Bush Administration’s failed economic program. Our nation needs to move in the new direction that Senator Obama has outlined. The last thing we need is the third Bush term that Senator McCain promises.

  But wait! There's more!

The number of people looking for work climbed 861,000 to 8.5 million in May. Nearly one in five of those looking for work have been jobless for six months or more. (BLS)

Average weekly earnings continue to fail to keep pace with inflation - up only 3.2 percent over the last year compared to nearly 4 percent inflation. (BLS)

Crude oil prices today reached a record $134 per barrel, and gas prices remain at a record of $3.99 a gallon - more than double that of 2001 - after setting new record high prices for 28 of 29 days. Diesel prices remain at near record levels, at $4.76 a gallon. (AAA)

Families faced the biggest jump in food prices in 18 years in April – as prices rose by more than 6 percent over the last quarter. The cost of bread is 14 percent higher than a year ago, while milk is up 13 percent. (BLS)

Technorati Tags: economy,jobs,George Bush,John McCain,employment,inflation