Vice Admiral Jeffrey Fowler and the Flags at the Naval Academy Chapel

An Alert Reader sends this,

I had told many of you about the command given by the new Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy: The flags of the United States and the Brigade of Midshipmen may no longer be processed down the center aisle of the Chapel and no longer can they be dipped before the altar of God.

Vice Admiral Jeffrey Fowler underscored his direct order with the word that if his command was not obeyed, he would no longer worship at the 11:00 am Protestant worship service.

Many retired military members of the Chapel community wrote to protest this unlawful order. We prayed and worked to have this order countermanded.

Last Sunday, the flags returned to the Chapel. They were processed down the center aisle. Many were in tears at seeing their return.

The “Supe,” however, did not return.

We would welcome Admiral Fowler and his family, but not at the price of our precious religious liberty.

Our family, and hundreds of others, thank God for this result.

Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement during this difficult time.

Admiral Fowler is clearly confused on the hierarchy between the state and the church. It would appear that he, like most Godless liberals, fear the dominance of the Creator.

Liberals should fear not.

Bible believing Jesus lovers know well that every Christian is commanded to obey every law of the state.

Every law, save one.

There is one law that the Christian is commanded NOT to obey. The Christian is commanded to share the Good News even if the state forbids. This is the only law that the Christian can knowingly break.

Admiral Fowler should know that that any order he gives will be followed. He didnot need to worry about the Flags rendering respect. Or the loyalty of the service members under his command. They will obey him.

Unless.

Unless Fowler forbids the sharing of the Gospel.

So Admiral Fowler doesn’t care for God on Campus. But probably doesn’t mind Girls on Carriers:

John Howland, at USNA-At-Large, writes

This stuff is Exhibit A why women should not be allowed anywhere near combatant warships.

Think hard. Imagine, for example, that this clip and other “related clips” are just brief visual manifestations of an iceberg of incredibly complex interpersonal dynamics throughout the entire thousands of personnel aboard this ship.

And, you are going to go into a real war with that?!?

From The feminization of the American military

The United States today is the only serious military power in history to contemplate thorough sexual integration of its armed forces, Wednesday, October 18, 2006, By Walter A. McDougall

As former Secretary of the Navy James Webb attests, military institutions must be coercive, hierarchical, and self-sacrificial, and as such they depend on a rigid code of fairness with regard to conduct, performance, and deportment, promotion on merit, and egalitarian treatment that by its nature cannot be gender- neutral.

For as soon as the sexes are mixed in close quarters, especially for prolonged and tense intervals, the jealousies, courtships, and favoritism that are bound to erupt must corrode fairness and discipline.

Imagine, writes Webb, a ship at sea for a hundred days during which numerous crew members pair off for sex. That in itself spawns favoritism, duplicity, and pregnancies.

But what of the crewmen who don’t “score” with shipmates and must stifle their libido for months? “The inescapable feelings of resentment, competition, and anger that follow create a powder keg of emotions that cannot help but affect morale, discipline, and attention to duty.”

To military expert Edward Luttwak, the belief that mixing the sexes need not affect order and discipline is “a grotesque, puritanical hypocrisy.

The Army can’t do something that eluded the Franciscans. It can’t run a mixed monastery.”

DoS problems persist — email comments here.

UPDATE: The Naval Academy dips the Flag; The Air Force Academy reserves a pew.

At the front of the chapel, a single row is roped off. “Reserved” the sign says, for all the United States aviators who are missing in action or prisoners of war. The only occupant of the pew is a single, burning candle.

“Greater love hath no man than this. . .” reads the plaque. The Scripture it alludes to concludes: “that a man lays down his life for his friends.”

Bryant Jordan at Military.com has the story.

The traditions with the Flag are rich and varied. The Flag covered my father’s coffin. Illustrators use a stylized Flag to make a point. There are places where the Flag flies on eternal patrol. The opening scene in Private Ryan.

UPDATE: the email above is from Alert Reader Bob Morrison. He says, “Vice Admiral Fowler is to be commended for changing his mind on this. He now knows, I’m sure, that his JAG officers had given him bad advice. The posting of the flags at the Chapel is a revered tradition of the Academy.” Bob, like most Alert Readers, is so much more diplomatic than Your Business Blogger (R).