Except that in a lot of situations, they're in uniform in their free time. If you tell a soldier that he can't express religious views while he's in uniform, then you're telling him that he has no free speech while on base and off duty, which could be all his free time for weeks or months while he's "in theatre". Even stateside, if he lives on base, you're effectively telling him that he doesn't have free speech in his own home.
I can see your reasoning here. There are different angles.
On one hand, for instance, a teacher (for instance) isn't supposed to go to a strip club. A CEO or spokesperson isn't supposed to be brazenly drunk in public.
I deliberately didn't mention things like teachers being unable to fraternize with students on Facebook, because that's a different issue, I think.
But I'm also a firm believer in the concept that once someone is off the clock, their personal business and personal affairs are theirs alone. I don't care if a teacher goes to a strip club (in fact, when I worked in one, I saw at least one "familiar face!") and I don't care if a spokesperson gets caught smoking herb as long as both do their jobs appropriately and well when they're on the job.
I guess the question is this: does a person in the military have the same rights as a civilian even when off-duty? Apparently not if they have to wear their uniform. I'm not making an argument here, I'm asking a question, because I really don't know: why do they still have to wear a uniform when off-duty?
If they have to wear a uniform because they have inherently different rights as part of the military, I'm iffy on the ethics of that -- but if they're wearing a uniform then they are representing the military and the government. They should therefore be subject to the due appropriateness that comes with that while the uniform is on.
Let me maybe bend my position a little bit from what I said earlier. Just as a politician (who represents our government) has the right to pray in public if they wish, then I guess it's okay for military people in uniform to pray in public. It's just what I would consider to be "bad form" if they get a little to flaunty with it.
For instance, on
this blog, there is a picture that disturbs me as much as it disturbs the author. I have no idea how authentic this blog is or if the caption for the picture is correct, but here is the picture:
The caption reads, "US troops pushing Christianity on Muslim children."
Now, I have no idea whether or not that's what's
actually occurring in the picture. Regardless, I want to argue that even if a soldier is in his "free time" that he or she should have
no business whatsoever proselytizing if his or her uniform is on. That disturbs me greatly, and that goes for any sort of proselytizing (even if a soldier is arguing against religion).
I think it might be okay, but pushing the envelope, for a soldier to pray or make a symbol/gesture of prayer or to say that they believe something or don't believe something.
But I think it would cross a huge red line for someone in uniform to
endorse something or to
argue against something religious.
There's a difference between "I love Jesus Christ" or "I'm an atheist in a foxhole" and saying "I love Jesus Christ,
and you should too" or "Jesus has done so much for my life,
he could do the same for you" and such.
