Air Force Academy Still Intolerant

It was my impression that our military academies were supposed to produce not only excellent officers, but also gentlemen (and ladies). If that is true, then some cadets at the Air Force Academy in Colorado still have a long way to go. Because gentlemen and ladies, especially when representing our country and all of its people, do not engage in religious intolerance.

The Air Force Academy has in the past few years had some problems with staff and students trying to push a fundamentalist version of christianity upon all students. This was reprehensible behavior and it had been hoped that the Air Force had taken care of this problem. But it now looks like the school still has some problems along this line.

In an effort to be more tolerant to all religions, the school had built a small outdoor site for Wiccans and believers of other Earth-based religions to meet, pray and worship. But a couple of weeks ago, the opening of this site was marred by the placing of a huge cross made from railroad ties there.

Making matters even worse, it is said that many of the faculty tried to trivialize the desecration. Fortunately, Academy superintendent Lt. General Michael Gould does not believe this was a trivial incident.

Gould said, "We absolutely will not stand for this type of destructive behavior. I consider this no different than someone writing graffiti on the Cadet chapel." Academy spokesman John Van Winkle said, "It boils down to the key issue of respect -- respect for everyone's right to practice their faith as they choose."

For now, we must take Gould and Van Winkle at their word, and hope they can bring the Air Force Academy back to being the tolerant and excellent school it should be. But the actions desecrating the holy site of this minor religion shows there is still a long way to go.