Philocrites

Air Force Academy chief: Evangelical bias is a problem.

by Philocrites

Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. John Rosa Jr. told the the Anti-Defamation League yesterday that the Academy has a pervasive religious bias problem. He compared the situation to the school's sexual assault scandal, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette:

“This issue is very insidious,” Rosa said. “It doesn’t automatically jump out at you. It’s been at the academy for a while, and it’s going to take a while to fix.”

Surveys show that 84 percent of Christian cadets and faculty feel that the academy supports their religious freedom, while only 58 percent of non-Christians feel that way.

A whopping 92 percent of Christian faculty and staff members say people at the academy respect individuals whose religious views and faiths are different from theirs, while only half of the non-Christians concurred.

“You see the dilemma,” Rosa said. “I’m talking to people where the large majority of people sitting there say there’s no problem.”

Things must change, he said. “If you marginalize a certain part of your team, discriminate against part of your team, you are not going to have good order and discipline, and when you go into combat, you will have problems.”

The Rocky Mountain News adds:

Discrimination diminishes the Air Force's effectiveness, Rosa said, because "you are not going to have good order and discipline" if some members of a fighting unit sense they are the victim of prejudice.

The general said issues of intolerance and disrespect are pervasive at the academy, from cadets through faculty members. His remedy: clearly stated policies and uniform accountability.

But, he said, "We don't want to create and environment where you can't discuss religious issues."

("Rosa: Bias Fix Will Take Time," Pam Zubeck, Colorado Springs Gazette 6.4.05; "Air Force Academy Leader Admits Religious Intolerance at School," AP, New York Times 6.4.05, reg req'd; "AFA Chief's Intolerance Stand Lauded," Joe Garner, Rocky Mountain News 6.4.05)

Copyright © 2005 by Philocrites | Posted 4 June 2005 at 10:39 PM

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