Pray: Father, We declare You are the USA's God and the USA is Your nation. We
ask you to fill the heart of every American with twice as much of Your Holy Spirit and Your Holy Word as we have ever
had in our Christian nation, effective immediately. In Jesus' name.This marks the first time in the
42 year history of the event that a flyover request was denied by the Pentagon.
The event is held ever year
to honor the spiritual foundations of our country with a special emphasis on the men and women who serve in the armed forces.
In past years, the "God and Country Rally" has focused on honoring and paying tribute to those veterans
who have served our nation in the past and those who are currently on active duty.
At the rally this year,
all five branches of the armed services were featured with over 60 new recruits sworn into the military at the event.
After a phone conversation and an e-mail response from the Pentagon, Rally Director Patti Syme says they were denied the
request for a flyover this year because of the "Christian" nature of the event.
The e-mail from the Pentagon can be seen here.
The Christian Defense Coalition says this is a "slap in the face" to all those who have proudly
served or are currently on active duty in the armed services.
The group is concerned that this new policy
may indicate an open hostility toward public expressions of faith by the Obama team.
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney,
Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, states:
"For years, flyovers have been allowed by the Pentagon
at the 'God and Country Rally' in Nampa Idaho.
"For the Obama [team] to deny a flyover for the
first time, is a slap in the face to all those who proudly serve our country especially when we are at war. These flyovers
have been a special part of the 'God and Country Rally' for many years.
"Will the new policy of [Barack]
Obama be that a person has to surrender their faith tradition to honor and pay tribute to our courageous men and women who
serve in the military?
"With respect to the economic concerns that the Pentagon mentioned, I would answer
this way. If we can pay hundreds thousands of dollars for [Barack] Obama to go on a date with his wife to see a Broadway
show and have an expensive dinner in New York City, we can certainly find a way to honor our brave men and women who serve
in the armed services with a simple flyover.
"The Christian Defense Coalition will diligently work to
reverse this unjust policy and determine why this flyover was denied in the first place."
Brandi Swindell,
national Christian activist and Director of Generation Life, based in Idaho, adds:
"For the Pentagon
to deny this flyover for the first time in the history of our state is deeply troubling and disturbing.
"During a time of war and especially around the 4th of July we should be doing all within our power as a nation to
honor and respect our military.
"Does this mean in the future that all public rallies must be stripped
of any expressions of faith to respect our military? [Barack Obama] should be protecting religious expression in the
public square not crushing it.
"I hope that [Barack] Obama will reverse this unjust
policy and next year we will be allowed to give the military the honor they deserve."
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