The opening paragraph:
The Army has a valid interest in vaccinating its soldiers, and it has made the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory. But its soldiers have a right to religious freedom, which in this case includes a sincere religious objection to the COVID-19 vaccine. Which side must yield? The answer lies in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which applies to the military: The Army must accommodate religious freedom unless it can prove that the vaccine mandate furthers a compelling interest in the least restrictive means.
The conclusion:
Our first commander in chief cautioned that “[w]hile we are Contending for our own Liberty, we should be very cautious of violating the Rights of Conscience in others.” Letter from George Washington to Colonel Benedict Arnold (Sept. 14, 1775), in THE PAPERS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, 1 REVOLUTIONARY WAR SERIES 455–56 (1985). … Our Constitution “obligates Congress, upon creating an Army, to make religion available to soldiers” because the Army must not “deprive the soldier of his right under the Establishment Clause not to have religion inhibited and of his right under the Free Exercise Clause to practice his freely chosen religion.” Id. at 234. Here, the Army does not dispute this history or its ongoing obligation to accommodate its soldiers’ religious freedom, including compliance with RFRA. But it has failed to prove that its ongoing imposition of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which indisputably burdens some soldiers’ sincerely held religious beliefs, serves a compelling interest through the least restrictive means available. As a result, the Army must retreat from imposing its mandate in this particular field and permit religious exemptions to these plaintiffs.
The decision is here.
Aaron is one of the great heroes of this century. His valiant efforts on behalf of truth, liberty, justice, and humanity will not be forgotten 🙌
P.S. I assume you are aware of Baby Alex’s tragic story. I just shared the definitive account from his mother correcting the numerous inaccuracies that have been proliferating about this story:
• “Baby Alex: The Definitive Account—in His Mother’s Own Words” (https://margaretannaalice.substack.com/p/baby-alex-the-definitive-accountin)
They will be seeking legal justice. If you or someone you know would like to help them, please let me know, and I would be happy to put you in touch with his parents.
Absolute nonsense. This is no victory at all. Opening sentence - ignorant, biased dogma which renders everything that follows as worthless as the first sentence. Where is the evidence to support the "valid interest in vaccinating its soldiers"? Was this evidence presented and tested and proved beyond reasonable doubt, let alone irrefutably? This is the 21st century and we think it's a legal victory for the supreme dogma (religion) to trump the COVID dogma? Unless we let reason trump ALL dogma, especially in a court of law, as a species, we will never progress.