February 14, 2012--The Bibles of Walter Reed

Late last week I spend some time checking in on what was happening at the annual CPAC, Conservative Political Action Conference.

As might be expected, since it was being held just after the ban on gay marriage in California was overturned, the Susan Korman Foundation was stepping back from its decision to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood, and President Obama was being pummeled for the new guidelines requiring Catholic (non-church) institutions to provide payment for contraceptive devices, this trifecta of cultural news was summed up by many as evidence that Obama was waging "war" on religion.

Among those leading the charge was Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. When challenged in an interview with Chris Matthews to give examples of Obama's attack on organized religion (particularly Christianity), he said that Obama had banned bibles from the Walter Reed Naval Hospital (WRNMMC).

If true, if Obama himself had approved this, this would be very disturbing and a good example of the administration's alleged assault on what should be constitutionally-protected religious practice.

Too bad Chris Matthews didn't have the facts at hand as they show conclusively that Perkins and his CPAC and Fox News enablers are almost entirely making this up. Intentionally not telling the truth for craven political purposes.

Here are the facts--

Back in September, a low-level staff member of the WRNMMC issued a memo indicating that the public would no longer be allowed to bring or distribute religious material in the hospital. As soon as the administration of the hospital (career naval officers) learned of this they immediately apologized, issued the following statement, and posted it on their Website:

Bibles and other religious materials have always been and will remain available for patient use at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The visitation policy as written was incorrect and should have been more thoroughly reviewed before its release. It has been rescinded. We apologize for any confusion the policy may have caused.

Please know that at admission, all patients are asked for their religious preference and a chaplain associated with their preference visits them regularly to provide spiritual services. In addition, their families may also bring religious material and we will not refuse any religious group entrance.

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center remains committed to supporting the religious preferences of all our patients and we will continue to ensure their spiritual needs are met.

Though this was clarified and cleared up in September, more than two months later, in early December, the Family Research Council, ignoring this fact, issued the following statement:

This is Obama's military, where homosexuality is celebrated and Christianity is censored; where witches are financed and crosses are scorned; where bestiality is embraced and Bibles are banned; where same-sex "weddings" are encouraged but international charity is not. After three years of ideological warfare, the administration's intent is clear: to disarm the military of its biggest weapon. Faith. Regardless of President Obama's agenda, there is absolutely nothing in the Constitution that empowers the government to stop family members from giving Bibles or crosses to their loved ones. And from a PR standpoint, I'm not sure the best way to boost approval ratings is by denying comfort to wounded warriors. Unfortunately for our troops, who have endured so much turmoil under the Obama administration, this is another blow.

Why didn't Chris Matthews have this information at hand so when he intervivieed Perkins he would have been able to read to him his own ignorant and biggoted words?