When conservative columnist David French calls a document published by “a coalition of right-wing writers and leaders,” as he describes them, “ominous” and “extraordinary,” and writes that it is “utterly contrary to the First Amendment,” it must be pretty damn ominous and extraordinary. And it is.
Here’s what Mr. French had to say about this document, published National Conservatism, a project of the international conservative think tank the Edmund Burke Foundation, in a New York Times opinion piece titled “What Is Christian Nationalism, Exactly?”:
“In 2022, a coalition of right-wing writers and leaders published a document called ‘National Conservatism: A Statement of Principles.’ Its section on God and public religion states: ‘Where a Christian majority exists, public life should be rooted in Christianity and its moral vision, which should be honored by the state and other institutions both public and private.’ That’s an extraordinary — and ominous — ideological statement, one that would immediately relegate non-Christians to second-class status. It’s utterly contrary to the First Amendment and would impose a form of compelled deference to Christianity on both religious minorities and the nonreligious.”
This is the entire section from the document:
4. God and Public Religion. No nation can long endure without humility and gratitude before God and fear of his judgment that are found in authentic religious tradition. For millennia, the Bible has been our surest guide, nourishing a fitting orientation toward God, to the political traditions of the nation, to public morals, to the defense of the weak, and to the recognition of things rightly regarded as sacred. The Bible should be read as the first among the sources of a shared Western civilization in schools and universities, and as the rightful inheritance of believers and non-believers alike. Where a Christian majority exists, public life should be rooted in Christianity and its moral vision, which should be honored by the state and other institutions both public and private. At the same time, Jews and other religious minorities are to be protected in the observance of their own traditions, in the free governance of their communal institutions, and in all matters pertaining to the rearing and education of their children. Adult individuals should be protected from religious or ideological coercion in their private lives and in their homes.
Yeah, that’s right, where a Christian majority exists (like, you know, the United States), Christianity should reign supreme and “be honored by the state and other institutions both public and private.” But don’t worry, the ruling Christians will allow those Jews and other religious minorities to practice their second-class religions! They’ll just have to suck it up since, after all, the Bible is “the rightful inheritance of believers and non-believers alike,” whatever the hell that means.
So, why are we here at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) taking an interest in this particular document? Well, because one of its signers, right there along with the likes of Charlie Kirk, is one Daniel Strand, an Assistant Professor of Ethics at the Air Force’s Air War College. Who better to teach ethics to our Air Force’s senior officers than a full-blown Christian supremacist?
In 2022, the same year that National Conservatism published its Christian supremacist “Statement of Principles,” it held a conference whose keynote speakers included Ron Desantis, who spoke on the topic “Florida is a Model For America,” Josh Hawley, who spoke on “The Biblical Revolution,” and Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (which teaches military chaplains that they are government-paid missionaries), whose topic was “‘Your God Will Have Been Supplanted by an Idol’: The Dangerous Illusion of a ‘Secular’ State.” And Air War College Assistant Professor of Ethics Daniel Strand was right there as one of the conference’s session chairs.
For someone who signed onto a document that couldn’t be more Christian nationalistic, Strand does a hell of a lot of writing arguing that the fear of Christian nationalism is just a boogeyman made up by the left, writing in an article titled “A Better Christian Nationalism” in Providence, a magazine published by the Christian conservative think tank Institute on Religion and Democracy, where he is a contributing editor:
“I am not wholly committed to the term Christian Nationalism, but neither am I willing to abandon it to its critics as a completely negative phenomenon.”
In one of his articles for The American Conservative, titled “'Christian Nationalism' Didn't Cause January 6,” with the subtitle “The ‘Christian nationalism’ narrative is a theory in search of facts,” Strand claims that there was only a “superficially Christian presence” at the Capitol insurrection, continuing:
“However, the sleight of hand performed by critics has been to make that general empirical observation a causal one—cum hoc ergo propter hoc. These critics generally assumed they could divine from the spectacle of flags with crosses and banners with Christian slogans (‘Jesus Saves’) intermixed with political banners and Trump flags that the subsequent violence was religiously motivated. A prayer was offered on the floor of the House of Representatives? Case closed. Where there is smoke, there is fire.”
Yeah, forget about the great big wooden cross erected along with the noose for Mike Pence; that was just a superficial Christian presence!
Strand’s Twitter is chock-full of posts pooh-poohing the use of the term Christian nationalism and images like these:
He’s also big on traditional (and Christian, of course) families, and is reading the book The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, tweeting (emphasis added):
“Reading Nancy Pearcey’s book ‘Toxic War on Masculinity’ is huge [sic] white pill. Conservative evangelical men who attend church regularly are excellent husbands, ahead of their secular peers and often by significant margins. Well done, men!!”
Not surprising considering the eighth “principle” in “National Conservatism: A Statement of Principles” that Strand signed (emphasis added):
8. Family and Children. We believe the traditional family is the source of society’s virtues and deserves greater support from public policy. The traditional family, built around a lifelong bond between a man and a woman, and on a lifelong bond between parents and children, is the foundation of all other achievements of our civilization. The disintegration of the family, including a marked decline in marriage and childbirth, gravely threatens the wellbeing and sustainability of democratic nations. Among the causes are an unconstrained individualism that regards children as a burden, while encouraging ever more radical forms of sexual license and experimentation as an alternative to the responsibilities of family and congregational life. Economic and cultural conditions that foster stable family and congregational life and child-raising are priorities of the highest order.
The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes is just one of the fine books promoted by National Conservatism. Other titles include Lost in Trans Nation: A Child Psychiatrist’s Guide out of the Madness, and The Case for Christian Nationalism by Stephen Wolfe, the description of which says (emphasis added):
“Few ‘experts’ answering this question actually know what nationalism is–and even fewer know what could make it Christian. In The Case for Christian Nationalism, Stephen Wolfe offers a tour-de-force argument for the good of Christian nationalism, taken from Scripture and Christian thinkers ancient, medieval, and modern. Christian nationalism is not only the necessary alternative to secularism, it is the form of government we must pursue if we want to love our neighbors and our country.”
Yes, indeedy, Christian nationalism “is the form of government we must pursue” says the actual description of a book promoted by National Conservatism, but don’t go calling these people Christian nationalists, says Daniel Strand!
Bottom line: The Air Force’s Air War College Assistant Professor of Ethics Daniel Strand is a Christian nationalist and Christian supremacist whose own ethics fly in the face of the Air Force’s and Department of Defense’s policies on religious neutrality and diversity, equity, and inclusion (Strand, not surprisingly, is has also expressed a disdain for DEI).
While Strand is free to have and express his opinions, and, as a civilian Air Force employee, is not subject to all of the regulations that an active duty, reserve, or National Guard member of the Air Force is, his use of his Air War College title, not only on the National Conservatism document but in other publications that he writes for, with either an inadequate or no disclaimer, when publicly expressing these views and promoting Christian nationalism flouts the regulations that civilian DoD employees are subject to. MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein lays out this case in the following letter e-mailed today to Lt. General Brian S. Robinson, Commander, Air Education and Training Command, demanding, on behalf of 27 active duty Air Force and civilian Air University and Air War College staff and students, an investigation and disciplinary action for Daniel Strand.
Lt. General Brian S. Robinson
Commander
Air Education and Training Command
Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
Dear Lt. General Robinson,
SHAME ON YOU, SIR!!
My name is Mikey Weinstein, and I head up a large civil rights organization called the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (mrff.org). MRFF currently represents over 87,000 active duty, reserve and national guard sailors, soldiers, Marines, airmen, guardians, coast guard, and U.S. Maritime personnel, as well as a military academy, ROTC/OCS/OTS cadets and midshipmen, military veterans, and personnel in all 17 national security agencies. Our mission is to protect the Constitutionally-mandated wall separating church and state therein.
MRFF has received the following request for immediate aid and intervention from 27 active duty and civilian members of the USAF under your command stationed at Maxwell AFB, both permanent party and students, regarding the unconscionable, unconstitutional actions of a particular civilian professor of “ethics” at the United States Air Force’s (USAF) Air War College (AWC) within the USAF’s Air University (AU) at Maxwell AFB, Montgomery Alabama. His name is Daniel Strand. His civilian rank is AD-22. Of these 27 MRFF clients under your command, 21 are practicing Christians, 2 are Jewish, 1 is Muslim, 1 is Buddhist and 2 practice non-faith traditions such as Atheism, Agnosticism, Secularism and/or Humanism.
General, as specifically detailed infra, this AWC “ethics” professor, Daniel Strand, has disgracefully and repeatedly ripped asunder inter alia the Constitutional mandates proclaimed by the No Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution, its construing Federal caselaw, germane DoD and USAF regulatory requirements and the 3 Core Values of the USAF. The repulsive statements he has so very publicly made and validated via the written word are so hideously egregious that NO faux nor fatally flawed “disclaimer” regarding his avidly expressed employment by AWC would ever adequately justify such ineffable, abject bigotry, hatred and prejudice by a civilian employee professor at a supposedly highly prestigious, Professional Military Education institution of the USAF and DoD. Indeed, the wretched statements he has validated utterly destroy good order, morale, discipline, and unit cohesion!
His heretofore unfettered public proclamations in support of Christian nationalism, domination, supremacy, exclusivity, primacy and exceptionalism are paraded about as an alloy with his employee status at Air War College. Such illicit actions spit in the face of DoD’s and the Air Force’s foundational commitments to the ideals and strengths of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Just take a good look at THIS miserable public statement epitomizing fundamentalist Christian Nationalism in 2022 from the “Edmund Burke Foundation” which was SPECIFICALLY signed onto by your subordinate, Daniel Strand, with “Air War College” directly represented textually under his name, and which includes the following despicable language in its entirety of Section 4:
4. God and Public Religion. No nation can long endure without humility and gratitude before God and fear of his judgment that are found in authentic religious tradition. For millennia, the Bible has been our surest guide, nourishing a fitting orientation toward God, to the political traditions of the nation, to public morals, to the defense of the weak, and to the recognition of things rightly regarded as sacred. The Bible should be read as the first among the sources of a shared Western civilization in schools and universities, and as the rightful inheritance of believers and non-believers alike. Where a Christian majority exists, public life should be rooted in Christianity and its moral vision, which should be honored by the state and other institutions both public and private. At the same time, Jews and other religious minorities are to be protected in the observance of their own traditions, in the free governance of their communal institutions, and in all matters pertaining to the rearing and education of their children. Adult individuals should be protected from religious or ideological coercion in their private lives and in their homes. (emphasis added)
Now, imagine, if you will, Lt. General Robinson, if one simply replaced the words above referencing “Christian majority” and “rooted in Christianity” with the words “White majority” and “rooted in White culture and ethnicity” or “Muslim majority” with “rooted in Islam” or “Atheist majority” with “rooted in Atheism.”
Do you get it yet, General?! We can provide endless further examples.
Or, if you don’t yet, sir, how about replacing the word “Bible” above in Section 4 with “Koran” from Islam or “Bhagavad Gita” from Hinduism or “Book of Mormon” from the LDS Church or “The Satanic Bible” from Satanism or “Tripitaka” from Buddhism and say to Christians that any of these non-Christian religious texts is “the rightful inheritance of believers and non-believers alike?” Shall we interpose a veritable legion of additional sacred religious texts from the galaxy of other cultures, ethnicities, and societies?
In point of fact, Lt. General Robinson, well-known New York Times columnist David French, himself a conservative evangelical former Army field grade officer, Judge Advocate General, and Bronze Star awardee, in his latest New York Times editorial examining the dangers of Christian Nationalism from just two days ago, February 26, 2024, wrote the following impactful analysis about this very same public statement which AWC “ethics” professor Daniel Strand proudly signed SPECIFICALLY identifying himself as being joined at the hip with the “Air War College”, under your direct command:
“In 2022, a coalition of right-wing writers and leaders published a document called “National Conservatism: A Statement of Principles.” Its section on God and public religion states: “Where a Christian majority exists, public life should be rooted in Christianity and its moral vision, which should be honored by the state and other institutions both public and private.” That’s an extraordinary — and ominous — ideological statement, one that would immediately relegate non-Christians to second-class status. It’s utterly contrary to the First Amendment and would impose a form of compelled deference to Christianity on both religious minorities and the nonreligious…” (emphasis added)
Oh, but General Robinson, there is so much more here as well.
Without belaboring this sordid matter further, please see this breaking news article immediately below, just released by MRFF through its Senior Research Director, Ms. Chris Rodda:
www.dailykos.com/...
Thus, Lt. General Robinson, as the Commander of the USAF’s Air Education and Training Command, you, sir, are 100% completely responsible for perpetuating a wholly unconstitutional and repugnant pattern and practice of endorsing the illicit, immoral, and unethical fundamentalist Christian Nationalist spewings of this so-called “ethics” professor, Daniel Strand, at AWC.
Oh, General, and let’s please never forget that this avowed Christian nationalist teaches at what is supposed to be the premiere Professional Military Education school for those elite USAF officers and designated others of rarified air, who must face tremendous competition even to be selected to attend AWC in order to make rank to full Colonel and well beyond! And THIS filthy piece of Christian Nationalist excrement, Daniel Strand, is instructing THEM at this very esteemed armed forces educational institution on critical matters of “ethics” juxtaposed with all matters of American armed conflict, generally, and the USAF’s role in same, specifically??!!
What a heinous travesty wrought with the malodorous stench of unconstitutionality and related illegality!
Now, carefully try to internalize the following USAF bedrock regulatory mandate (Air Force Instruction (AFI 1-1, Section 2.16). This seminal AFI is “directive” and not merely “advisory” as well, General Robinson, for all active duty USAF military members. Violations of this AFI 1-1 mandate can be fully punished under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
2.16. Balance of Free Exercise of Religion and Establishment Clause. Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for free exercise of religion and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion. They must ensure their words and actions do not discriminate against any individual or group because of their faith, belief, or absence of belief, or extend preferential treatment for the same. Leaders must ensure that their personal expression is not reasonably associated with their government role, but may engage in such expression per DAFI 52-201, Religious Freedom in the Department of the Air Force. (Emphasis added)
Daniel Strand is not subject to THAT particular mandatory USAF regulation as he is not on active duty. However, he certainly IS subject to a plethora of others pertaining to DoD and USAF civilians which assuredly prohibit his actions that MRFF is protesting herein; see inter alia, AFI 36-147; DoD Joint Ethics Regulation 5500.07-R; 5 CFR 2635.803; 5 CFR 2635.807(b); 5 CFR 3601.105.
Nevertheless, YOU surely are subject to the crystal clear mandates of AFI 1-1, Section 2.16, General! Indeed, as are all other Air Force active duty personnel, including Strand’s captive audience of hand-picked, stellar USAF officers, et al, on their way to even more senior positions of USAF leadership.
Thus, General Robinson, are you able now, sir, to see and discern the obvious consequential matters of your and all other USAF leaders’ official, USAF command endorsement and validation of Daniel Strand’s effusive, imperious, and fulsome love affair with promulgating all matters of Christian Nationalism whilst he concomitantly raises the banner of his direct association with the Air War College vis-a-vis AFI 1-1, Section 2.16?
YOU, General Robinson, and all others in Strand’s USAF chain of command, are DIRECTLY ENABLING this deliberate and illegal, unconstitutional malfeasance! Thus, the declaration of “SHAME ON YOU, SIR!” levied in the opening line of this official MRFF complaint.
MRFF hereby demands that you IMMEDIATELY remedy this Constitutionally-noxious travesty and initiate (1) an aggressive, visible, transparent and comprehensive USAF investigation as to the reprehensible actions described herein by Daniel Strand followed by (2) appropriate disciplinary action, to include employment termination, for Daniel Strand and/or any other AETC/AU/AWC personnel who may be found to have either directly or indirectly enabled Strand’s screed of repugnant Christian Nationalist promotion.
General, please be advised that this specific demand to you is made under, and fully pursuant to the brand new law signed by President Biden at the very end of last year; Section 1049 of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Thus, sir, you now have only 10 calendar days to send MRFF’s demand to The Honorable Frank Kendall, Secretary of the Air Force. Mr. Kendall, in turn, has only an additional 30 calendar days to transmit his decision to BOTH you and me at MRFF after he mandatorily consults with the USAF’s highest-level JAGs and civilian attorneys and military chaplains at the USAF Secretariat. To aid you in understanding and complying with this new law, the following explanatory link may be helpful:
Hoisted With His Own Petard: How GOP Rep. Mike Turner’s Failed Attempt to Shut MRFF Down Will Make MRFF More Effective than Ever!
Here is the full text of this new law for your review and compliance; please swiftly review carefully:
SEC. 1049. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROCEDURE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO DETERMINE CERTAIN COMPLAINTS OR REQUESTS REGARDING PUBLIC DISPLAYS OR PUBLIC EXPRESSIONS OF RELIGION ON PROPERTY OF THE DEPARTMENT.
(a) Establishment.–Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations that establish the procedure for the timely determination of a covered complaint or request regarding a public display or public expression of religion on property of the Department of Defense. Such regulations shall ensure that–
(1) the officer or official of the Department who receives such complaint or request forwards the covered complaint or request–
(A) to the individual authorized to make a determination under subsection (b); and
(B) not later than 10 days after such receipt; and
(2) such individual–
(A) makes such determination not later than 30 days after such individual receives such forwarded covered complaint or request; and
(B) timely notifies the individual or entity who made such covered complaint or request, and the officer or official of the Department who received such covered complaint or request, of such determination.
(b) Determinations.–A determination under regulations prescribed under subsection (a) shall be made–
(1) by–
(A) the Secretary of the military department concerned; or
(B) the head of the Defense Agency or Department of Defense Field Activity concerned; and
(2) after consultation with–
(A)(i) in the case of a determination made by the Secretary of the military department concerned, the Chief of Chaplains of the military department concerned; or
(ii) in the case of a determination made by the head of the Defense Agency or Department of Defense Field Activity concerned, the Armed Forces Chaplains Board; and
(B)(i) a civilian attorney under the jurisdiction the Secretary of the military department concerned or the head of the Defense Agency or Department of Defense Field Activity concerned; or
(ii) an officer of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
(c) Covered Complaint or Request Defined.–In this section, the term “covered complaint or request” means a complaint or request–
(1) regarding a public display or public expression of religion on property of the Department of Defense; and
(2) made by an individual or entity other than–
(A) a member of the Armed Forces;
(B) a civilian employee of the Department of Defense; or
(C) a contractor of the Department of Defense.
Thus, MRFF will expect a final decision regarding our demand for this official USAF investigation and follow-on disciplinary actions on behalf of our 27 USAF active duty and civilian clients under your direct command NLT COB Sunday, April 7, 2024.
General Robinson, please note well that failure to timely comply with this new law’s specifically designated timelines to officially respond with a determinative decision re: MRFF’s demands as detailed herein will indeed constitute final exhaustion of our collective clients’ administrative remedies. This administrative remedies exhaustion will, in turn, clear the way for swift and aggressive Federal court litigation via, inter alia, class action by MRFF’s 27 USAF clients and others to ensure that their First Amendment and DoD/USAF regulatory rights of religious freedom and freedom from Christian Nationalist religious oppression and tyranny are accordingly realized and enforced.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me (505-250-7727) anytime at MRFF.
Thank you in advance for your careful review and compliance with Section 1049 of the FY24 NDAA.
Sincerely,
Michael L. “Mikey” Weinstein, Esq.
Founder and President
Military Religious Freedom Foundation
505-250-7727
