Blog & Mablog Pete Hegseth, the First Amendment, and Me. Oh, and Tucker. And the Swarming Harpies.
Feb 24, 2026
A conversation about a voluntary Pentagon prayer meeting and how it relates to the First Amendment. A look at historical meanings of establishment and distinctions between hard and soft establishment. Reflections on a recorded conversation with Tucker Carlson and concerns about some of his fans. A critique of Israel fixation and its effect on policy priorities.
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Voluntary Pentagon Prayer Meeting Story
- Doug Wilson describes being invited to lead a voluntary monthly Pentagon prayer meeting started by Secretary Pete Hegseth during lunch hour.
- He contrasts it with a boot camp memory where atheists were forced to bow heads, emphasizing the voluntary, non-compulsory nature of the Pentagon meeting.
Originalist View Of Establishment Versus Free Exercise
- The First Amendment contains both an Establishment Clause and a Free Exercise Clause, and critics often pit them against each other to argue that free exercise equals establishment.
- Wilson argues originalist history shows federal establishment meant creating an official church with state support, not voluntary workplace prayer, so the Pentagon meeting does not equate to establishing a national church.
Historical State Establishments And Soft Establishment
- Historical practice shows several states kept established churches into the 19th century and the founders left religious establishment decisions largely to states.
- Wilson says 'soft establishment' (national acknowledgement of Christian consensus) is compatible with originalism and distinct from hard establishment that funds a denomination.