– October 3, 2011

WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:

End the Military’s Discrimination against Non-Religious Service Members

The US military fails to provide Equal Opportunity for non-religious service members.

We are forced to participate in religious rituals during official ceremonies. This is not free exercise, this is forced exercise. Worship belongs in voluntary services, not in mandatory formations. This is unconstitutional establishment of an official preference for religion over non-religion.

We are forced to take an unconstitutional religious test for “Spiritual Fitness”. Those who fail the test are forced to take remedial training instructing them to go to church and pray. This proselytization by the US military is forced onto us against our will.

These policies create a hostile environment, division, and resentment within the military, destroying morale and threatening national security.

Help us reach our goal of 5,000 signatures by October 31, 2011!

DISCLAIMER: The Military Religious Freedom Foundation site provides external links as a convenience to our users. The appearance of external hyperlinks on the MRFF website does not constitute endorsement by MRFF of the linked websites, or the information, products or services contained therein. MRFF does not exercise any editorial control over what you may find at these locations.

NOTE: MRFF webmasters have been made aware of difficulties which users are experiencing when attempting to sign the above petition. The problem is a false “Error” message which appears after confirming one’s email address rather than a page confirming successful registration with WhiteHouse.gov.

If, after attempting to register your email with the “We the People” Petition website, you are confronted with the “Our Apologies [Under Construction]” page please navigate back to the petition page to sign it.

The following was written by MRFF client Spc. Dustin Chalker:

The White House is Listening. Speak up now!

On September 1, 2011 the White House announced a new web-based petition program called We the People. From WhiteHouse.gov:

“Individuals will be able to create or sign a petition that calls for action by the federal government on a range of issues. If a petition gathers enough support (i.e., signatures) it will be reviewed by a standing group of White House staff, routed to any other appropriate offices and generate an official, on-the-record response.”

This outstanding new program facilitates the often-forgotten First Amendment right “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

“How many signatures? Initially petitions that gather more than 5,000 signatures in 30 days will be reviewed and answered.”

Earlier today (October 3) the 5000 signature threshold was increased

to 25000, but don’t worry! I started a petition to “End the Military’s

Discrimination against Non-Religious Service Members” on October 1! At present, it appears that older petitions are being grandfathered with the original 5000 signature requirement. Even if this changes, let’s rock the White House and blast through whatever ceiling they set!

This may be the single most influential thing you can do to help non-religious service members, and it’s easy! The account sign-up process is very fast (though a little buggy for some users) and has the added benefit that you can sign other petitions once you’re registered. There are petitions to restore the original Pledge of Allegiance “One Nation, Indivisible” and national motto “E Pluribus Unum.” When you’re done with all of that, share! Post the short link (http://wh.gov/4zb) to your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media.

Aside from the broader request to end discrimination, this petition addresses two specific issues: the forced ceremonial religious rituals in mandatory military formations and the unconstitutional religious test for “Spiritual Fitness” (and the related proselytization they call “training”). These fundamentalists currently enjoy a privileged dominion over us, ordering our respectful and silent participation in their worship services and actively instructing us to go to church and pray under the color of military authority. Your signature could change all of that, so please, take a stand for our right to serve this nation without facing coercive religious domination.

Thank you in advance to everyone who takes the time to join this ongoing effort to support and defend the Constitution. I have tried repeatedly, and all internal remedies have failed, to include the Inspector General, Equal Opportunity program, and individual requests for accommodation through the chain of command. The Constitution’s last line of defense is We the People.

Dustin Chalker

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