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Published On: November 4, 2011|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|0 Comments|

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Dear MRFF:

Thanks to assholes like Mikey weinstein. Jews like myself haev to suffer further anti Semitism!! No wonder so much in the military are anti Semitic. Its thanks to liberal idiots like Mikey!
I am Jewish, and so what if The Air Force wants a Christmas party to raise money for charity!
Does this Shmuck have anything better to do to serve his country, other than being a sniveling coward!!

(name withheld)


Dear (name withheld)

First of all let me tell you about me: I am a religious Jew and I am
deeply offended by your e-mail – maybe before you write a piece of
filth like this you should consult your Rabbi about Perkei Avot, a
central text for Jews. One can learn how to actually become a mentch –
a human being – by studying the text. Often synagogues provide regular
cycles of study (classes/lectures) for this central text. If you can’t
find a class nearby, perhaps you could just speak to a Rabbi about it.
I mention this because you made a point in your e-mail of pointing out
that you’re a Jew.

Regarding your ridiculous assertion that Jews in the military are
worse off because of Mikey’s advocacy – clearly you have no idea what
you’re talking about. I am the Veterans Coordinator at the Foundation
and I daily deal with religious predation and discrimination issues
within the V.A. system and am fully aware of many of the cases within
the U.S. Armed Forces as well. We have dealt with issues like a Jewish
service member who was severely beaten – a beating directly incited by
his superior officer – because he had the temerity to wear his kippah
during meals (which he is permitted by regs to do) and to ask for time
to attend High Holy Day services. We have dealt with multiple cases of
service members threatened by Fundamentalist Christian superiors and
peers just because they declined to attend Fundamentalist Christian
Bible Studies. We have had to deal with countless instances of
superior officers, NCOs and Chaplains engaging in predatory religious
proselytizing – Fundamentalist Christians aggressively working to
convert Jews and others in direct violation of military regs. I have
personally represented veterans of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars
who have service-connected disabilities (as a result of injuries
sustained during multiple deployments) who have been denied medical
and psychiatric treatment (including treatment for PTSD) only because
they are not “born again” Christians and declined to become “born
again” Christians.

In your caustic note you imply the issue is primarily the MRFF
opposing a “Christmas Party” – something that couldn’t be further from
the truth. Let me tell you a brief story and try to give you some
perspective…

I attended public elementary schools throughout my childhood, but
before my family moved to Oregon midway during my third grade year I
attended public schools in Iowa where the Christian religion played a
dominant role. The first elementary school I attended in Iowa was a
primary school where students weren’t allowed to touch their lunch
until they all bowed their heads together and a teacher prayed a nice
Christian prayer. Those who dared object because they were Jewish or
some other faith were identified, marginalized and targeted for both
ridicule and sometimes even bullying. Prior to my third grade year my
family moved to a different small town in Iowa where the grade school
was right next door to the Catholic Church. Afternoons the school
children were allowed time off to go next door to take catechism
classes. Not being Catholic, of course I didn’t go. After the classes
were over the Catholic kids would come back and join the rest of us on
the playground, and would promptly bully and beat the shit out of us
non-Catholic kids. I got the shit beat out of me on a regular basis
until my family finally packed up and moved to Oregon half way through
my third grade year. In Oregon I never witnessed any religion as part
of public school experience and attended classes peacefully with all
manner of children from varying cultures. My point is that far too
often religion is used to separate us, to identify those who are
different who are then targeted for various forms of abuse. Sadly,
this is a pattern that has been repeated in the U.S. Military over and
over again. Fundamentalist Christian superiors and chaplains use
events like Christmas parties, Easter and even Thanksgiving (dressed
up to look like a uniquely Christian event) to push their particular
faith, and identify and single out those who decline to participate
because of uniquely Christian elements of the event.

I fully understand, (name withheld), how people of good will can disagree
about any manner of issues, particularly those regarding religion; but
your nasty note was unbecoming of a fellow Jew and a fellow human
being. If, as a Jew, you care nothing about the welfare of your fellow
Jews and your fellow human beings, maybe you should think about
addressing that, or at the very least refrain from engaging in profane
attacks on those who are actually trying to improve the lives of our
service members and veterans and at some cost. Mikey himself was
frequently called a “fucking Jew” during his years as a cadet at the
Air Force Academy and was actually beaten so severely by haters who
called him a “Christ Killer” and a “fucking Jew” that he required
hospitalization. His own sons were similarly taunted and harassed for
being Jews by Fundamentalist Christians at the same Air Force Academy,
and it was because of this that Mikey formed the Military Religious
Freedom Foundation. His work has literally saved the lives of service
members and veterans, that’s right – his work has literally saved the
lives of service members and veterans, and what has he received for
all of his selfless work? He has received countless death threats, had
his home repeatedly vandalized and decorated with Anti-Semitic
graffiti, he’s had windows in his home shot out and he regularly
receives nasty notes like yours.

You owe Mr. Weinstein an apology, (name withheld) – an apology for your
ignorant rant, and in my opinion, for failing to be a human being. In
the future, inform yourself, or do the world a favor and keep your
ignorance to yourself.

Sincerely,

Akiva David Miller
Veterans Coordinator
Military Religious Freedom Foundation

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