AF Academy critic satisfied with investigation - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

AF Academy critic satisfied with investigation

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — A religious liberty advocate said Friday that Air Force Academy officials have convinced him they’re serious about investigating a possible case of religious harassment, easing his earlier doubts.

Mikey Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, expressed skepticism earlier this month that the academy was doing enough after a large wooden cross was found at a campus worship space for pagans and followers of other Earth-centered religions.

Weinstein said his doubts were eased after a conversation with the academy superintendent, Lt. Gen. Michael Gould. He said miscommunication within the academy caused his original concern.

The investigation is still underway, and officials don’t know whether the placement of the cross was malicious, innocent or something in between, said academy spokeswoman Capt. Corinna Jones.

“Everything is not always as it seems,” she said.

Jones said investigators have been conducting interviews but she didn’t know whether anyone has been identified as a suspect or any arrests have been made. She said she didn’t know when the investigation might be wrapped up.

Weinstein said he received an e-mail Thursday that might provide “a lead to a lead.” He declined to give specifics but said the e-mail had been turned over to investigators.

Weinstein, an Albuquerque, N.M., attorney and a 1977 graduate of the academy, started the Military Religious Freedom Foundation after some academy cadets reported in 2004 they had been harassed or ostracized over their religious beliefs, or because they were not religious.

Weinstein has accused fundamentalist Christians at the academy and elsewhere in the military of improperly pressuring subordinates to convert.

At least two armed guards were visible nearby while Weinstein was at the academy. He said he often gets threats because of his advocacy, and that he had received 50 in the previous 36 hours alone.

Jones said the school had assigned one plainclothes armed guard to Weinstein, and other armed guards were present because Air Force Secretary Michael Donley had appeared at the symposium earlier in the day.

More than 350 cadets, officers and others crowded into a room to hear Weinstein speak, many of them standing. They gave him standing ovations when he was introduced, when he finished speaking and when he finished answering questions.

Weinstein told them his foundation is at war with some fundamentalist Christians in the military who put their faith ahead of their oath to defend the Constitution.

“When you put that uniform on, there’s only one religion: patriotism,” he said.

Weinstein repeatedly said he doesn’t oppose Christianity or any religion but that it’s wrong for members of the military to use their position to promote their faith.

Weinstein said cadets need a better education in First Amendment freedoms. He said a donor to his foundation has offered to help fund a semester-long class at the academy on the subject. He declined to identify the donor or say how much money was offered.

Weinstein said he hadn’t yet approached school officials with the offer.