Very frustrating, yet entirely expected news: The Fort Bragg Garrison Commander, responsible for the final approval of the aforementioned Rock Beyond Belief event, did not. Despite claims, and in fact the legal requirement, that the US Army would treat the secular event with impartiality, Garrison Commander Colonel Stephen J. Sicinski denied the level of funding that they provided to the religious (and thus unconstitutional) event hosted the previous year. In fact, the funding was 23% lower for the secular event, as projected, and would likely have come in even further down. Note that the airfare for the speakers was already provided by donation, and while I cannot be sure, it appears that much of this was lost because bookings (for an event now only a month away) were already made.
Blag Hag has further details, including contact information to let your displeasure be fully know. As has been pointed out, this is not at all unexpected, at least among those of us who know just how religious “ethics” work – basically, it translates to, “I will do whatever I damn well please and then claim to be moral and ethical.” Please don’t try to excuse any such behavior, no matter what reason: the funding issue could easily have been addressed months ago when this event was first proposed, but was not – the issue was dodged and explained away by promising the “same level of support.” This was a purposeful, calculated move to not only disallow the event, but to slam all of the careful planning and efforts that had been put into it.
Kindly make this point, as clearly and reasonably as possible, to whoever you can. It is only through making our voices heard that the magnitude of this impropriety will reach the powers-that-be. Myself, I’m sympathetic to the ones that chose to enlist and, supposedly, “serve their country” – they’re at the mercy of those who apparently feel that they’re both exempt from the duties of their office (an oath to uphold the Constitution is required of all US military personnel,) and free of the burdens of accountability and ethics.