shoebox gifts

Hello Mr. Weinstien:

I could not locate an e-mail address for you, so this my well just fall on deaf ears.

It appears to me that the name of your organization is very misleading. ” Religious Freedom “. It would more accrately describe what you do if it was called the ” Anti Religious Foundation” or maybe just say it like it is, “Anti Christian Foundation”.

To attempt to take away the generosity of cadets who want to give a gift to a child seems a bit much, even if the organization that is sponsoring the program is a Christian one.

I guess the cadets just don’t have the same constitonal freedoms that someone like you has.

Sinserely,
(name withheld)

---

Dear (name withheld),

Thank you for your service to our nation. It is, and always will be, greatly valued, respected, and appreciated.

Mikey has read and asked me to respond to your email.

I’ll begin with the complete factual inaccuracy of the assumptions and allegations contained in your email. In regards to your reference to Operation Christmas Child, you should be aware that it continues unabated at the US Air Force Academy simply with the lead change as requested by MRFF from USAFA’s Command Structure to its Chaplain Corps. A change by the way, requested by MRFF, in order to follow clear direction recently ordered by the Air Force Chief of Staff (http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2011/09/air-force-schwartz-warns-commanders-on-religious-programs-091611/). Confirmation of this can be seen in this USAFA press release:

Friday, November 4, 2011

Academy responds to cadet community project — Community project will continue, led by Academy Chaplains

http://www.usafa.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123278819

Assumptions and accusations based on factual ignorance reveal pre-conceptions and nothing else. This may create a cheap anger driven adrenaline thrill, but accomplishes nothing. As a proud Christian volunteer with MRFF, I find the easy willingness of many like you to bear false witness against Mikey or MRFF to be quite troubling.

The clear Missionary/Proselytizing purpose of OCC is discussed freely in the following video produced by Samaritan’s Purse; ‘The Greatest Journey’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=X1MNZvED3mw. If this one video by the parent organization of OCC is not enough for you to see the clear and unambiguous proselytizing purposes of OCC, please feel free to review the entire Samaritan’s Purse YouTube Video Channel located at http://www.youtube.com/user/SamaritansPurseVideo. This is obviously a program best administered/supported through the Chaplain Corps, not within the chain of command.

To be clear, MRFF doesn’t want to “Grinch” some toys out of the hands of children and, in fact, has engaged in several toy drives itself. Rather, through its assertions to the academy and other military commands, MRFF is trying to look out for children by assuring the most powerful military in the world doesn’t promote or disparage any religion, which, as history has shown us, can lead to horrific consequences for those, including children, who don’t belong to the “preferred” religion.

If you are either a Christian, a defender of the secular democratic republic established in the Constitution, or both as I am, I trust you will reflect upon the false accusations put forward in your email.

Your consideration of this information is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Andy Kasehagen