ROTC Proselytizing at New Mexico State University

      Can you and your children expect anything less, after the bought evangelical blessing of the local federal court in Las Cruces, that Christian symbols are perfectly OK on government and other public properties?  You may think Latin crosses in any configuration (especially three) are Christian-religious.  Not in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where the cry from citizens echoed across the chile and cotton fields, "They're not religious, they only represent our culture and our community."  Duh.  Translated in Las Cruces-speak means, "If you are not an abiding Christian, Catholic or Protestant, we will only tolerate your presence."  As long as you keep your head down.
      New Mexico State University has several departments that have been engaged in proselytizing the students and general public for years.  Several professors are known to lie about their involvement with the evangelicals employed by the university and the promotion of Christianity.  And all the while the unsuspecting students from a variety of cultures and religions, even no religions, are being subjected to Christian proselytizing.  The current triangular logo of the university reeks of sectarian Christian fundamentalism and the university leaders bask in that knowledge, that lends tacit approval of promoting the Christian religion.
      Recently I attended the US Army SROTC (Senior ROTC) commissioning/graduating ceremony on campus.  Since I served in two branches, Navy and Army, enlisted and officer, I totally expected an uplifting "Duty, Honor, and Country" ceremony for the newly commissioned officers. 
      I had read that there was a rabid influx of Christian evangelists doing all they can to turn our military forces into obedient, slavish soldiers of Christ.  This is exactly what this ceremony reflected.  The guest speaker was a retired Army officer active with the ROTC.  His speech was nothing but a Catholic sermon using the fictional character in the fictional book, The Vicar of Christ, an American Marine who became the Catholic Pope.  The book title was referenced several times in the Elmer Gantry-like energetic presentation seen in revival tents, and of course, on evangelical TV shows.  Excerpts from the book had been copied for the new officers with an admonishment to read and reflect on the ideas on the pages; blatantly assuming in the fashion of evangelists that all were good Christians, and if not, they should be.
       Next up was the Commanding Officer of the SROTC unit at the university.   His equally evangelical proselytizing sermon was not so animated, but he did not fail to get his fundamentalist Christian message out to the new officers. Surely they had heard this many times from their commander and fearfully feigned obedience. The unsuspecting audience of parents and friends sat stoically as he repeated "So help me God," from the oath of allegiance, over and over.  Even though I was present, I failed to grasp the sermon's point, it being illegal anyway.
       The 'chaplain' nervously gave the opening and closing prayer. Even though it was Christian, it was almost benign as compared to the two sermons the new officers and attendees were forced to bear.