“Even If They Are An Admiral in the United States Navy Like Me”

To: Mr. Weinstein and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF),

I am the person who called you out of the blue very recently to thank you for what you and the MRFF do to protect religious freedom of conscience rights in the United States Navy (and all of DoD for that matter as well). I know about the MRFF’s powerful impact in the Navy the best; firsthand. I am an active duty Admiral in the U.S. Navy with, shall we say, more than one star. I am a 1970’s era graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis and currently command a large “Naval entity” with multiple thousands of U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps military and civilian personnel. I won’t get anymore specific than that at this time. I am also a “closet MRFF supporter” and have been for quite a while. In fact, I’ve been a stealth MRFF fan ever since I was awestruck as to how the MRFF courageously stood up very publicly to the then Superintendent of my alma mater, the U.S. Naval Academy. This event happened a few years ago because that particular Admiral would not, himself, stand up to the Christian religious zealots there who demanded that they be allowed to dip the American flag “to the altar of our Lord and Savior” at their evangelical Sunday morning church services at the Naval Academy chapel. I might add that I, myself, like most of the MRFF’s clients happen to be of the Christian faith.

I am also a donor to the MRFF. However, I donate through a “safe” third party to avoid any possibility of anyone knowing how much I support the MRFF. That innocuous third party, of course, gets the tax deduction, not me, but I get the deep satisfaction of knowing that I’m aiding the only organization that understands the dire consequences of what is happening in the U.S. armed forces of today. Mr. Weinstein is completely right when he describes the chuch-state wall destruction in the DoD as a national security threat of the highest order. Our Constitution is being defiled in the Navy and Marine Corps by religious bigotry and from extremists within my own faith tradition; Christianity. I wish I could “come out” with my strong support of the MRFF. Unfortunately, if I did so my naval career would be over and, thus, my effectiveness to support the MRFF from within the “Navy Body Politic” would also be at an abrupt end. I may not be proud of my clandestine, versus overt, MRFF admiration and support, but I have laboriously reconciled within myself that, for now, even unseen support is better than no support at all for the MRFF. Please know that I have personally advised a number of military and civilian Naval and Marine Corps personnel over the years to seek direct aid, counsel and intervention from the MRFF and that the MRFF has never failed to come through for any of them. Many of those I have sent to the MRFF have been under my own command. Think about that for a moment but do not think too long. Yes, that great irony is just a small example of how bad things are in today’s Navy and Marine Corps when it comes to Christian religious zealotry and proselytization. A few days ago, an acquantance who is a senior ranking, active duty U.S. Army officer called me shortly after listening to Mr. Weinstein speak at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He told me that Mr. Weinstein very forcefully, effectively and colorfully (is there any other way for him?) made his and the MRFF’s case in front of that initially skeptical audience of several hundred people. He asked me if I thought that Mr. Weinstein’s message was “for real”? This senior Army officer did not know then, and still does not know, about my long history of MRFF support. I answered his question with a question. I asked him if he’d ever reviewed the MRFF website. He told me that he had not and I suggested that he do so. Half an hour before I called Mr. Weinstein, as mentioned above, that same senior Army officer called me back. He told me that after closely reviewing the MRFF website, it was now clear to him that Mr. Weinstein’s message was not only “real” but vividly described a very clear and present danger to our country. Now, given his own very senior rank and many years of current Army active duty service, the questions of how he could not already be well aware of this situation and what he is actually prepared to do about it are ones only he can answer. I did not ask him about those important matters, though perhaps I should have. But it was that telephone exchange that prompted me to finally call Mr. Weinstein and, for the first time, offer my personal thanks for what ONLY he and the MRFF organization provide for our armed forces members who cannot provide for themselves when confronting unconstitutional religious zealotry and bias from their superiors; even if they are an Admiral in the United States Navy like me.

(name, exact rank, military unit/command and military installation withheld)

Mikey,

How eloquent and touching; a small comfort, to be sure, but a comfort
none-the-less that at least one high ranking military official is
conscious of the scourge of evangelical proselytizing in our Department
of Defense. I do not know who he or she is, but as a former AF Captain,
I would like to thank him or her from those of us “down below” (or, in
AF terms, those of us “out on the flightline”) for supporting MRFF and
directing others seek the help they may need from such an organization.
But his or her message is also one of frustration and despondency. No
American should be ashamed to voice concern for his or her rights nor
feel compelled to hide his or her loyalties out of fear for career
repercussions. Yet, as a Navy admiral, he or she certainly does, and I
very much understand his or her situation. I proudly sported a Military
Religious Freedom Foundation bumper sticker on my vehicle a few years
back when stationed in the South, and one day, upon leaving the base
gym, I found a uniformed Security Forces NCO staring at it. As I
approached, he looked at me and said, “I was wondering who owned this.
Ma’am, you have a lot of balls to put that on your car down here.
You’re really brave, but watch yourself.” Although I was buoyed by his
tacit encouragement, I knew what he meant: being so forthright could
attract the wrath of those who wish the military an exclusive
evangelical Protestant institution. Happily, I never experienced any
such backlash, but I wonder if his words would not have proven prophetic
had I chose to make the military a lifelong career. Brave as I was with
a few bars on my shoulder, I doubt I would be as cavalier with a few
stars on it instead. So I understand this Admiral’s concern and I fully
support his or her efforts-clandestine though they may be. One can only
hope that someday he or she can more openly display his or her
association. Or rather, we can hope that organizations such as MRFF may
not have to exist at all. Keep up the good work, Mikey. Thanks again
for all you do.

(name withheld)