Your Orginization

Published On: December 15, 2011|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|0 Comments|

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To whom it may concern

I have to ask you if you find it as ironic as I do, that I a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, have and will continue to fight for your rights as a minority to condemn and attempt to suppress the rights of the majority. In a most resent Gallop poll, 76% of American Citizens claimed to be Christians so I would say that definitely puts you in the minority, it is groups like yours how bring discredit to agnostics like myself. On top of that the name of your organization containing military in it, giving the impression that perhaps the Military is somehow involved in you self-serving propaganda is, well disrespectful at a minimum.

I see groups like yours in the gay and lesbian communities as well during the most recent census less than 4% of the population said they were homosexual however, thru lobbying that 4% has forced its views on the masses. Now do not try to misread my words I have no ill will towards homosexuals and in fact have friends that are gay and unbelievably actually respect my thoughts on this matter, much as I respect your position on religion. However, you are in no position to force your views as to what is right to be displayed at MY Military Installation on others. Religion is as much a part of this country as is the right to expression. I see religious symbols and icon everyday in everything I do, it does not offend me I simply ignore them and move on about my day. I am having a very hard time understanding how and why you group thinks that your view is the only correct one. Here is sit as an Atheists like you, but my coworkers do not need to know my believes much as I do not care what there believes are. I wear a rank on my sleeve and it is getting rather long I don’t have room to wear my religious believes there too.

I Hope that you will respond in kind, with some validity on you stance aganist my Military. And please don’t use the “A letter form and anonymous Airman”.

Thank you for your time
(name withheld)


Dear (name withheld),

Your recent letter to MRFF shows a lot of misunderstanding about the nature of the organization, who it serves, and why it does what it does. It seems like most of your objections are based on misinformation so I want to clear things up for you.

The President of MRFF, most of MRFF’s staff, and MRFF’s clients are all service members and/or veterans. It is perfectly sensible to use “Military” in the name of the Foundation because the military is the context in which we defend religious freedom. We’ve fought for your rights as much as you’ve fought for ours, so pulling the “I fought for you” card only goes so far. Thanks, now focus on the issues. We’re not against the military, we’re not against the Constitution, and we’re not against religious rights.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation is a non-profit charity with a mission to protect service members’ right to free exercise and to prevent the military from establishing preferential treatment to particular religious views. The principle of free exercise applies to individuals, not to our shared institution of government. “Your” installation doesn’t belong to you. The military is a government organization and as such must abide by the Constitutional restrictions placed upon the government. The government as an institution exists to protect individual rights, not to establish mob rule. The majority doesn’t have a right to use government resources to promote their religious opinions, and are Constitutionally forbidden from doing so. We have every right to demand that our servant government obey the Constitution that permits its existence. Those of us who have taken the oath have the obligation to do so.

MRFF wants the military to be neutral to religion, not anti-religion. The military should be as neutral to religion as it is neutral to your political party. If the military put a political mascot on your installation it would be wrong by the same sort of principle. You can belong to any party you want, but the government has no business showing official preference of one over the other. Taking the political mascot down is not anti-politics; it’s a return to the rightful neutral environment our government has a Constitutional obligation to provide.

Nobody said our religious belief is the “right one.” MRFF clients and staff are Christian, Jewish, pagan, atheist, Muslim, and more. The thing we share in common is our belief in government pluralism and neutrality. None of us want the government to publicly display our beliefs, force people to hear them, or give any sort of special treatment.

Finally, out of curiosity, how have gay people forced their views on the masses? Have any straight people you know been forced to get gay marriages?

Dustin Chalker

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