The Military Religious Freedom Foundation will file a lawsuit to challenge military leaders' refusal to support a secular-themed concert at Fort Bragg with the same resources it provided to a recent Christian event. Critics charged the "Rock the Fort" event, sponsored by the Billy Graham Association, with being an improper use of military resources to evangelize military personnel.
Rock Beyond Belief was scheduled to be a large outdoor gathering with noted scientist and atheist Richard Dawkins as the keynote speaker, but the event's organizer was recently informed it would have to take place at a smaller indoor venue, and that no military funds would be available to provide support, essentially canceling the plans.
Ed Brayton, author of Dispatches From the Culture Wars was scheduled to host the event, and writes:
The fact is that this was a test from the start, a test of the military's promise that they would treat a non-Christian event the same as they treated the previous Christian one. And the military failed that test.We know from FOIA requests that the base paid tens of thousands of dollars in support for the Billy Graham event and they are now refusing to do the same for our event.
