‘hurt’ feelings of the minority

Dear MRFF,

The ‘hurt’ feelings of the minority seem to always take
precedence over the majority. This Airman, who stated he “joined the
military to support and defend the Constitution,” seemed to forget the
fundamental rule of a democracy; majority rules. This Airman offends
me by attacking my beliefs. What makes a nation is best summed up by
Michael Savage: borders, language, and culture. Christmas just so
happens to be in our culture. So as I type this email from the Middle
East defending our nation’s borders, language, and culture. Merry
Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!”

(name withheld)

Dear (name withheld),

Let me start off by introducing myself: my name is Akiva David Miller
and I am the Veterans Coordinator for the Military Religious Freedom
Foundation.

You assert in your note that the majority gets to decide things in a
democracy. Obviously that’s the argument of a simpleton. You imply
that you are an active duty service member; if this is indeed the
case, please tell me that you aren’t really that ignorant. I am a
Veteran who served our nation honorably and with distinction. I took
an oath to uphold the Constitution, not the ramblings of a notorious
bigot like Michael Savage, one of the world’s most famous
self-loathing Jews! Are you really so intellectually and morally
vacuous that you actually believe that the oath you took to defend the
Constitution is meaningless? And since when does the majority rule in
the U.S. Military. I’m sure your C.O. would be surprised to learn that
you think the majority can just decide they don’t like military
regulations. The fact is, even in the civilian world, if the majority
always had their way there wouldn’t be anything approaching racial
equality in the United States. African Americans and every other
minority group would be relegated to second class status. Please tell
me you really aren’t that much of an imbecile! This is why we have a
Constitution, to protect the American citizenry from the tyranny of
the majority.

The fact is that both DoD and Department of Veterans Affairs
regulations stipulate that permanent religious displays are not
permitted. Religious displays may only be displayed and used during
individual religious services and then taken down immediately
afterward. Also, the Constitution forbids the government from
endorsing or supporting any one particular religion. Your right to the
free exercise of your religion stops the moment it begins to infringe
on the free exercise of my religion or no religion.

I thank you for writing the Foundation and hope you will consider
writing to us again some time once you educate yourself and learn to
sort out fact from fiction. Try to keep in mind, as much as you wish
it weren’t so, bigotry doesn’t ever trump reality, military
regulations or the U.S. Constitution.

Happy Holidays,
Akiva David Miller

Mr Miller,
I simply wrote a note stating a known fact; that in a democracy, “majority
rules.” That is taught in schools all over our country. That’s right,
Obama got in office because the majority of Americans voted for him thus the
electors voted him in office and here we are today. Does a Senator or
Congressman feel the pressure when (the majority) sends him/her emails,
letters or calls them on a particular subject?

You asserted that I’m a “simpleton” and asked if I’m “ignorant” along with
other names. Name calling is a sure sign of losing an argument/debate! No
matter how you twist it, this country was founded under Christianity. The
Separation of Church and State was to avoid a repeat of a particular church
influencing the government like was the case in England. I’m pretty sure
Gen George Washington had some sort of Chaplain when he was fighting the Red
Coats and knew of churches on military bases from the beginning of our
country. To this day, churches are on military bases across the country
offering several different faiths’ services. Sounds like religious
tolerance to me. Not the government endorsing one particular religion!

You stated the DoD and Veterans Affairs does not allow permanent religious
displays. I don’t see the Nativity Scene or Menorah all year long. They
get taken down right after Christmas. Notice I said Nativity Scene and
Menorah……they’re not endorsing one particular religion there. Not sure
if you know it but a Menorah is Jewish and the Nativity Scene depicts
Christ’s birth therefore representing Christianity. And if another religion
wishes to have their “holiday” displayed, I’m all for them doing it.

The bases have USO tours and military specific bands and groups that perform
year round. Perhaps scantily clad NFL cheerleaders may offend someone when
they drive by. Does that mean everyone has to suffer because the hurt
feelings of the minority are once again in question? What about UFC
fighters or boxers? What if someone thinks they are “gladiators” and it
offends them that they would be forced to see them? So why not this, if you
don’t like something or it offends you, be a grown up and don’t go to the
event or don’t look at the displays.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah (since these are the holidays this
month),
(name withheld)

Dear (name withheld)

This will be the last time I waste time on you, for as I asserted, you
are indeed simple-minded. A majority does not set DoD policy. And once
again you are incorrect regarding our nation being founded as a
Christian nation. Finally, as a Jew I am perfectly aware of what a
menorah is, I light one every night during Chanukah.

Here are three quotes that give lie to your assertion that this nation
was founded as a Christian nation, as well as your implication that
our Constitution and body of laws wasn’t meant to provide for a strict
wall of separation between Church and State:

“Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely
between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his
faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach
actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence
that act of the whole American people which declared that their
legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a
wall of separation between church and State.” -Thomas Jefferson

“The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from
these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe
with blood for centuries.” -James Madison

“As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any
sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no
character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of
Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act
of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the
parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever
produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two
countries.” – Article 11, Treaty of Tripoli, 1796, ratified by the
Congress and signed by President John Adams, 1797, with the attached
Presidential statement: “Now be it known, That I John Adams, President
of the United States of America, having seen and considered the said
Treaty do, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, accept,
ratify, and confirm the same, and every clause and article thereof.
And to the End that the said Treaty may be observed, and performed
with good Faith on the part of the United States, I have ordered the
premises to be made public; And I do hereby enjoin and require all
persons bearing office civil or military within the United States, and
all other citizens or inhabitants thereof, faithfully to observe and
fulfill the said Treaty and every clause and article thereof.”

The Founding Fathers have spoken. And with that I am happily done with
you sir. You can continue to waste your time writing and postulating
both ignorance and lies which you continue to ingest by listening to
hate radio and who knows what other ignorant sources of fundamentally
bigoted lies and half truths; however, no one here at the Foundation
will waste any more time on your foolishness. My advice to you would
be to try opening a book sometime – a history book – and try to
develop a little intellectual curiosity; I know that is frowned upon
within the right wing crowd within which you circulate, but you can
either choose to remain ignorant your whole life or open up your mind
to new information.

Good day,

Akiva David Miller
Veterans Coordinator
Military Religious Freedom Foundation

Real mature of you with the name calling again…..to save you the next
email effort, I didn’t read past your first insult so after this email I
will delete this email and any other emails received without opening.

(name withheld)