Air Force Flybys Will Go On at Stone Mountain

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Air Force flybys will go on at Stone Mountain

Military's involvement criticized over event's Christian orientation

By Jeffry Scott, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 26, 2007

The Air Force will still do jet flybys this weekend over the "Task Force Patriot Salute to The Troops" event at Stone Mountain Park despite criticism from a group that says the military's involvement violates the Constitution because the event is Christian-oriented.

But, instead of nine flyovers, which were in the plans earlier this week, said Stone Mountain Park spokeswoman Christine Parker, there will only be two: One at noon Saturday; one at 2 p.m. Monday.

"That's the only change they've made," said Parker. "And they said the reason for that was the number of requests for flybys at other Memorial Day events around the country."

The group Americans United for Separation of Church and State complained this week in a letter to Air Force and Army officials that the Air Force seemed to be endorsing religion with its involvement in the three-day extravaganza.

This is the fourth year of the event by Stone Mountain Park, but the first year that Lawrenceville-based Task Force Patriot USA has been involved. The group, whose leaders could not be reached for comment, scheduled a number of Christian speakers, including Air Force Maj. Brian "Jeth-ro" Neal, a B-2 bomber pilot.

Neal is quoted on the Task Force Patriot Web site saying: "The work you are doing on behalf of the veterans of this great nation is both honorable and commendable. What better way to stay in the fight than to be serving alongside other veterans in the army of the Lord."

The leader of a Los Angeles-based group, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, said Friday that he plans to file a lawsuit "very soon" against the Department of Defense, the Air Force and the Army, charging them with violating the U.S. Constitution by endorsing Christianity and systematically pushing it on service members.

"This has been building for a long time," said Michael Weinstein, the group's founder and head. "There's an expression, 'the 13th stroke of a crazy clock.' This Stone Mountain event that is happening this weekend is the 13th stroke of a crazy clock."

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