MilitaryReligiousFreedom.org

Fighting for our servicemembers' rights, so they can fight for ours.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MRFF Contact: Bekki Miller
Tel. (337) 356-8696
[email protected]

MRFF RESPONDS TO TRAVIS AFB'S REFUSAL TO RELOCATE OR
REMOVE UNCONSTITUTIONAL
RELIGIOUS DISPLAYS

Monday, December 19, 2011

MRFF, via international law firm Jones Day,
addresses refusal to relocate Nativity scene and Menorah
to chapel grounds; Demands made for Travis to come
clean on constitutionality of actions and avoidance
of discussing the issue.

Excerpt from Jones Day letter:

"Dear Colonel Sones:

We have received your letter sent at approximately 6 pm on Friday, December 16, 2011. We are disappointed that Travis AFB has chosen not to honor the request of servicemen and women who do not support Travis's endorsement of a religious message.

We continue to assert that the Travis AFB display violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Specifically, several factors support that the Air Force has acted with the "ostensible and predominant purpose" of advancing religion. McCreary County v. American Civil Liberties Union of Ky., 545 US 844, 866 (2005) ("When the government acts with the ostensible and predominant purpose of advancing religion, it violates that central Establishment Clause value of official religious neutrality, there being no neutrality when the government's ostensible object is to take sides.").

Most significantly, the Air Force's refusal to move the religious symbols to the chapel grounds, or even to respond to this aspect of our request, suggests that those symbols were intentionally given favored treatment. Although Travis has allowed some groups to install secular displays on the base, the two religious symbols (the Nativity Scene and Menorah) were placed at the busiest intersection of the base in the most prominent position of all the displays. Moreover, we understand that the Nativity Scene was the first display, with other installations added later...."

Click here to read Jones Day letter


CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IMPACT RESPONDS TO TRAVIS AFB'S REFUSAL TO RELOCATE DISPLAY

Monday, December 19, 2011

California Council of Churches IMPACT
represents 1.5 million members of 21 denominations
from 5,500 mainline Christian congregations

(below: all emphasis added)

California Church IMPACT

December 19, 2011

Dear Col. Sones:

Military Religious Freedom Foundation, via their attorneys, Jones Day, has informed us that you have decided not to move the Nativity scene to the chapel. Obviously, we in CCCI are disappointed because we believe government should not promote any faith over another, but I fear you have missed what for us is a related and important point.

The Nativity is a key symbol for the Christian community. Submerged into a putative "secular holiday display" and surrounded it with generic, not religious, icons, means that the Nativity has become no more valuable than Rudolph as part of Christmas.

It's worrisome to us as Christians to see that a struggle for some kind of political power results in turning a cherished religious symbol into mere decoration just so someone can say they "won" something.

We do not wish to relinquish the Nativity as something meaningful to us as a specifically religious symbol. It is not décor, it is not a designer motif, it is not a greeting card image, and it should not become a political football. It is important to a lot of us as a critical part of our faith.

We ask again - please move the Nativity to the chapel where its profoundly important religious value is made manifest and where it does not put the US Air Force in the position of simultaneously promoting Christianity and demeaning it.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Sholes
Director of Public Policy

Click here to view the actual CCCI letter

Click here to read last week's
original CCCI letter


MRFF FEATURED BY
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Nativity scene, menorah
can stay at Travis AFB

Monday, December 19, 2011

Selected Article Excerpts:

  • Lawyers for Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield have determined that the inclusion of a Nativity scene and a menorah in the base's holiday display does not violate troops' religious freedom.
  • The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a national group that advocates for religious freedom in the military, wrote a letter to base authorities last week saying the two displays amounted to a military endorsement of religions. It asked that the menorah and Nativity scene be moved to a nearby chapel.
  • The Military Religious Freedom Foundation will consult with its attorneys and the 121 troops at the base who filed the original complaint to decide its next move. "We're hardly surprised," said foundation president Mikey Weinstein. "It's amazing they took this long to do what they always wanted to do."

Click to read this article at SFGate


MRFF FEATURED BY
KCRA 3 SACRAMENTO

Religious Displays Can Stay On Travis Air Force Base

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Selected Article Excerpts:

  • The office of the Air Force Judge Advocate General, after legal review, determined the display does not violate the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution.
  • The display of a nativity and a menorah generated controversy when a national organization, Military Religious Freedom Foundation, requested the base remove or relocated them.
  • The religions display, with statues of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus in a manger, was placed by the Chaplin Squadron. Next to it is a large menorah. Attorneys for the foundation have threatened to sue in federal court if their demand was not satisfied.

Click to read this article, watch video at KCRA


MRFF FEATURED BY
ABC NEWS 10

Travis Air Force Base will
not move nativity scene

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Selected Article Excerpts:

  • Michael Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) wrote a letter to the base commander demanding that the nativity scene and menorah be moved. Weinstein said some Travis personnel contacted the civil rights group and lodged complaints after squadrons erected several holiday displays on base.
  • In response, MRFF spokesman Mikey Weinstein said, "There is no mystery that the air force would not remove the unconstitutional display but we are just surprised it took so long. MRFF finds it disingenuous that this information was released on a Saturday before a holiday." He implied that the timing would work to the advantage of the AFB - as it wouldn't bring as much media attention. Weinstein added, "We believe they have come to the wrong conclusion based on constitutional law. Rather than telling media through a press release we rather suggest five words: tell it to the judge."

Click to read this article at News10


BACKGROUND INFORMATION BELOW

MRFF AND ALLIES DEMAND REMOVAL OF UNCONSTITUTIONAL
RELIGIOUS DISPLAYS AT
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE

Monday, December 12, 2011

  • MRFF flexes legal muscle as it sends letter via prestigious international law firm Jones Day to 60th Air Mobility Wing Commander Col. Dwight C. Sones demanding immediate end to conspicuous violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
  • California Council of Churches IMPACT asks that religious proselytization and promotion of Christian holidays be left to churches and NOT the armed forces.
  • "Illusion of a pluralistic environment" shattered: American Atheists Military Department request for display rejected by USAF chaplaincy

MEDIA COVERAGE OF MRFF'S DEMANDS
FOR CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLIANCE

Friday, December 16, 2011

  • ABC NEWS 10 - Holiday displays bring out humbugs
    at Travis AFB (WITH VIDEO)
  • MILITARY.COM - AF Base Under Fire for Crèche,
    Menorah Displays
  • KCRA SACRAMENTO - Federal Lawsuit Over
    Holiday Display?

Thursday, December 15, 2011

  • ABC NEWS 10 - Holiday display sparks battle at Travis
    AFB (WITH VIDEO)
  • THE BALTIMORE SUN - Holiday Decorations Cause Stir on Travis Air Force Base
  • THE OAKLAND TRIBUNE (INSIDE BAY AREA) - Nativity, menorah
    displays cause stir at Travis Air Force Base
  • THE REPORTER (VACAVILLE, CA) - Group wants Travis Air Force base to remove nativity, menorah displays
  • SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE - Travis AFB asked to move
    menorah, nativity

Click here to learn more


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MRFF's Inbox

At MRFF, we receive an enormous amount of email
both from our supporters and our detractors, as well
as service members who have faced unconscionable incidents of religious bigotry.
"MRFF's Inbox" allows us to share these emails with you.

Travis displays (Letter of Support from Travis AFB)

Selected Excerpt:

Mr. Weinstein,

I just wanted to send you this e-mail asking for your help with our out here at Travis AFB. I am sure that you know about the Nativity scene that was out up by the Chaplain by now. I wanted to tell you how the scene was put up, and what it looked like from the perspective of someone on base.

When the Nativity was first put up, it was the only thing for a few days. Gradually the other invited squadrons put up Christmas cards along side it. For a while it was standing by itself. Also the Nativity scene is one of the few that are lit up at night, there are a few other Christmas cards that have lights, but the Nativity scene is the only one with three gigantic light illuminating it. Later, after several other Christmas cards were put up, the Menorah was added in what was seemingly an afterthought. The Nativity scene is defiantly taller and larger than the other cards, and although there are other displays along side it none of them are three dimensional. One is left to wonder why there are rules imposed on the squadrons cards, but not the plastic Jesus. Would a three dimensional fully lit, and larger display from another worldview be tolerated?

(continued, see link below)

Click to read letter

Click here to read many more emails MRFF
has received in the "MRFF's Inbox" archive


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Military Religious Freedom Foundation, nor has expressed endorsement thereof.

While we make every effort to ensure that news articles pertaining to our Foundation remain available for you to access,
we are unable to guarantee that the link above will remain online and unchanged indefinitely.