Air Force Academy Backs Away from Christmas Charity

Published On: November 8, 2011|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|0 Comments|

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Dear “Mikey”,

I’m a 1980 US Air Force Academy (USAFA) graduate and I’m not one of
the “militant radical evangelical fundamentalist Christian far-right”
people that you claim to be attacked by in your biography on the
Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) website. I don’t care
what religion anyone in the military might or might not be or whether
they practice a religion at all. I’m simply a graduate who is
wondering how you could embarrass your alma mater over something you
have blown out of proportion to advance your personal cause.
I say this was blown out of proportion because no one was forced or in
any way intimidated to participate in Operation Christmas Child. The
e-mail was sent by cadets, not an officer up the chain of command, and
it was simply asking for anyone who might be interested to
participate. It’s no different than if a cadet sent out an e-mail
informing other cadets that there is a chess club meeting in the Dirty
Dozen (CS-12) Squadron Assembly Room (SAR). So how is it that you
and “132 Academy personnel including two sets of Muslim-American
parents” would be offended and feel the need to complain?
I believe that the real reason is not that you are offended, but that
you are just as intolerant of anything to do with the Christian
religion as you claim they are religiously intolerant of you. This
was just another opportunity to grab some headlines for the MRFF and
hope for more contributions with the pop-up ad soliciting funds on
your web-site.
I agree with you that no one in the military should ever be coerced or
feel pressured in any way to participate in a religious event or
activity. But, when you go around throwing verbal bombs like
“Franklin Graham is a fundamentalist – a total enemy of the
Constitution – an absolutely incredible Islamophobe”, you and others
like you come off as being the radical, over-sensitive and offended by
everything crowd that loses all credibility. You, then, are nothing
more than the flip side of the “militant radical evangelical
fundamentalist Christian far-right” extremists that you detest. So
then I guess that would make you a “militant radical ANTI-evangelical
fundamentalist Christian far-LEFT” extremist and we can write you off
with all the other crazies out there complaining about everything in
the world that offends them.
When General George Washington knelt in the snows at Valley Forge to
pray for divine guidance, it doesn’t matter what God he prayed to and
you shouldn’t be offended by it either.

(name withheld)


Dear (name withheld),

I’m too am a US Air Force Academy (USAFA) graduate, 1977, and I’m not:
– one of the “militant radical evangelical fundamentalist Christian
far-right” people or,
– one of the “militant radical ANTI-evangelical fundamentalist
Christian far-LEFT” extremist you referenced.
I was raised and was a practicing Catholic while at USAFA and I now am
a member of the United Methodist Church.

Let me work my way through your letter and offer a different view.
Starting with the implication that Mikey and MRFF is lying about being
“attacked” – do you think he painted the swastika on his own home and
shot at his own windows? Okay, how about listening to Michael Savage,
Aug 3 2011 after USAF pulled the “Just War Theory” or “Jesus loves
Nukes” training program.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/michael-savage-attacks-mi_b_919798.html
What do you think Mark? Did one of the MRFF Supporters, or Mikey
himself, hacked into the “The Savage Nation” broadcast of 3 Aug 2011?

Next, about the religion, or lack thereof, of those who serve – I am
in complete agreement – and so is Mikey. His issue is with those who
place their religion before the the Constitution. What about when
Jack Catton (Active Duty USAF Lt General) stated in the Christian
Embassy video with the quote: “And I tell them right up front who
Jack Catton is, and I start with the fact that I’m an old-fashioned
American, and my first priority is [1] my faith in God, then [2] my
family and then [3] country. I share my faith because it describes who
I am.”
http://www.correntewire.com/in_video_military_christianists_use_uniform_to_proselytize_admit_putting_loyalty_to_country_third_on_the_list
Or General Jack’s Active Duty email to raise funds for fellow Grad,
Bentley Rayburn, because: “we are certainly in need of Christian men
with integrity and military experience in Congress.” Just a minor
violation of Federal Law …
http://formerspook.blogspot.com/2006/05/mikey-weinsteins-crusade.html
Did MRFF hire an imposter for the Christian Embassy video and hack
Langley’s email system?
Let’s leave the question of “who” is embarrassing our alma mater to the end …

On to blowing the Operation Christmas Child out of proportion … with
ALL the attention USAFA has received since 2005 – don’t you think a
training program would have taught cadets religion is NOT a chain of
command item? Didn’t the CSAF’s Memo make it clear – leave the
religious work to the Chaplains, not commanders? And this coming from
the Staff Tower at lunch and through the Cadet Email system – on
behalf of the Cadet Wing Vice Commander – that’s command influence.
How about the offer to get cadet confinements reduced depending upon
the number of boxes produced for Operation Christmas Child?
Samaritan’s Purse is NOT entitled to Military support of its
ministries. Bring yet another constitutional issue to light,
particularly at USAFA, is not: “blowing something out of proportion” –
it is bringing attention to a continuing flawed practice that has not
been held accountable. If you cannot see the difference between the
chess club and the Samaritan’s Purse ministries we have a conceptual
gap so large I doubt any number of emails could enlighten the other!

http://www.chessclub.com/

As for “… would be offended and feel the need to complain?” Why would
they be offended: because of repeated preference shown to favor
religion! “IF” this had been the first instance, maybe working within
the Chain of Command would have worked. But that has been tried at
USAFA and within other elements of DoD with little to no success – or
why would MRFF be the organization military members turn to? Why
would there be over 340 clients at USAFA? It is NOT the first or
only. Are you aware that Lt Gen Gould has never forwarded CSAF’s Memo
to the Academy with his support of the Memo? What message does that
send? It was only after MRFF put up a billboard in Colorado Springs
did the Commandant send a back dated copy to the Cadet Wing. Why are
they offended? How do you think it would go over if the Cadet Wing
was putting together shoe boxes of gifts to go to an organization that
was stuffing the boxes with Qur’ans? There are plenty of charities
out there that need help – and picking one supported by this religious
group is the only one they could find – you’re kidding! How about the
USO, UNICEF, Doctors without Borders (A Nobel Peace Prize winning
organization), or Toys for Tots (a nod to our USMC Sister Service)?

As for what you believe about his motivation – isn’t it great we leave
in a free country where you can believe anything you want? I believe
what motivates Mikey is what happened to him, his sons, Casey and
Curt, daughter-in-law Amanda and the numerous Cadets, Faculty and
USAFA Staff members that turn to MRFF when the Chain of Command is the
problem, or fails to address the problems. His book, With God on Our
Side is a bit longer read than the minutes you spent review and
critiquing the website – but you will learn more about the motivation
behind him.

Glad we all agree there should not be any coercion … just imagine how
the young Lt MRFF client felt going to his Commander’s Bible Study
class in the morning, “before work” because the CO taught it and all
the other new Lt’s were doing it … too bad he was Jewish and his
concept of the Bible was a bit different than the Evangelical CO. But
you are correct, many times Mikey’s language distracts from his
message to many people … but asking nicely doesn’t work most of the
time. As for Franklin Graham’s record, it his positions that l think
lead to Mikey’s summation – and Mikey Is not alone. I don’t know your
opinion of CNN, but in May of this year they published a opinion
review of Franklin … the title says it all: “My Take: Franklin
Graham is embarrassing his father.” I guess you can write off Stephen
Prothero as another “militant radical ANTI-evangelical fundamentalist
Christian far-LEFT” extremist – Boy did Boston University screw up
hiring this guy! You may want to check his bio …
http://www.bu.edu/religion/faculty/bios/prothero/

As for General Washington, I am glad he was fighting for the freedom
to worship the God of his choice … I think one of the things the
colonies were fighting for – was to prevent the King of England
telling them what God and How they had to worship. The issue is NOT
that he prayed – the issue is he was fighting for the freedom to do so
in the way he wanted – not being told by a Chain of Command.

So, to the point of “who” is embarrassing our alma mater – your
opinion, it’s Mikey. So, let’s take a quick looking back in our
recent history. As a 1980 graduate, the Vietnam War should be a
timely topic for you. How do you view the My Lai Massacre? Do you
believe those that spoke out about the brutality against Vietnamese
civilian were “embarrassing” the Army? Or was it the act of
massacring civilians to blame? What about Warrant Officer Hugh
Thompson, Jr. who stood to protect the women, children, old men and
injured during the atrocity? In retrospect, in 1998 the Soldier’s
Medal was award to him. Perhaps a review of the evening he spent with
the Midshipman at the Naval Academy in 2003 will change your
perspective.
http://www.usna.edu/Ethics/Publications/ThompsonPg1-28_Final.pdf
A little more resent, Abu Ghraib, sound familiar? Was it those that
reported on abuses there that were the problem or those that committed
the acts?

I know it is not comfortable to see our alma mater repeatedly making
headlines for what you seem to consider minor violations – and that
the “problem” is Mikey and those “radical, over-sensitive and offended
by everything crowd.” Consider this – maybe Mikey is the only voice
for those who are going through this first-hand – they have to get
help for the Constitutional violations they are experiencing and the
help is not in their Commanders or the IG. Mikey doesn’t go to USAFA
and DoD agencies looking for problems – those who are victims turn to
Mikey.

(name withheld), it’s great that you spent the time to get involved – don’t let
that time be wasted. Research the issues, ask questions – and you may
find like I did that USAFA has changed a lot since we graduated. I
did not want to believe the events Mikey told me were true, but the
more I learned, the more disappointed I have become in how our Academy
has changed. It is our nation’s Academy and the mission: “to
educate, train and inspire men and women to become officers of
character motivated to lead the United States Air Force in service to
our nation” remains. It is not, as Campus Crusade for Christ views
it: a place to recruit “government-paid missionaries for Christ,”

Sorry this response is a bit slow getting to you, I went to watch our
Academy bring us pride in watching a great football game between two
teams of collegiate athletes – all realizing their service to country
is a lot bigger than the football game they just played.

Stan Hill, Lt Col (Ret)
USAFA Class of 1977

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