105,000 Sign Petition for Religious Freedom at Air Force Academy

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Jul 10, 2014

105,000 Sign Petition for Religious Freedom at Air Force Academy

A petition of 105,000 signatures has been delivered to the Air Force Academy urging the school to chance its policies regarding religious freedom. The Restore Military Freedom Coalition and the Family Research Council joined forces to spark the campaign for religious freedom after a cadet leader received a complaint about a scripture verse from his dorm room door in March; the cadet voluntarily erased the verse from his white board.

The petition asks, “If cadets are taught to be afraid of Bible verses, how will they respond against terrorists who are willing to die for their cause?” Over 100,000 Americans have signed the petition saying that men and women in uniform have a right to express their religion.

Lt. Gen. (Rt.) Jerry Boykin, Family Research Council executive vice president said, “The academy’s recent actions and policy pronouncements, unless quickly corrected, will continue to chill speech among cadets, harm morale and create unnecessary confusion.” 

Director of the Family Research Council’s Center for Religious Liberty Travis Weber agreed, and added that the First Amendment permits freedom of speech, including religious speech. “To remove a Bible verse from that whiteboard that the cadet would want to put on there is something that is seriously concerning,” he said.

The petition was delivered to the academy on June 25. 

Publication date: July 10, 2014



105,000 Sign Petition for Religious Freedom at Air Force Academy