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"We don't need you, so shut up!" That's the message the Obama administration has sent loud and clear to America's Roman Catholics. And it's a message now being sent to U.S. military chaplains -- to the detriment of our armed forces.
During World War II, the War Department and the Department of the Navy urged -- the operative word is "urged," not "ordered," mind you -- U.S. military chaplains to encourage soldiers, sailors, airmen, guardsmen and Marines that God was on our side in the global battle against fascists, Nazis and the godless heathens running rampant across Asia and the Pacific. The hymns "Onward, Christian Soldiers" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" were sung with fervor at chapel services regardless of denomination.
The U.S. military I entered in 1961 still had tens of thousands of men and women familiar with such experience. My regimental chaplain in Vietnam, Cmdr. Jake Laboon, a Jesuit priest, was a decorated U.S. Navy combat veteran of World War II. He routinely administered last rites to grievously wounded -- and often dying -- Marines and sailors without regard to a denominational preference on their dog tags. It's a good thing he was there when I was wounded, because, as others related to me later, he was the one who told the surgeons to "take this one next" while I was unconscious on a triage litter at a field hospital. If he hadn't been there, I might not be here.
All this helps to explain my bias. As a general matter, I like chaplains who do their duty to God and man. I especially admire men like Jake Laboon. And I don't like the way the Obama administration is treating them. This week's order to muzzle what chaplains can say is yet another O-Team salvo aimed at "de-Christianizing" -- and ultimately destroying -- the U.S. military.
The opening shot was fired when President Barack Obama declared in his January 2010 State of the Union address that he would "repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are." (Emphasis added.) The "law" to which the president referred was "don't ask, don't tell," which wasn't a law at all; it was an administrative policy implemented by the Clinton administration. The actual governing law -- Section 654 of Title 10 of the U.S. Code -- states, "There is no constitutional right to serve in the armed forces." The president ran roughshod over the law of the land in a political payoff to a preferred constituency.
The Defense of Marriage Act was next. Though the bill was argued, debated, passed by both houses of Congress, and signed into law by President Bill Clinton, Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder unilaterally declared the law unconstitutional in February 2011.
Holder was courteous enough to send Congress a letter explaining our legislature's irrelevance in the matter. He stated, "The President and I have concluded that ... Section 3 of DOMA is unconstitutional." Since then, Obama has said, "Where Congress is not willing to act, we're going to go ahead and do it ourselves." Efficiency is one of the great advantages of dictatorships.
Dispensing with DOMA paved the way for the Pentagon to greenlight same-sex "marriages" presided over by military chaplains -- on or off base -- in states that recognize such "unions." Now the O-Team has mandated that the Roman Catholic Church violate its own teachings on birth control and abortion.
The Obama administration's edict requiring employers -- including the Catholic Church -- to offer "health" coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs and contraception ignited a firestorm. Roman Catholic bishops protested loudly and in unison that the action was a violation of the First Amendment. In churches across the country, letters from the bishops were read to congregations, explaining the directive as unjust and unconstitutional because it forces Catholic institutions to violate their faith or pay staggering fines.
The O-Team shrugged off the dissent until Archbishop Timothy Broglio -- who leads the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA -- issued a pastoral letter denouncing the Obamacare directive because "the Administration has cast aside the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, denying to Catholics our Nation's first and most fundamental freedom, that of religious liberty." The letter, sent to Catholic military chaplains, instructed them to read it to their congregations on the weekend of Jan. 28-29. In his missive, Broglio declared that the new rule "is a blow to a freedom that you have fought to defend and for which you have seen your buddies fall in battle."
Apparently, the archbishop's assertion that "we cannot -- we will not -- comply with this unjust law" was too much for the Army chief of chaplains. He ordered that the letter not be read in military chapels or field services because Broglio had not "coordinated" with his office. Army Secretary John McHugh subsequently admitted that such censorship was "a mistake."
"Mistake"? It wasn't a mistake if McHugh and the rest of the administration's objective is eliminating Christianity from the United States armed forces and wrecking the finest military the world ever has seen. We'll know for sure what the goal really is when the commander in chief orders chaplains to violate their religious beliefs and perform same-sex "marriages" or just get out. And then our men and women serving in uniform will finally have freedom from religion.
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Oliver North is the host of "War Stories" on Fox News Channel, the founder and honorary chairman of Freedom Alliance, and the author of "American Heroes in Special Operations."
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February 11, 2012 @ 8:57 am
All of the things that are happening in this country today are taking place because absolutely no one is standing up for our freedom and fighting for our rights. The truth of the matter is that conservatives are not the majority which is more than just evident, it’s an obvious fact. The liberal progressives are the majority, and they have deliberately been placed into positions that are making all the major decisions in this country, and eliminating the voice of what is obviously a “small” minority of people that have become alarmed.
This latest decision within the Catholic Church that starting out looking like Obama’s Waterloo, has now strategically evolved into an asset for his re-election. He is giving women everything they apparently want considering they are now in support of him to the tune of 61%, and climbing. He has also targeted a liberal Nun and liberal Bishops to be his spokespeople praising his decision and consideration for the plight of women. Once again he is usurping power away from the Constitution and eliminating freedom through entitlements and all anyone does is talk.
It’s time we face the facts that those of us who are complaining about this administration and their deliberate decimation of our country are the minority, not only in government, but also in population. The more so-called free entitlements this president offers to those who are eager to take, as Alinsky knew they would — the more our freedoms will be taken away along with our country.
Unless and until something drastic happens to change what is looking like a major defeat for Christian conservatives — Obama will without a doubt be re-elected for another four years!
February 11, 2012 @ 9:25 am
“started out,” not “starting.” Something wrong with my browser, as I have no edit button. Sorry.
February 11, 2012 @ 10:05 am
Yeah, just give them a few freebies and Obama is now okay! We don’t stand a chance in this election and anyone who thinks we do is out of their minds.
February 11, 2012 @ 12:03 pm
Do not dispair! Before we shout our righteous indignations from the mountaintops, we need to get on our knees and humbly seek forgiveness. [2 Chron. 7:14]
February 11, 2012 @ 2:09 pm
Obama has been desecrating the United States little by litle since his first day in office Now everyone is wondering why at the nearing of an election year would he take on the Catholic Church. I truly think he is going to do everything in his power to avert the coming election. I ghought originally that once he won this next election he would then create his absolute Dictatorship. However, I fear it may be this up coming election which will never happen. But, we the people are the blame we have been sitting back and only mouthing our disaproval we have NOT demanded the congress, senate and the supreme court do something. And that cannot happen unless we demand that this man be removed from office NOW ! He has lied to us, fleeced us, demeaned us and has absolutely no respect for us, our freedoms, or our lives. I hope we refuse to be a third world communistic country. We must act and act responsibly. I am not suggesting some half baked ideas. But for heaven sake get on the phones, write, go see every legislature you can. It is our country and personally I am not willing to lose the greatness of this nation because of some nincompoop!
February 11, 2012 @ 3:03 pm
the duplicity of the Man knows no bounds attack the Catholic Church but embrace Sharia laws in our Nation. Further violations of the Constitution and his oath of office to uphold the Constitution, such as separation of Church and state clause. Obama has set out to ruin the nation and now wants another four years to do even more damage. Where are our representatives? Why have they not spoken up and challenged this egotistical person and brought him to accountability for all the violations he has perpetrated against this nation? Perhaps we need hold them accountable as well for allowing Obama to act as he has!
February 11, 2012 @ 4:47 pm
If he gets another four years, he will most certainly destroy our beautiful nation
without firing a single shot. How, you may ask? With words. I believe the reason none of these so-called politicians aren’t doing or saying anything is because their afraid of the scum that will wash off if their exposed. I believe they and other countries are all in this whole one world order thing together. It’s as plain as day, just look at the rest of the world. All the economies collapsing at the same time. The U.S. is not so simple but it’s well on its way. These events you see before your eyes, is the unfolding of time. Things are not going to get better. I hope all of you are saved. I f not please get saved. God is our only protection against these fanatics.
February 11, 2012 @ 11:08 pm
Ina recent interview, Obama decried that the Founders fashioned the Constitution in a way that mkes it hard for him push through his agenda. EXACTLY! It’s “We the People”, not “You the Government”
February 11, 2012 @ 11:44 pm
He thought it said “Wee on the People”.