The term “political correctness” is often a hard one to describe, but I think the definition I’ve settled on is that it’s most obviously seen as something that allows a minority – often a very small minority – to effect change at the expense of the majority.
Now, there are times when majority rule shouldn’t dictate public policy. I’m not saying that. But sometimes there is an attitude that seeks to eliminate anything, no matter how longstanding a practice or tradition it might be, that a small group finds offensive.
Christianity has been a major victim in this battle, with many Christian symbols and customs being outlawed or discouraged to avoid offending others. There was the ban on crucifixes in European classrooms, which was later reversed, to name but one example. Efforts to remove Easter trading restrictions in New Zealand are another example. As is the protest against the Ten Commandments being on display in government buildings in the US.
The latest attempt – and successful attempt – that’s come across my radar is a branch of the US Air Force removing the word God from its motto.
As the Washington DC-based publication The Hill reports:
A group of Republican lawmakers is protesting the removal a reference to God in the patch logo for the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO).
The 35 lawmakers, led by Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.), wrote a letter to Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz urging them to restore the logo with a reference to God.
Forbes warned that the action taken by the RCO could set a “dangerous precedent” when it comes to religion and the military.
“The action taken by the RCO suggests that all references to God, regardless of their context, must be removed from the military,” Forbes wrote. “As we are confident that your legal advisors would not suggest that censorship is required for compliance with the First Amendment, we ask that you reverse this perplexing decision.”
The patch logo was changed after a military atheist group, the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, protested the reference to God on the patch. The patch has a saying on it in Latin, which is common for military patches, that tranlates to: “Doing God’s Work with Other People’s Money.”
The saying was then changed last month to say: “Doing Miracles with Other People’s Money.”
This is nuts, right? In God We Trust is the official motto of the United States and has been for 55 years. How long before that’s challenged as offensive? Ooops, that’s right, it already has been and the calls for change have so far been knocked back.
Christianity and Christian values are under serious and well-organised attack. We will continue to have to fight for the right to publicly profess our beliefs against those who find my faith offensive to them.
