Says White House is Creating Tyrannical Culture of Political Correctness

A Midwestern lawmaker is calling on his colleagues in Congress to offer cover to an Army soldier under fire for his conservative political views and religious faith, and accusing the Obama administration of “creating a tyrannical culture of political correctness in the military.”

Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., is introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would prevent the Army from conducting a court martial of Master Sgt. Nathan Sommers until the military first files a report for Congress to review.

“The Secretary of the Army shall provide to Congress a report on activities with respect to Master Sergeant Nathan Sommers at least 90 days prior to taking any further disciplinary or administrative action against that individual,” states Huelskamp’s amendment.

The amendment would also allow service members to sue in the event their First Amendment rights are violated. Huelskamp said the legislation will “unblock the courthouse door so that service members whose First Amendment rights have been violated by the federal government can seek redress like any other American.”

“Sgt. Sommers is the poster child for an increasingly pervasive pattern of persecution,” Huelskamp told Fox News.

Sommers, a decorated member of the U.S. Army Band, came under intense scrutiny after he was found with pro-Republican, anti-Obama bumper stickers on his personal car. An Army officer informed the solider – in writing – that the stickers were creating “workplace tension.” The 25-year military veteran was also told to stop reading books written by conservative authors while in uniform. A superior officer told him that reading books by Mark Levin, Sean Hannity and David Limbaugh was offensive to other soldiers.

Last summer, Sommers was investigated and reprimanded for serving Chick-fil-A sandwiches at his promotion party after the fast-food chain became a rallying point for opponents of same-sex marriage due to statements by the company president.

“In honor of [Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell] repeal and Obama/Holder’s refusal to endorse [the Defense of Marriage Act], I’m serving Chick-fil-A at my MSG promo reception for Army today.” Sommers tweeted about the party.

That tweet was mentioned in an official Army document critical of the soldier’s actions.

“As a Soldier you must be cognizant of the fact that your statements can be perceived by the general public and other service members to be of a nature bordering on disrespect to the President of the United States,” the document stated.

A day after Fox News published Sommers’ story, he was slapped with an Article 15 charge – on unrelated matters – including giving a superior officer the wrong date for a doctor’s appointment and refusing to disclose private information about his autistic son’s medical records.

Huelskamp believes those accusations may be trumped up.

-snip-

Read more:http://www.redstate.com/toddstarnes/2013...istian-soldier/

This is a tough one.

It reminds me of when I was in the Navy (72-78) and the topic was saluting. As an enlisted in the Navy, there were many senior officers that I felt neither deserved nor commanded my respect - yet we were expected to salute them if we encountered them.

"If you cannot respect the office holder, at least respect the office" we were told.

Like it or not, Zero does hold the position of "Commander-in-chief" - thus, he occupies the top-slot in the military chain-of-command. His office (if not the man himself) deserves respect. In that vein, the soldier probably shouldn't have mentioned Obama's name in his tweet.

But I certainly sympathize with him and his plight.

I don't know. Since when does joining the military mean you have to give up all of your constitutional rights? Is that in the military code, a handbook, what?

I can't find anything constitutionally to justify that this officer must abide by pentagon approved censored reading material.

As to respecting the CIC - yes - but officers must swear an oath of allegiance not to the CIC but to the Constitution. When the CIC starts dismantling that constitution it seems to me that all officers should be marching on the white house - all reading material put aside for the moment.

But what do I know? I'm just a peon living out here in fly over country.

Quote: Rufus T Firefly wrote in post #2

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This is a tough one.

It reminds me of when I was in the Navy (72-78) and the topic was saluting. As an enlisted in the Navy, there were many senior officers that I felt neither deserved nor commanded my respect - yet we were expected to salute them if we encountered them.

"If you cannot respect the office holder, at least respect the office" we were told.

Like it or not, Zero does hold the position of "Commander-in-chief" - thus, he occupies the top-slot in the military chain-of-command. His office (if not the man himself) deserves respect. In that vein, the soldier probably shouldn't have mentioned Obama's name in his tweet.

But I certainly sympathize with him and his plight.

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There is no such thing as an "Article 15 " charge. Article 15 authorizes a process for the non-judicial disposition of charges that would otherwise be adjudicated by Court Martial. All defendants have the ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO REFUSE an Article 15 and demand a court martial. Perhaps ther Congressman should wait to see what the Sergeant chooses to do before butting in.