Tancredo Concerned About Air Force Guidelines

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2005

Tancredo Concerned About Air Force Guidelines
Congressman Writes Major General Urging That Religious Expression Not Be Stifled

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a letter to a senior Air Force official, Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) urged the Air Force not to "turn commanders into sensitivity police" when implementing its recent religious tolerance guidelines. Media reports about those guidelines-drafted after a government investigation cleared the Air Force Academy of religious discrimination-indicate that public prayer and other religious expressions many be discouraged. The letter is reprinted below:

August 31, 2005

Maj. Gen. Scott S. Custer
Director of Legislative Liaison
Secretary of Air Force
Office of Legislative Liaison
U.S. Department of the Air Force
1160 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-1160

Dear Major General Custer:

Media reports indicate that recently released Air Force "guidelines" for "religious tolerance" would discourage public prayer. The new guidelines are somewhat troubling given that a June report, commissioned in response to allegations of "religious discrimination" at the Air Force Academy, found that no "overt religious discrimination" existed.

It is my understanding that these guidelines will likely be applied beyond the academy to the entire Air Force and possibly to other service branches. Given that military commanders are already faced with numerous responsibilities, I sincerely hope that implementation of the guidelines will not transform commanders into sensitivity police who are preoccupied with the individual prayer habits of servicemen - some of whom may be in harms way.

Certainly, the notion of maintaining an environment of religious tolerance within the armed forces is an important goal. That being said, it is fundamentally important to ensure that the government does not seek to achieve that mission by creating an environment that is hostile to religious expression.

The free exercise clause of the First Amendment guarantees the right of every American to express his or her religious beliefs as he or she sees fit. It is our duty to ensure that this fundamental right is protected - particularly when the fighting men and women affected by these guidelines will be asked to defend the civil and religious liberties of all Americans each and every day of their military careers.

I hope that these guidelines can be implemented in a way that both reflects America's commitment to religious freedom and rejects efforts to stifle religious expression.

Sincerely,
Tom Tancredo, M.C.

http://tancredo.house.gov/press/pressers/0831TancredoConcernedAboutAirForceGuidelines.htm