US Military

Dear MRFF,

The Marines obviously did not use the SS logo in their picture. I had never heard of your organization until this silly controversy started. Before we began any mission our unit had a group prayer. Only twice in two tours did one of the unit members decline to participate. That was his choice and we never forced the issue. After he was wounded on his second ops he was begging the med not to let him die and please pray for him. As the old saying goes “there is no atheist in a foxhole”. I have seen many non religious soldiers change their views when faced with the extreme violence of combat. To my knowledge none ended their tour and became a preacher but all had a better understanding of good and evil and ALL wanted a prayer before each ops. While I’m sure there are exceptions I have never personally witnessed any. I always welcome any person with an idea to lead from the front. Until you are willing to walk point with my soldiers and personally experience their mission, I suggest you stay safely in your little office. As for the Marines pissing on dead enemy, I would beat the idiot that took the pictures and tell the rest of that team “well done, you’re alive and the enemy is dead”. I would cover every Muslim, dead or alive, with pig blood if I had the opportunity. For you to be offended by the scout sniper SS is absurd. I am sure you can find a few veteran malcontents to be offended for you and champion their hurt feelings but really? You are offended? I suggest you have a counseling session with R Lee Ermey. He should be the spokesman for the Marines and the Army, not the PC wonders that are in the Pentagon.

(name withheld)

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You probably won’t like this either…….

I was going through a few magazines the other day down at the local Mosque.
I was really enjoying myself.

Then the rifle jammed.

Now that’s funny……

(name withheld)

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Dear (name withheld),

First, thanks for your letter and for your service. Please forgive the use of your former/retired rank, whatever it may have been, but you didn’t specify that or your times and dates of service.

I wanted to write to you from the perspective of a retired Marine (with close personal ground combat service who HAS “walked point”) and to address some of your concerns. You sent two Es, but I will address them as one to save time.

First, however, let me provide you with some background about the MRFF.

Most of the MRFF members, staff, and volunteers are veterans and include active duty, reserve, or retired, from all branches, holding ranks from enlisted through Flag officer, with MOSs in all fields, and representing service eras from WW II, Korea, Viet Nam, and on through Gulf I, OEF, OIF, and the present GWOT. Many have been in close combat, and have been decorated for wounds received in action and / or for valor, with medals ranging from the Purple Heart, Bronze Star w/V, Silver Star, and the Army, Navy, and AF Crosses and Medal of Honor.

Overall, a pretty good record for a few “veteran malcontents” as you term them — but of course, you are entitled to your own opinion, no matter how uninformed.

We currently have well over 26,000 cases. ALL of our cases are initiated at the request of service members (active, reserve, and / or retired / former) or employees of the DoD.

96% of our cases are brought on behalf of Christians who are “not Christian enough” or not the “right kind” of Christian, and who have been harassed or persecuted by radical religious zealots who also call themselves “Christians.”

The 4% balance of our cases includes Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and others, as well as Pagans, atheists, agnostics, and other free-thinkers.

The great preponderance of our cases involve abuses of authority and violations of the Constitutional guarantees of freedom of conscience by a specific sub-set of aggressive radicals who style themselves “Christians” and who are becoming increasingly entrenched and powerful in the military in all braches and MOSs at ranks up to and including flag officer ranks. They are known by a number of names, but we use the generic term of one of the main branches “Dominionists” for convenience.
But I suspect from your Es that you would already know about them, as you seem to hold similar views.

My own family has a long history of military service dating back to the Revolutionary War and Civil War, and has included five generations of Marines spanning WW I, WW II, Korea, Vietnam, and Gulf I.

My own Marine service included close personal ground combat in several of the major operations in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968, at Khe Sanh (before, during, and after the Tet 1968 assault and the Siege), and later in the Hue-Phu Bai area, during the mopping-up after Tet. I have served in various infantry and artillery units, and in 1st and 3rd Recon (in capacities through platoon commander) and at MARDET CINCLNTFLT. I later lost a limb, which ended my active career, but I subsequently went on to teach in the USMC JROTC program for several years, using my GI Bill to attain a BA, and later a Master’s degree.

Mr. Weinstein is also a veteran. He was an Honor Graduate of the AF Academy, and served for 10 years a JAG officer, including service in the Reagan White House as a Special Counsel. His family has over three generations of service, and a number of distinguished members of the US Armed Forces.

Mr. Weinstein’s nephew is a GYSGT in the USMC in a combat MOS. He recently returned from his fourth tour in the Iraq. He is also a Christian, and a member of and supporter of the MRFF.

As to why we are opposed to the urination photos; in our experience, this sort of juvenile behavior, in addition to being in contravention of the UCMJ and the Geneva Conventions, only breeds even more hatred, and acts as a great recruiting tool — for the enemy. It is interesting to note that several of our forward commanders during both OEF and OIF said almost the identical thing about the occupation: “We are making terrorists faster than we can kill them.”

As to the use of SS runic symbol and flag by the Marine Scout-snipers:

Contrary to your opinion, they were indeed using an SS flag.

In case it had somehow escaped your notice, the runic emblems on the flag were those of the Nazi Schutzstaffel – SS – Hitler’s personal thugs and bodyguards. These were the same brutes who rounded up millions of Jewish men, women, and children and other “unter-mensch” for the Nazi death camps, where other SS then brutally murdered, tortured or starved and worked these prisoners to death.

The “Sig” runes in question were from the “Armanen Futharkh” — 18 runes supposedly “revealed” to the Austrian occult mystic and Germanic revivalist Guido von List in 1902 while he was blinded after a cataract operation. The Sig rune was later used by Karl Maria Wiligut (Himmler’s official occultist) in his own runic row (Wiligut runes) in the bizarre Nazi mysticism rituals.

In 1931, Walter Heck, a Sturmführer in the SS (and Nazi occultist), drew two reversed and inverted Sig runes side by side. He noticed the similarity to the SS initials, and sold the rights to his rendition to the SS, which were then adopted as their official insignia.

However, these ancient runes and their meanings have nothing to do with our concerns. What the Marines were flying beneath our Stars and Stripes was a reproduction of one of the Schutzstaffel flags of Hitler’s misbegotten regime — which permanently tarred that rune, along with the swastika and the term “Aryan.”

While it may seem an over-reaction to you, Mr. Weinstein’s personal experiences growing up as a Jew and that of his family in the Holocaust necessarily induces a strong reaction in him about these matters.

In addition, one of our Jewish veteran members was in the infamous Lodz Ghetto, and later was sent to Auschwitz. Both of his parents were brutally murdered by the SS. His mother was taken away and gassed the day they arrived, and he later saw his father beaten to death with a shovel by an SS guard. Somehow, he survived until the liberation, he became a “mascot” of the US Army, and later emigrated to the US and joined our armed forces, fighting in Korea. Needless to say, his memories of that logo are none too happy.

Some people try to justify this emblem as a “tradition.” Frankly, that is bullshit, and even if it were true, it in no way makes it any more acceptable.

I never encountered it during my time in (I retired in 1977), and I often worked right alongside snipers. At Khe Sanh, for example, we had one assigned to our corner of the lines, and no Nazi logos were to be seen anywhere on his person or equipment.

So, this is not some fine old Marine tradition, but a deliberate move on the part of neo-Nazis in the Marines to impose their symbology on the Scout-snipers under the guise of the unit’s initials.

This “tradition” dates to 1979-80. It was WELL KNOWN to be anti-semitic and neo-Nazi from the start, and was selected for that reason, because those originally responsible for its adoption were members of a vicious neo-Nazi cult led by the notorious Metzgers at Fallbrook near Camp Pendleton. (I remember those neo-Nazi scum myself, and the trouble they caused the Marines at Pendleton.)

I attach a letter by a former Marine Scout-sniper officer who describes the time, place, and details of when this emblem was adopted.

However, again, length of use is not the issue. If it had been used since WW II (unthinkable for any of us who grew up in that era or the years immediately after the war), it would STILL be wrong.

As to the nature of the emblem and flag itself, and whether those Marines knew what they were getting — there can be no doubt that at least some of them knew this was a Nazi Schutzstaffel flag, since they obtained it from a web-site called “Traders of the Lost Surplus” (which one waggish reporter has dubbed “Nazis ‘R’ Us”), a site that specializes in Nazi replicas and memorabilia. Have a look for yourself:

http://www.totls.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16:close-out-corner&catid=1:home&Itemid=30

For your convenience, I attach a picture of the identical flag from that site, and the accompanying description:

7180. ss double runic flag, a favorite and well know (sic) ss flag, 3′ x 5′ $7.50

You (along with me and many others) would have liked to believe that these Marines somehow chose this flag by accident, without at least one of them noticing that it was a Nazi SS flag, or its history or origins. That would entail believing that these carefully selected, highly trained individuals are somewhat dumber than the average box of rocks.

(And yes, I know that members of other services sometimes suggest that about us — usually when there are no Marines present — but I like to think that not all Marines, particularly those of us who served in elite units, are quite THAT stupid.)

As Exhibit 2, I would like to attach the text of a letter we recently received from an active duty Marine scout-sniper. I have redacted his name and E to protect his privacy (not that he deserves it), but his name shows that he is obviously of Germanic origin.

From: K******@***.com
Date: February 10, 2012 1:48:36 AM MST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Waffen SS Flag

Mr. Michael Weinstein,
Yes, we knew what that flag meant. We are mainly composed of white people of European descent (blacks can’t swim and it is too tough for jews). We have always acknowledged true fighters and the Waffen SS are an elite brotherhood of warriors, much like we are. More than 99% never saw a concentration camp or participated in Einsaztgruppen actions, much like the vast majority of the USMC has never perpetrated any war crimes. Many of our members are of German descent and not a few have ancestors who were in the Waffen SS. We certainly do not have the combat distinction of your Israeli Commandos (if I were a 12 year old Palestinian boy throwing rocks I may be scared) or the Air Farce. You are correct; we knew what that flag meant.

(Name Redacted)

As you can clearly see, this Marine sniper not only admits to knowing the history and meaning of the flag, tries to excuse the behavior of the SS (a lie much circulated by modern neo-Nazis), and indeed glorifies those murderous bastards, while simultaneously making racially charged lies about blacks and Jews. He says he knows the meaning of that fag and symbol, and not only doesn’t recant and apologize for its use, but actually glorifies and celebrates these bloody murderers of millions of unarmed men, women, and children. I cannot find any excuse for this, or any way to exonerate him, or any like him. Can you??

Likewise, the recent discovery of a “Camp Aryan” (another highly symbolic term Hitler appropriated and sullied, like the swastika and the runes) makes it clear that there are people in the Marines and other branches of the Armed Forces who are stealthily pursuing a racist neo-Nazi agenda. We had them when I was in — though they didn’t dare display their ugly racism openly in my day — at least not in any units I led!

There is clearly no way this can be excused by saying the men “did not know.” Though doubtless some did not know, there are obviously a number who knew very well what they were doing from the start. For at least some of these men, this is the totally unacceptable racial and religious “supremacy” that has plagued our Corps and nation for many years, again raising its despicable head.

I have long been concerned with the direction of the Republic in many areas, and one of these areas has been the creeping advance of racist, fascist and totalitarian elements in our military and government. I remember being concerned when we adopted the PASGT (aka “Fritz”) helmets in the 80s — not for their protection capabilities (obviously advantageous), but for their strong resemblance to Nazi helmets. I asked myself whether men who had fought the Nazis would have liked to have worn that helmet. I cannot think of any I knew who would have.

Even though this may have gone on for 30 years, it was never acceptable, because it has made use (knowingly or otherwise) of a symbol that was used by the most brutal units of the fascist, totalitarian Nazi regime — sworn enemies of this country, who our fathers and grand-fathers fought a long and tough war to defeat once and for all.

I don’t consider Hitler’s Nazi thugs of the SS to be “worthy” of anything but contempt. As I have clearly demonstrated, the adoption was at the behest and instigation of known neo-Nazis in the Marines.

While not Jewish myself, I grew up in the years following WW II, when there were still many who had seen the Holocaust (which, BTW, included communists, Gypsies, political opponents, Poles, Slavs, and other non-Jews) first hand.

A close family friend had been a combat photographer in Europe. He was of German (non-Jewish) descent, and was one of those detailed by General Eisenhower (another German-American) to make a photographic and film record of the death camps, so that nobody could ever deny what had happened. As Eisenhower later wrote to Mamie, “I never dreamed that such cruelty, bestiality, and savagery could really exist in this world.”

(For the full story, see: http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/stories/death-camps.htm )

Sadly, most of that generation are now gone.

I don’t know your age, but I must assume from your attempts to excuse this situation that you may have grown up in the 70s or later, so perhaps you lack you the vivid first-hand memories of that period and the post-war years, and thus did not react as Mr. Weinstein and I did — with revulsion and disgust at the sight of that blatant symbol of the Third Reich’s most hideous death machine — the SS — in the hands of American Marines. As a Marine myself, I was both shocked and revolted at the sight.

The sight of that logo still causes great pain and revulsion in the hearts and minds of many people who fought against, or who directly suffered under these monsters, and among their families. For example, it pains our WW II veterans, especially our POWs and Jewish members, (one of whom was, as I mentioned, in Lodz and Auschwitz as a child), as well as Mr. Weinstein and his family (who also lost family in the Shoah), and my wife and her family (of Jewish heritage) who lost over half of their European relations to these brutal murderers.

The real question is this; do you, or our fellow Marines, REALLY want to cause great mental anguish and suffering to the remaining men and women who survived, and to their families and survivors, by continuing to display an emblem of a horrendous regime that murdered millions of innocent men, women and children.

Even if the snipers did not mean to inflict such harm originally by intentionally choosing this logo (and as I have shown you, there are those who did), can you or they justify the continued use of such an emblem now that you and they know the truth?

This is a leadership failure, as well as an educational one. These emblems should never have been selected or allowed. They are NOT official USMC emblems – as you should know. We have ONE authorized emblem – the EGA, and our authorized flags are first and foremost, the Stars and Stripes, followed by our own proud Marine Corps Battle Colors with streamers, our Regimental Colors, and our unit guidons – all of the latter bearing the EGA.

As one Marine officer put it, in commenting on this case, these guys are not “special snowflakes” – they are US Marines. These gentlemen need to realize that they are Marines, not the SS. Otherwise, they need to look for a new employer.

The CMC agrees with us, and has issued an order banning all use of this and similar emblems in all Marine units. It may take a while to purge the Marines of this odious symbol and others. While we may never succeed in purging racial and religious intolerance. Nonetheless, it is a goal we should all be striving for.

Of course, you are free to disagree. If you think their service gives them the “right” to fly a flag representing one of the most beastly, cowardly, and murderous regimes in human history, which our fathers’ and grand-fathers’ generation fought to obliterate, then we must agree to disagree, as IMO, that would be disrespecting the Greatest Generation, who gave so unsparingly of themselves to defeat that regime and those symbols.

As to your comments re: prayer, etc. — I assume from the bulk of your comments that you profess some denomination of Christianity. As to prayer being a matter of choice, I agree — although I think a group prayer that of necessity excludes the unbeliever of any sort is bad for morale.

I don’t know your time or area of service, so I can’t speak to your experience, but I never saw a single instance of group prayer in my time in the service, other than in rear areas at formal church services in CONUS or rear areas, or the occasional services in forward areas conducted by the rare chaplains to venture into the forward areas, such as Rev. Ray Stubbe at KS.

However, I always find it amusing when people professing to some brand of Christian loudly proclaim their religiosity and the need for public prayers in schools, government, the military, etc.

Leaving aside First Amendment considerations, they are obviously oblivious to what Rabbi Yehoshua ben Yusuf, the founder of their faith, actually had to say about public prayer.

Matthew 6:5 – 7

5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that
they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in
secret shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Matthew 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Mark 6:46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

Luke 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

Luke 9:18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

I can’t state with certainty the number of religious Marines and others at KS, or other posts I served, because we simply didn’t discuss religion — it was a personal issue.
I do know some, like our Corpsman (John Roberts, later to become a Marine CPT) were religious. He was (and remains) a Baptist. His faith was sorely shaken at KS, but he eventually regained it..

As for your statement about “no atheists in foxholes” — that is not and never has been true. Anyone who only feels the need for a deity when in danger is not a true atheist or agnostic or other Free-thinker. He (or she) is a poser.

As to the phrase itself, those who are usually credited with it did not in fact themselves claim or acknowledge it. The three candidates from WW II were: Fr. William Cummings, a Catholic priest who served as a Transport chaplain, Lt. Col. Warren Clear, and an unnamed Army sergeant, all of whom were in Bataan in April of 1942. However, neither Fr. Cummings nor LCOL Clear claimed to be the author of this, and indeed, denied it. (The sergeant’s claim is as unknown as he is.)

Some newspapers published at the end of WW I supposedly stated that an “unnamed clergyman” had (supposedly) remarked that during the Great War one could find no atheists in the trenches. Possibly someone at Bataan or elsewhere was influenced by these earlier remarks.

However, as a young man, I personally knew men who were in the trenches during that ghastly war on both sides (one was a German soldier), and several were atheists. Some told me that they had gone into the war as true believers – both in god and the righteousness of the cause. They emerged from the other end of the meat-grinder with quite a different set of beliefs.

If anyone said that, they either weren’t in the trenches (where there most certainly were atheists, as is plain from their writing both during and after their time in combat) – or they were just lying – a trait not unknown among some people who loudly profess faith. (There is an interesting book out about “Liars for Jesus” which I suggest that you read.)

The most anybody can say about this remark with any degree of accuracy is that someone (who may or may not have even been in the military, or had combat experience) may have made this or a similar statement in WW I and / or WW II.

However, whoever said it (or repeated) it was either lying or deluding themselves, or speaking only for themselves, as there have been free-thinkers in this country (and doubtless its wars) since the beginning — and probably throughout history.

In addition to LCDR Stubbe’s and CPT Roberts’ remarks (above and attached), at least one WW II chaplain stated clearly that this statement (whatever its original source) was a lie – and that in his experience, there WERE atheists in foxholes, and indeed, they were rampant. Here is a reprint from Time, dated July 18, 1945, found in the Time archives on the Net:

Religion: Atheists & Foxholes
Monday, Jun. 18, 1945

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,775935,00.html

Despite pious rumor, there are atheists in foxholes. So writes Transport Chaplain Lewis A. Myers in the current Arkansas Baptist: “Foxholes are not valid agents for making Christians, for destroying atheists or for driving men to God. … If you desire a man to come out of a foxhole with something, you had better send him in with something.

“In load after load of returning soldiers … we find 80% of them listen to the gospel with more scepticism than . . . ever … stay away from religious services . . . with less scruples . . . curse more and with a finesse unbelievable . . . gamble with more avidity and defend it with more vigor . . and find it difficult to hold an extended conversation without defaming womankind, even though unintentionally.”

Chaplain Myers believes that his plain speaking should act as a challenge to churchmen: “There is no need for our churches to fear the truth. Frankness in this matter is not against the war effort, and it isn’t expected of churches that they should surrender their idealism. We should understand now, before the great discharge of soldiers begins, that foxholes are not now and never will do the work of our Christian institutions.”
I submit that this chaplain was being totally honest–unlike the originator of the “pious rumor.”

However, no matter its origins, those who said were liars then and any who repeat it now are also liars, irrespective of their rank or cloth. There is no honest man who has been in combat who would make that statement–unless he were mad or exists in some delusional bubble.

Speaking from personal experience in engagements great and small, as an agnostic (bordering on atheism), I never felt the need to ask a deity I didn’t believe in anyway (and still don’t) for help or protection. I still don’t. That would be hypocrisy.

When I was in the hospital after I lost my leg, the hospital chaplain came around on his visits, and sat with me, asking if I wanted any prayer or spiritual counseling. I thanked him, but refused. He then said; “Well, God was with you, or it could have been worse!” I replied; “Then I wish he had been over a little more to the left!”
He left in a huff. Obviously no sense of humor!

My father was a WW II Marine who was in the thickest of the island campaigns, and wounded several times, the last one being a serious “million-dollar” wound that sent him home. He was a Protestant when he went in, and an atheist when he came out.

Our Baptist Corpsman told me recently that some of the badly wounded men he aided asked for prayers, others didn’t, and some refused them adamantly.
Chaplain Stubbe told me much the same thing — and he was regularly at Charlie Med at KS when the casualties came in.

(On the flip side, I know several men who came out of the war with faith, and at least two who became ministers.)

As to Gunny Ermey; while I of course respect his service, and his work as a DI (a very demanding job), he never saw direct combat during his tour in RVN. He was in the Wing, in a Support Group — so I fail to see what your reference to him is apropos of. As to a “counseling session” — again with respect, I rather doubt that Gunny Ermey has any position to “counsel” me — it is a long time since my feet were on the yellow footprints at P.I., and in fact, I have spent my time at MCRD myself — as far as I know, the only retired amputee to so till that time.

As to your extremely racist, murderous, and appalling death threats and other comments regarding Muslims in both letters – first, if you fancy yourself a “Christian” (as I suspect), you are frankly, a piss-poor example of one. If I didn’t have many fine Christians in my circle (such as Doc Roberts, LCDR Stubbe, and my outstanding Christian colleagues here at the MRFF, I would be inclined to think that “Christians” were ignorant, murderous, psychopathic rabble.

People like you would certainly never motivate me for anything — let alone becoming a “Christian” in your mold.

However, just as my military and civilian Muslim friends teach me that not all Muslims are jihadists, I realize that your attitude doesn’t represent that of all Christians.

But again, I have to laugh at those who call themselves “Christian”– but who overlook the commandments of their own faith’s founder. Again, in the words of Yehoshua;

Matthew 22:35 – 37
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

But I assume you missed that in your public prayers…. You really ought to try reading what Yehoshua actually said. Of course, as Ghandi said;

: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

Although an agnostic, I do like this prayer; “Jesus, protect me from your followers.”

During my years in the Marines (which included close personal ground combat), I served with a number of Muslims, some from other countries, and some who were natives of the US.

They performed their duties in an exemplary manner, being well-disciplined, orderly, mannerly, obedient to orders, conscientious in the execution of their duties, and courageous in action — and all performed at least as well as (and in some cases better than) their counterparts of other faiths. I would have absolutely no misgivings about serving with them again in garrison or combat.

I must remind you that the Constitution which we both swore to uphold and defend specifically forbids religious discrimination. Since you seem to have forgotten the Constitution (or perhaps your oath), let me remind you of the relevant passages:

“. . . no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” (Article VI, Section III)

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . .” (1st Amendment)

That means, sir, that we are a secular nation, but one in which all religions are equal, and free to practice — and before you start trying to tell me that we are a “Christian” nation, and that the Founders were all Christians and never expected us to tolerate other religions and cultures, let me remind you of the words of Mr. Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence on just that subject. Writing in his Autobiography about the passage of the Bill Establishing Religious Freedom in Virginia, he said:

“…a singular proposition proved that it’s protection of opinion was meant to be universal. Where the preamble declares that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed, by inserting the word ‘Jesus Christ,’ so that it should read ‘a departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion,’ the insertion was rejected by a great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan, the Hindoo, and infidel of every denomination.”

FYI, “Mahometan” is one of the words then used for Muslim.

James Madison, the principal author of the Constitution (and known as the “Father of the Constitution” expressed a similar sentiment when describing the same incident.
( How’s that for “original intent”? )

I also attach below for your enlightenment a fact sheet of Muslims who have served honorably and well in the American Armed Forces, a history which goes all the way back to the Revolution. I charge you to read it, and especially look at the tombstones of those men who have been KIA and received decorations for valor — and then tell their widows, children and families (whom you seem so anxious to murder) how glad you are that they are dead.

I am beginning to understand why you are so dismissive of the Marines’ use of Nazi symbols — it is because you don’t really disapprove of them, because you hold the same of similar beliefs, as we can see by your blood-lust to murder Muslim men, women and children — just because they are Muslims, just as the Nazis murdered millions of men, women and children because they were Jewish…

In closing, I would seriously advise you for your own safety and of those around you, to seek some mental health counseling soon. Your words betray some deeply troubling symptoms which could be dangerous if untreated, and your “joke” about murdering innocent men, women and children for their religion display a personality disorder that may be borderline sociopathic, if not entirely over the line.

If you are actually a combat veteran as you state, you may be suffering from PTSD, in which case you are eligible for VA treatment and / or Tricare (as you seemed to indicate that you are retired). In any case, I hope you seek help soon.

I remain,

Semper Fidelis,

F. J. Taylor
USMC (Ret.)
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> To support the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, or to learn more about their efforts on behalf of United States military personnel, go to:
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> https://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/helpbuildthewall
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> Muslims and Arab-Americans in US History
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> During the years of the slave trade, as many as 20% of West African slaves brought to North America were Muslim.
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> Some of the Black servicemen in the Continental Army were Muslims, the first known being Peter Salem (aka Salem Poor), a slave who earned his freedom by enlisting. He took part in the battle of Concord, and later enlisted in Captain Drury’s company of Colonel John Nixon’s regiment of the 6th Massachusetts Regiment. He served with his regiment in the Battle of Bunker Hill, where he is said to have fired the shot that killed British Marine Major John Pitcairn. Salem reenlisted in 1776, and fought at Saratoga and Stony Point.
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> Private Nathan Badeen, a Syrian immigrant, became the first Arab-American to die for this country on May 23rd, 1776.
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> Other soldiers of Muslim origins who fought in the Revolutionary War, including Yusuf Ben Ali (aka Joseph Benenhali or Benhaley), who served with General Sumter in South Carolina. After the war, General Sumter took Yusuf with him inland to Stateburg, and his name appears in the 1790 census of Sumter County. There was also a “Bampett Muhamed” who was a Corporal in the Revolutionary Army, from 1775-1783 in Virginia. Francis Saba was listed as a sergeant with the Continental Troops in roll 132, 1775-1783, and Joseph Saba was listed as a Fifer in the Continental Troops roll 132, 1775-1783.
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> More than 12,000 Muslims served in World War II, including:
>
> Hassein Ahmed, KIA (Army, WWII)
>
> Ibrahim Muhammad KIA (Navy, WWII)
>
> Mahir Hasan KIA, (Army, Korea)
> Abul Fateh Umar Khan, KIA (Air Force, Korea).
>
> Today, nearly 15,000 Muslims serve in the US Armed Forces, under situations of conflicting loyalties and misunderstanding both by their non-Muslim colleagues as well as other Muslims. “We don’t have to prove anything,” said Imam Ghayth Nur Kashif, a Korean War veteran and former counselor for the Muslim American Military Association. “Many of us were born here so it’s really kind of an insult for people to question are you an American.”
>
> Colonel Douglas Burpee is the highest ranking Muslim officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. Now in his 23rd year of military service, Colonel Burpee recently returned from flying helicopters in Afghanistan.
>
> “Everyone knows I’m a Muslim. When I fly, attached to my dog tags, I wear a pendant with a passage from the Koran,” he says. “I try to set a good example based upon what I believe…. I can be a soldier and a Muslim at the same time. I have no problem with that. These people who commit terrorism have just adopted the face of Islam – nothing they say or do have anything to do with Islam. The Taliban is a terrorist organization – they are bad people doing bad things and they’ve attached religion to it. They are ruthless when it comes to killing people, but that’s how you move helpless people around – you use fear.”
>
> Sergeant Youseff Mandour of the U.S. Army immigrated to America from Morocco at the age of 17 and joined the army at age 22, and did 12 months in Iraq.
>
> “I’m fighting for a better life and a belief in freedom,” he says. “I had a chance to get involved. I learned the English language and appreciate everything this country has given to me. That’s why I joined the Army. The U.S. is doing great things.”
>
> Sergeant Mandour takes special offense at the terrorists who murder in the name of his faith. “The war on terror is not about Islam. This is a war against criminals who use religion to say they are good people, but they’re no better than the Mafia. They’re just common criminals, many with criminal records … It was great that I got to use my training against people who tried to kill us and who tried to give a wrong idea about my religion.”
>
> (From an article in the NY Sun By John P. Avlon, April 21, 2006: http://www.nysun.com/opinion/muslims-in-the-military/31393 )

> Gordon England (Dep. SecDef), with APAAM (Association of Patriotic Arab-Americans in the Military) founder Marine GYSGT Jamal Baadani.Mahmoud El-Yousef, a retired technical Sergeant with the Ohio Air National Guard, sent an open letter to America. “Dear America, I am an Arab American, but a proud American just like you. Like anybody else, I don’t always agree with our government polices, but don’t be quick to judge me and call me names. On that dreadful day, September 11th, my duffel bag was already packed and I was waiting to answer the call of duty. Why was I ready? I also want a better and safer America just like you. When it comes to patriotism and loyalty, I am red, white and blue, just like you.”
> El-Youssef recalled how his life totally changed after he came to America as a Palestinian refugee in 1977. He says he was treated with dignity and respect and felt he had to show his gratitude to his new country.He fought a legal battle to join the U.S. military in 1984 after an argument with an Army recruiter. When El-Youssef told the recruiter he was a U.S. citizen, but was born in Palestine, “He said, ‘I am sorry, you have to be born in the U.S.'” El-Youssef recalls the recruiter told him to ask his representative in Congress, so he did – and was enlisted shortly thereafter. El-Youssef speaks fluent German, English, and Arabic, and served for ten years before joining the Ohio National Guard. Two years ago, shortly before he retired from the Guard, his eldest son enlisted in the U.S Army and served in Iraq.Army Spc. Omead Razani, son of Iranian immigrants, died in Iraq. Marine Staff Sgt. Kendall Damon Waters-Bey, killed in a helicopter crash on his way to duty in Iraq.Army Spc. Rasheed Sahib – Died May 18, 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom

> CPT Humayun S. M. Khan, USA (Muslim), KIA by an IED June 8, 2004, Iraq. Bronze Star, Purple HeartOn June 8, CPT Khan died in a suicide car bombing at the main gates of his base. CPT Khan was an ordnance officer with the Germany-based 201st Forward Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. His unit was charged with the day-to-day security and maintenance of the camp.When an orange-colored taxi drove toward them, Khan, suspecting a possible bomber, ordered his soldiers to “hit the dirt,” said his father, who received details of his son’s death from his commanding officer.Khan then walked toward the car, motioning for it to stop, his father said. A makeshift bomb inside it exploded, killing him and two Iraqi civilians in addition to the two suicide bombers. Ten soldiers and six Iraqi citizens were also wounded.