Dakota Beacon

Amendment I.
Congress shall make no law respecting an ESTABLISHMENT of religion, or PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE thereof…

Is the CIA prohibited from “training” its field agents in a similar fashion?

Are government funded U.S. universities prohibited from offering “training” (courses) on the various religions of the world?

England’s establishment of a single religion and its prohibition of its “subjects” from the free exercise of their individual religion, whatever it may be, was what drove many of our founders to emigrate to America.

“Training concerning various religions” and the “assigned practice of religion” by government are not the same. It may be a subtle distinction, however, to those who are so invested in their personal belief that they become intolerant of the beliefs of others. Faith is an important aspect of a good life, along with exercise, courage and hard work. When faith in one’s particular religion causes intolerance, dangerous things can happen.

Christian fundamentalism and Muslim fundamentalism are “blood brothers”. And too often the “blood” flows from innocent bystanders.

There is nothing wrong with a college offering courses on religion.  Students, unless they are seeking degrees which require it, normally are not required to take them.  If the school requires it the student is aware before he enrolls.  There is nothing wrong with a law enforcement agency requiring training which will assist in quality law enforcement and understanding community issues.  There is nothing wrong with a mosque inviting non-Muslims to attend a service (at least nothing wrong in the eyes of non-Muslims).  There is nothing wrong with the Tulsa police conveying this invitation or even excusing officers who wished to attend from other time conflicts. 

There is a whole lot wrong with requiring a public servant, paid to enforce law and maintain public order, to attend a prayer service in a religion of any kind, particularly one which offends the individual officer.  No good purpose is served.  If training were undertaken in the interest of better equipping the officers to respond to community needs in their duties, that training should have been offered in a neutral, secular setting and should not have required participation in a religious service.  Captain Fields declined to acquiesce to participation in a state-sponsored religious service contrary to his own religious beliefs.  He further asserted that he would not order others to do what he could not in good conscience do.  For this the man was suspended without pay. 

At the point where a government employee was ordered to attend a prayer service the line was crossed and the state became an establisher of a religion in this event.

This is, in fact, about intolerance.  The intolerance of our government of one man’s religious believes versus state-sponsored religion.  Fields has not been charged, as far as I am aware, of “intolerance”.  No one has asserted in this case that those who wished to participate were punished.  No one has told the mosque that it cannot invite the police or anyone else into their services.  The intolerance here is that of the police and, quite possibly those who are putting pressure on the police. 

This incident of injustice will serve no cause relating to “tolerance” or friendly relations in the community.  It was an act of bullying and it was punitive.  Fields did not enroll in an elective course offered by a college.  He was not charged with failure to execute the duties of his job as a law enforcement officer.  He was punished for declining to attend a prayer service. 

As yourself this:  would a Muslim officer ever be required to attend a Roman Catholic prayer service against his will?  Would he be suspended without pay if he declined on the grounds that it offended his own religious beliefs?  If you are honest you will admit that this would never happen.  If it did you might well be among the first to protest.  And so would I.

Special forces volunteer for their service. They are water boarded during their training to understand the tactic and its power. They are not asked if they wish to be waterboarded.

This policeman volunteered for service. He was directed to attend a muslin prayer service to better understand Islam. He was NOT forced to pray…just to attend and observe. It was part of his training.

If his supervisor directs him to speak the prayer, THAT crosses the line. That we can probably agree on?

Yes, Lynn, we surely could agree on that!