For nearly two decades, the U.S. Army has provided an honor guard for an Independence Day celebration at a church so old that it predates the founding of our nation. But this year political correctness has stopped that. Officials at Fort Gordon say they will no longer send an honor guard to a fourth of July service at Abilene Baptist Church, because it violates a military policy banning any involvement in a religious service. While the Pentagon won’t allow an honor guard to set foot in a church, the Army has no problem allowing our soldiers to march in a gay pride parade. This policy is an offense to all churches in America. However, it’s particularly offensive that the Army refused to provide an honor guard for a church whose first pastor was a chaplain in the American Revolution Army. Current pastor Brad Whitt calls it “an absolute shock.” The fourth of July church service was a “God and Country”-themed celebration with patriotic music and lots of red, white and blue. Afterwards, the church hosted a Sunday picnic complete with hot dogs and hamburgers. Apparently, the Pentagon does not consider this to be as wholesome as a gay pride parade. The regulation that the Army is clinging to, states that Army Public Affairs cannot support any event involving the promotion, endorsement or sponsorship of a religious movement. It is shocking to think that Army regulations allow the endorsement of a liberal social agenda such as a gay pride parade but not traditional American patriotism. Last year the Department of Defense gave permission for an honor guard to participate in Washington, D.C.’s gay pride parade. An honor guard is also expected to march in the 2015 Capital Pride parade. It surely cannot be a violation of the First Amendment for the Army to help groups like the people of Abilene Baptist Church to honor traditional American values and patriotism. This article originally appeared at Eagle Forum.
