disgusting
 

Friday, Jan 24, 2003


Local


http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/local/5018088.htm








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Posted on Fri, Jan. 24, 2003

Honor guard fired for blessings may file suit to get his job back
By David O'Reilly
Inquirer Staff Writer

Patrick Cubbage, fired as an honor guardsman at a New Jersey veterans' cemetery for saying "God bless you" at grave-site flag presentations, said yesterday he was considering a legal challenge to get his job back.

Cubbage said he would meet with the Rutherford Institute of Charlottesville, Va., a legal organization that specializes in religious-rights issues.

The Rutherford Institute was one of three such organizations that contacted Cubbage after his dismissal was reported in Wednesday's Inquirer.

Ron Rissler, legal coordinator for the Rutherford Institute, said yesterday that based on the published account of his firing, Cubbage appeared to have a "strong claim" to get his job back.

"He's got... constitutional protection of free speech because he was speaking in a government forum. So he's got a cushion," Rissler said in a telephone interview.

A former Vietnam combat veteran and retired Philadelphia police officer, Cubbage, 54, of Northeast Philadelphia, was hired part time in October 2001 to serve in the honor guard at the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans' Memorial Cemetery in Burlington County.

During grave-site flag presentations to next of kin, Cubbage regularly said, "God bless you and this family, and God bless the United States of America," after the the standard lines of the presentation.

An evangelical Christian, Cubbage said that he gave the blessing only if the family had had a chapel service or a clergy person at the grave and that he knew of no family that had complained.

But in mid-October, a supervisor told him the blessing was to be used only when formally requested by the deceased's family.

Cubbage said he was fired Oct. 31 after he offered the blessing at a funeral. The son of a veteran about to be buried told him the family would welcome the blessing.

The public affairs office of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs did not respond to telephone and e-mail requests for comment yesterday.

Previously, Lt. Colonel Roberta Niedt, a spokeswoman for the department, said she could not comment on Cubbage's dismissal because it might become a matter of litigation.

Cubbage said yesterday he had received no communication from the department since the article appeared but had received nearly 100 telephone calls from friends and well-wishers from across the country.

"It's unbelievable," he said. "Guys I was in the service with. Guys on the [police] force. People from my church."

He also spoke by phone on about a dozen radio call-in shows in Seattle, Birmingham, Ala., New York, Utah and Texas.

He said he is scheduled to appear on CNN Monday at 7:30 p.m.

The Inquirer has received about 60 phone calls and nearly 500 e-mail messages in response to the article, which has appeared on several Web sites, including the Drudge Report.


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Contact staff writer David O'Reilly at 215-854-5723 or doreilly@phillynews.com.



11brav o

11-B
 

Been following this story with much ire and wrath,as I was fortunate enough to pull burial detail before being sent to Vietnam.This is the biggest load of BULLSHIT I have ever seen.It should be noted that Cubbage was re-instated-Heard it on FOX this AM.

11Bravo
 

Thanks for posting this initially. Heard of this caper later on the Fox News Channel, since the PC talking heads wouldn't touch it. After watching the political insanity of Florida earlier, I'm beginning to believe that New Jersey has succeeded in becoming the home of dumb-ass politicians: the abrogation of law in the recent Senate race, the appointment of an avowed Marxist as State Poet Laureate, and now this? Poor ol' COL MURPH and Neil must have embarrassed faces!!

I belong to an Honor Guard that is made up of Legion and VFW members. We are all volunteers and do many funerals. We are available upon the request of the family involved. I've been doing it for at least ten years and have never ever heard of anything even remotely like this. The families of the departed vet are so gratefull to us thats it's almost embarrasing sometimes. We don't do it for praise but as one last honor to a fallen brother. I consider in an honor to be asked to do it. To have somebody complain about a blessing at a funeral is almost incomphrehenible to me. Those responsible for Mr. Cubbage's firing should be ashamed.

Drywall!
 

My dear old friend. I know I say this every time, but God bless you and your Honor Guard. It meant so much to me at daddy's funeral. I don't have the words to thank you enough for your and all the other Service Organizations for their participation in saying goodbye to our deceased brothers. Thanks is all I can say.

Now, about being ashamed of themselves.......if they had any shame, none of this would ever happen. Shame is a forgotten word in our PC world. It's a crying SHAME.


Airborne!

Packo

It baffles me that people can be offended by someone saying "god bless you" - If I ever hear someone wishing the favor of a God outside my religion on me - you can be sure I will swiftly retaliate with sincere gratitude!

Paco,
The honor is mine, I'm glad to do it. Somebody asked me once why we would stand out in the freezing cold and snow to do this. It's the very least we can do.

Thanks

thank you, my sweet brother Griz
 

TKS.... 11BRAVO....QuangTri-FO(17CHARLIE)...OVER..
 

Hello 11BRAVO,

Thanks for posting the link to the artical....
...I passed it on to several egroups at Yahoo

My first MOS was 11C ...tnging at Ft Gordon, GA
67-68 (winter in E/8/3 ) where did you do your 11B?

I ended up going to Nam as a Target Acquisition
Specialist ... from 02APR69 to 20OCT70 along the
DMZ (mostly the Eastern 1/2...Coast to about the Khe
Gio Bridge area, ...points North of QL9 ( Nat'l rt9)

I'm not overly religous(sp) ...But there were times
that I put in a few micro second prayers....that he
seemed to answer ...was sure that he put his hand
around me on a number of times.

http://www.geocities.com/tnrebelin/index.html
tks 11B,
Carl L. Moore ( QuangTri-FO ) 17C
at tnrebelin@yahoo.com

Drywall...
 

Like you Brother, I too belong to an Honor Guard Unit that is made up of 'Nam vets. For over 19 years, it has always been our honor and privilege to be asked to participate in rendering honors to any veteran, of any era, for their families. We are always in uniform and attendance either 'offically or unofficially' anytime a Brother nam vet is laid to rest here in Southwestern Ohio. It's our belief that a Brother will never go down alone.

Over the years, I personally have had the awesome privilege to present the flag to the loved ones of many a fallen Brother. I cannot fathom presenting the flag to a family without the words "God Bless You and God Bless America". At the terrible time of having to say a final goodbye to a loved one, never have I ever had anyone ever say anything but 'Thank You' for being present, be appreciative of our involvement and the few words of comfort we try to provide as we present the flag.

I would suggest that the person who objected to the words "God Bless You" be required to present the flag to a weeping spouse and family the next time they have a funeral in New Jersey. Then let's see if he objects...

God Bless You!
Honored and Privileged to have 'Been There and Done That'
Smitty