Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Lee Seligman and I am a 72-year old alumnus of the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1960 [at a time when Jews -yes, I am- were not particularly welcome at the Academy or in the Navy, a U.S. Air Force veteran, and retired U.S. Customs Service Law Specialist [Customs Attorney]. Today, although I am proud of my Jewish heritage, I am more of a secular Jew [I would note that my Mother was an Episcopalian and my paternal Grandmother a convert from the Methodist church to Judaism and my oldest son's in laws are Buddhist, so I feel particularly qualified to recognize bigotry and ignorance where ever and whenever they raise their heads.
Mikey asked me to respond to your email to him because -primarily- he is far too busy responding to the emails he receives from those requesting his assistance on vital matters of Constitutional import to members of our military [interestingly, most -well over 90%- from Christian members of the military and their families], let alone to respond to the invective received from miscreant, ignorant, pissants ,mainly from the far-right “christian” evangelical “amerikan taliban”.
I was in the process of drafting a response to you when: firstly, Mikey sent me a copy of Akiva Miller’s response to you; and secondly you responded !
Accordingly, in light of your last, my response to you is much tempered from that originally drafted. While I agree and second everything Akiva iterated in his response, I am going to take a different tack for now. However, I am perfectly willing and able … in fact I would be over joyed … should the ocassion EVER arise to assist Akiva and/or Mikey and/or his sons [also USAFA alumni ... although I don't hold that against them ... too much !] and/or his Father [USNA, Class of 1953] in kicking your sorry ass and I am much closer to Electric Stars than any of them !
If your apology is TRULY SINCERE and you actually believe your positions are closer than indicated by your original intemperate, ignorant email, and you actually believe the oath you allegedly took to ” support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic, I suggest you prove it by puting your money where your big mouth is and becoming a paying member of The Military Religious Freedom Foundation’s Constitution Society ! .
I’m sure we all wait with bated breath to see if you’re “all hat and no cattle” and not simply a big-mouthed embarrassment to Jews and both active duty, retired, and veteran officers of the United States Navy, indeed to all concerned members of our military and civilians !
Lee Seligman, USNA ’60
