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| VFW Wins Consent Degree Against VA Atheists Over Religious Funerals |
| 2011-10-22 |
| The Veterans of Foreign Wars today declared victory in a Federal Lawsuit ( Rainey v VA) filed over allegations of religious hostility and unlawful censorship by the VA and its director of the Houston National Cemetery. Federal District Judge Lynn N. Hughes signed a consent decree ordering the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to lift the ban on prayer and the word “God” at national cemeteries, to revoke national policies hostile to religion, and to reopen the Chapel which identity was previously changed to “meeting facility” at the Houston National Cemetery. Texas-based Liberty Institute filed suit on behalf of the VFW over allegations of religious hostility and unlawful censorship by the VA and its director of the Houston National Cemetery. Officials told the VFW they could not have prayer during the burial services of veterans unless the family requested it specifically in writing and submitted the prayer to VA officials for pre-approval. The order also requires the VA to change its national policies regarding volunteer honor guards. These changes will now allow the reading of “Thirteen Fold” Flag Recitations unless the deceased veteran’s family requests otherwise, volunteer honor guards to provide their own texts of recitations to the funeral homes for the funeral homes to offer those options to the deceased veteran’s survivor(s) for consideration, and the VFW honor guards to work independently with funeral homes to coordinate provision of volunteer services at the committal services scheduled at the cemetery without interference from the government. No mention of the bitterly-atheist Houston National Cemetery director, Arleen Ocasio, who told members of the National Memorial Ladies that they must take “God” out of their vocabulary. She told them that they could not speak nor write the words “God,” “Jesus,” “God bless you,” or even “I’m praying for you,” to grieving families burying their loved ones. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #3 Arleen should be fired for her unpopular and unconstitutional abrogation of the rights of the people she's supposedly there to serve. Kick her ass out |
| Posted by: Frank G 2011-10-22 16:24 |
| #2 Ms Ocasio is a hostile bitch that should be removed from her job (with NO pension or benefits) for restricting such fundamental constitutional rights of military personnel and their families. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2011-10-22 15:57 |
| #1 "She told them that they could not speak nor write the words "God," "Jesus," "God bless you," or even "I'm praying for you," to grieving families burying their loved ones." Was it OK to say "F*** you" to Arleen? |
| Posted by: Barbara 2011-10-22 15:54 |