Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Did White House violate Army chaplains' rights?

Details

  • Description

    Peter Johnson, Jr. weighs in

  • Duration 6:04
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

You'll -- today over the Obama administration's policy requiring all employers.

Even religious ones except for churches to offer birth control coverage with no co pay and that would include coverage of sterilizations.

The US army's highest ranking Catholic was angry about the new health care rules but when he went to address the issue with Catholics in uniform the army told him.

-- Archbishop Timothy -- Leo had written a letter.

That read in part quote it is a blow to a freedom that you have fought to defend and for which you have seen your bodies fall in battle.

Joining me now Peter Johnson junior Fox News legal analyst Peter what so he they wanted them to read this from the pulpit.

The archbishop in charge of all of the military services.

Of the army the navy all the court in the United States -- Catholic faith.

Had a letter.

With regard to the Obama can't mandate and -- is happening all over the country happen outside of the areas which -- streets around the country.

And he said we cannot and we will not comply with -- is unjust law and that was part of what he wanted.

Catholic chaplains to read at mass on Sunday and then -- -- economy stepped in and said you can't say that.

You can't say that and made them take it out.

Taken out of the army is messing with the sermon that's being delivered by the army chaplains -- -- by the -- And what we've seen as an example.

And I have never seen it in American life at any time.

And it's momentous and it's disturbing censorship.

In.

-- worship service censorship.

On a Sunday.

Censorship on -- Saturday if it was a Jewish.

Religious ceremony.

And so the army saying no we find this objectionable your military officer.

But we know -- that the case alive in this country says.

That you know chaplains have the right to say what they want to say it's really clear as SSR then decided on point by the -- they re going -- to me earlier in 1997.

This goes back to -- case.

In which it -- sued the Department of Defense.

On a similar issue with regard to partial birth abortion and about the ability.

Four.

The Catholic priest to speak out on this issue.

And so unfortunately what we see here.

Is a gross horrible.

Reaching the end by the government they handled the government saying priests don't say that.

Say that that your own parent while they said they can put it in a circular distributed writing at the back of the church to that.

Get them past the legal standard.

In and know maybe it's a past legal standard in in 1949 in Poland.

Or Hungary or Czechoslovakia.

Or the eastern bloc countries where people of faith.

We're imprisoned and tortured and sometimes killed and churches were closed down and honorees were closed and congress were closed.

And seminaries were closed.

And I don't want to overstate this but it's so alien to our culture.

Morally.

Legally and constitutionally.

To say that any person of faith I'm going to prohibit -- I'm gonna select what you say I'm -- edit what you say I'm gonna pre screen it.

Talk about Schilling.

While they ultimately had to sit down the army anything Harris finished down and they came to a resolution where they were allowed to deliver their message right the archbishop -- it that the priest work.

But they had to edit it somewhat by understanding that line was excluded we can and night out that -- -- with this.

Unjust law that that had to go out its allies say is a lawyer.

There's a constitutional us.

As a Catholic.

As a proud American.

How dare you.

How did you reach -- to any.

Organization.

Any church any mosque any temple and say.

As part of the service you can't say XY.

Or Z they say they thought that line might need to secretary there and it came out and said we thought that might lead to Civil Disobedience you know we cannot -- will not to comply.

With this lot I don't know everything else could be said may not -- -- Stalin said that.

Maybe Adolf Hitler said that in the past when faith was eliminated.

-- faith is eliminated in China still today.

That's not the America.

That you know and I know and the reason you went to law school and I went to law school.

And -- my father fought the fought in World War II in your relatives fought in Vietnam and will it.

Is that is that I America.

You know it's it the timing is -- because David Axelrod has one of the top or he is president Obama's top political advisor had just has just come out.

And -- -- spoken to this -- vision Catholic Church in the White House and said it's time for people to quell lower our voices.

And get together on a way to phase in this new policy and is basically -- where it's it's happening.

Now lower our voices.

What do you make of that comment and in light of.

This dispute.

That's that's killing debate that's chilling speech that's -- the worship of of the faith -- choose to worship with the Catholic faith is saying is.

That they have a theological.

Economical.

A moral.

A natural objection to Obama cares mandate.

That bishops and priest be involved with handing out abortion drugs sterilization.

And contraception.

It's not a political statement.

For Catholics and people of other people of faith.

It's a religious right statement and that impacts the real golden rule of American life.

Which is the First Amendment so -- dearest friends have been chaplains military chaplains they've given their life for this country.

Look at the four chaplains that died in World War II they gave up their life vests so that other Americans.

Could live.

For people of different faiths have -- have to stand together First Amendment brings us together here doesn't thank you so much of the --

Load More