The title West Point Graduate carries a great deal of weight in this world. Those who earn it are given a "golden ticket" and wear a "ring of power" which will certainly carry them to successful careers with doors flung open in the military, in business, even in personal relationships; as so many are seduced by the historic prestige of the United States Military Academy. All of these things seem enticing, but for me personally they are not worth it. As I write this, I am five months from graduation. After nearly three and a half years here, there is no reason to suspect that I would be in any way incapable of completing the final requirements and walking across the stage in Michie Stadium with diploma in hand in another 174 days. Choosing to resign at this point also carries significant risk. The Army may seek recoupment in the form of about $200-300k which I will personally owe, or an additional term of up to 5 years of enlisted service. What could possibly compel me to pass over this incredible opportunity in exchange for such harsh penalties?
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. The sparse leaders who object to these egregious violations are relegated to the position of silent bystanders, because they understand all too well the potential ramifications of publically expressing their loyalty to the laws of our country. These are strong words that I do not use lightly, but after years of clear personal observation I am certain that they are true. The following excerpt is from my official letter of resignation from West Point:
I do not wish to be in any way associated with an institution which willfully disregards the Constitution of the United States of America by enforcing policies which run counter to the same. Examples of these policies include mandatory prayer, the maintenance of the 3rd Regiment Shield, awarding extra passes to Plebes who take part in religious retreats and chapel choirs, as well as informal policies such as the open disrespect of non-religious new cadets and incentivizing participation in religious activities through the chain of command.
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, I have been in a position to hear countless cadets recount their personal stories of frustration in dealing with the ongoing oppressive and unconstitutional bigotry they face for being non-religious. Cadets often come to me to seek assistance, guidance and reassurance in response to instances of debasing harassment. 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 chastised for seeking out a community of likeminded people because it is such a common belief that Humanism and other non-religious philosophies are inherently immoral and worse.
While dealing with the bureaucracy of the academy I have had my complaints ignored by several members of my direct military chain of command. The ranking chaplain here responded to some of these instances of clear prejudice with the useless statement that he will "do what [he] can in good conscience" (which was nothing) instead of fulfilling his legal obligations. In dealing with the Directorate of Cadet Activities I have seen the Secular Student Alliance denied recognition for two years because the former director of the organization did not see a reason to recognize an organization for support of nonreligious West Point cadets. Even after finally receiving hard-fought recognition this year, that same organization continues to work with us only half-heartedly. They have only begrudgingly given us a pitifully inadequate budget, continue to refuse to list us on their website, and one of their staff has openly laughed at the idea that we could organize a conference or even produce club t-shirts for our members.
In response to this utter nonsense, and much more, I initiated an Equal Opportunity investigation earlier this semester. I have received nothing but positive responses from the chain of command since then. The Commandant of Cadets himself, Brigadier General Theodore Martin, expressed what I perceived to be a sincere desire to see to it that these issues are dealt with quickly and severely. As happy as I was to hear his words and see his genuine concern expressed, his influence alone will not be enough to change the confidently bigoted culture of this sad place. The gulf between the intent of a General Officer and the execution of that intent by those in positions of immediate authority is massive in a complex bureaucracy entrenched in over 200 years of tradition. This chasm is widened by the rarity of people like General Martin who are willing to take on a proactive role in attempting to ensure that equality is established. The existence of decades of legal precedent and policies prohibiting this pervasive religious bigotry has not stopped it from happening in the past, and will most certainly not stop it from happening in the future so long as the many who oppose it remain too timid to stand up and be counted. I am making this stand in the hope that others will follow by whatever means they must. Perhaps now some of the 136 cadets, faculty and staff at West Point that are represented by the MRFF may find the courage to make themselves heard.
Although I have decided that I do not wish to be a part of the Long Gray Line, there are many other bright young men and women who will remain here and continue the work I started. Their efforts, combined with support from Jason Torpy and MAAF, Mikey Weinstein and the MRFF, Lyz Liddell and the rest of the wonderful staff of SSA national, and many other organizations will ultimately lead to the development of a flourishing community of support for non-religious cadets at West Point. It is pathetic that so many leaders in the military are comfortable with both subtly and brutally discriminating against non-religious members. Perhaps with enough external pressure brought to bear by continued civil rights activism, America's military leadership will one day soon be forced to realize that non-religious soldiers are not enemies of the state to be shunned, ridiculed and marginalized, but rather patriotic, honorable Americans to be respected as equals.
1 - Coward. If his cause means that much to him, why abandon it this close to graduation and leave the fight to those he's worked so hard to help by starting student unions and associations? 5 months away from being able to start a career that could influence and change the very prejudices he claims to suffer.
2 - While I completely agree with him on his views about Christianity being blatantly favored by the service academies in direct opposition to the Constitution, he should have known this going in. The military does not want free thinkers and Humanists. They want order followers, pure and simple. Even at the highest level of military education they aren't looking for radicals questioning orders. And if any one thing on the planet prepares one for blind following, it's religion. No surprise having a strong religious affiliation, especially a Christian one, would be favored at a military academy
I don't have a lot of experience with vampires, but I have hunted werewolves. I shot one once, but by the time I got to it, it had turned back into my neighbor's dog.
Alfred_E._Neuman wrote:While I completely agree with him on his views about Christianity being blatantly favored by the service academies in direct opposition to the Constitution, he should have known this going in. The military does not want free thinkers and Humanists. They want order followers, pure and simple. Even at the highest level of military education they aren't looking for radicals questioning orders. And if any one thing on the planet prepares one for blind following, it's religion. No surprise having a strong religious affiliation, especially a Christian one, would be favored at a military academy
Complete horseshit-- mindless order followers are never effective military leaders at any level.
"Liberalism is arbitrarily selective in its choice of whose dignity to champion." Adrian Vermeule
Alfred_E._Neuman wrote:While I completely agree with him on his views about Christianity being blatantly favored by the service academies in direct opposition to the Constitution, he should have known this going in. The military does not want free thinkers and Humanists. They want order followers, pure and simple. Even at the highest level of military education they aren't looking for radicals questioning orders. And if any one thing on the planet prepares one for blind following, it's religion. No surprise having a strong religious affiliation, especially a Christian one, would be favored at a military academy
Complete horseshit-- mindless order followers are never effective military leaders at any level.
I'm not talking about blindly following specific order x or y, but of a more free-thinking/liberal/Humanist worldview being more apt to question the very largest military decisions. Involvement in certain global conflicts and how far our interests extend into those countries, for example.
You certainly wouldn't want your highest level commanders having serious moral issues with carrying out their duties in Iraq or Afghanistan because they had some underlying feeling that Christianity vs. Islam was the basis for the operation.
I don't have a lot of experience with vampires, but I have hunted werewolves. I shot one once, but by the time I got to it, it had turned back into my neighbor's dog.
Alfred_E._Neuman wrote:While I completely agree with him on his views about Christianity being blatantly favored by the service academies in direct opposition to the Constitution, he should have known this going in. The military does not want free thinkers and Humanists. They want order followers, pure and simple. Even at the highest level of military education they aren't looking for radicals questioning orders. And if any one thing on the planet prepares one for blind following, it's religion. No surprise having a strong religious affiliation, especially a Christian one, would be favored at a military academy
Complete horseshit-- mindless order followers are never effective military leaders at any level.
I'm not talking about blindly following specific order x or y, but of a more free-thinking/liberal/Humanist worldview being more apt to question the very largest military decisions. Involvement in certain global conflicts and how far our interests extend into those countries, for example.
You certainly wouldn't want your highest level commanders having serious moral issues with carrying out their duties in Iraq or Afghanistan because they had some underlying feeling that Christianity vs. Islam was the basis for the operation.
No organization, military or not, would want someone that immature and unprofessional as part of their organization.
"Liberalism is arbitrarily selective in its choice of whose dignity to champion." Adrian Vermeule
I was enlisted for 7 years split between gaurd and active duty and this is the first I have ever heard of this kind of enviornment. I doubt many people at regular units are subject to the enviornment he describes with the exception of one or two single individuals. He is freaking stupid to quit now. He either goes enlisted where no one gives a shit and he has no oppurtunity to change things, or he becomes a civilian where no one gives a shit and he still has no oppurtunity to change things. In a week's time this blog post that he poured his heart and soul into will be nothing but a faded and insignificant memory.
Personally I always got pissed when the married guys got time off and single guys had to keep working. Now that is some bullshit that needs reversed.
Man I am getting old. Back in the day you just did what you did and kept shut about it. Now we have this need to spill our guts about everything in our lives on some kind of public forum or social network or whatever. OK you're being picked on - so what - this probably isn't gonna be the last time this happens in your life - actually with your attitude I figure its going to be a regular kind of thing for you Deal with it in your own way and leave the rest of us out of your problems. Did you really think your Facebook friends were going to come storming out of the woodwork and "fix" West Point for you?
Smart enough to get into West Point but too stupid to realize that a not-insignificant percentage of officers (and future officers) are religious nuts? My sympathy is lacking.
His chief complaint being that his student group was ill-treated doesn't buoy my sympathies, either.
milosz wrote:His chief complaint being that his student group was ill-treated doesn't buoy my sympathies, either.
I thought that part was funny. Most students groups everywhere are poorly supported.
I'm sympathetic to this guy's views on religious freedom, but he owes the tax payers a few hundred thousand dollars. He needs to arrange a payment plan or start scrubbing latrines ASAP.
"The biggest problems that we’re facing right now have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power into the executive branch and not go through Congress at all."
Pinky wrote:I'm sympathetic to this guy's views on religious freedom, but he owes the tax payers a few hundred thousand dollars. He needs to arrange a payment plan or start scrubbing latrines ASAP.
milosz wrote:Smart enough to get into West Point but too stupid to realize that a not-insignificant percentage of officers (and future officers) are religious nuts? My sympathy is lacking.
The decision to go to West Point is made at 17, and they have a super-persuasive recruiting effort that makes zero mention of religion. I imagine fundie angle surprises the hell out of may new cadets.
Change comes from within. He will shortly be without, at which time he will spend 5 years taking orders from the same. Dumb.
You don't become a junior officer, where you have no authority and limited right to speech, to change military culture. If the goal is calling attention to a perceived problem, he's going about it the right way.
One of the downsides of the Internet is that it allows like-minded people to form communities, and sometimes those communities are stupid.
Grandpa's Spells wrote:You don't become a junior officer, where you have no authority and limited right to speech, to change military culture. If the goal is calling attention to a perceived problem, he's going about it the right way.
You don't become a senior officer with the ability to change things without first being a junior officer. And as a JO you do have real authority, just over a small group. You get to set the example for them. The group gets bigger as you get more senior.
It's fuckin west point. Gee when I made it to the fleet from ROTC I didn't run into anything like that. Dumbass needs to get clue that the Academies are their own liitle world. It's commendable that he wants change. As a platoon leader or division officer he has plenty authority and a chance to make a little change. Yeah he got shot down at west point, BFD. If he has any nuts and half a brain stay in do his time and be a good officer, not a whiney bitch.
There does seem to be sense of entitlement from SOME officers from the Academies. Maybe he feels that he should be entitled too. If he stays in he is going to be to busy doing his job, rather than worry about religious freedom in the military. Our padres pretty much were a pain the ass. There was one that was any good and he transferred. Set the example for religious tolerance.
Good on him. Sounds a bit self-important and a little naive, but he's talking a lot of sense about discrimination against non-religious.
Religious beliefs should have no place in official indoctrination. Everyone who goes along with this bullshit helps to normalise something that's fucking whacko. The fucking arrogance of people in a large group standing and getting everyone else to stand to say Grace etc. Fuck off. Say your own prayers. Don't rope me in to your bullshit. Cunts.
If you're not down with institutionalized bullshit, the military (and especially the academies) is probably not the place for you to start with.
I don't particularly care that he was 17 and naive - you don't go through the West Point admissions process blind. You have to want to be there, real bad.
Why is most "kids" want to make a stand when it's someone else footing the bill?
This is almost as stupid as a recruit thinking he should try to change how basic training is run while still in basic. You are in the military you don't have the same rights as a civilian. Sounds to me like he decided the military wasn't for him and now he's trying to make a personal stand as he washes out.
And couldn't he just transfer to another college without all the gnashing of teeth and tearing of robes? I'm not familiar with West Point's polilcy on transfers.
johno wrote:Just eliminate the service academies. We grow fine officers without them.
I don't think being an academy grad makes a person a better officer. People who get into the academies are good at getting into things. This guy will probably move on and get into something else he thinks is more prestigious than military service. Fuck him.
Mao wrote:Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. Our principle is that the Party commands the gun, and the gun must never be allowed to command the Party
