MRFF – BLAKE PAGE – Demand Letter re: MCB Hawaii Religious Sign
Accessibility Notice
This post was created on the previous version of the MRFF website, and may not be fully accessible to users of assistive technology. If you need help accessing this content, please reach out via email.
From: Blake Page, Special Assistant to the President, MRFF
Subject: MCB Hawaii Religious Sign
Date: September 24, 2015 at 1:45:32 PM MDT
To: Col. Sean C. Killeen, USMC
ATTN: COL Sean C. Killeen, Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Sir,
It has been brought to the attention of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation by multiple active duty Marines that a sign invoking God’s blessings has been erected, and currently stands, on prominent display at MCB Hawaii (see attachment). This sign is a brazen violation of the No Establishment clause of the constitution, as it sends the clear message that your installation gives preference to those who hold religious beliefs over those who do not, and those who prefer a monotheistic, intervening god over other deities or theologies. We recognize the value that religious activity brings to the lives of many, however this sign is not in keeping with the time, place, and manner restrictions required by law to for any military commander to bolster religious principles through the official authority given to their rank and position. It is our recommendation that this sign be moved to a more appropriate location, such as chapel grounds, or be removed from the installation altogether.
We look forward to working with you to see this issue resolved, and are confident that you will take swift and appropriate action to see that happen.
V/R,
Blake A. Page
Military Religious Freedom Foundation
Special Assistant to the President
Recent Posts
- March 21, 2023 | No comments
- March 20, 2023 | No comments
Mikey:
I’m glad this letter from Blake Page is written in measured, almost subdued tones–I’ve seen much worse offenses over the years that MRFF has responded to far more sternly. In fact given MRFF’s very limited resources, I as a long-standing member and supporter would not be upset if MRFF decided it had to “pick its battles” and passed on this one.
Merlin
You can’t pick and choose your battles on freedom from religion. You let one branch of the service get away with something that crosses state and religion, they will do it again and again and they will not stop.
As a Marine that served at the MCB Hawaii-Kaneohe MCAS-this saddens me to think we have people who have nothing better to do than worry about this type of sign being posted on a Base that Clearly wants it there. There is absolutely no question in my mind that this type of thing should be settled via majority rules. Majority rules should ALWAYS be used for any issue of public debate. Very sad to see this country boil down to this type of BS these days when this was for generations a non-issue. What a joke things have become.
Dear Michael Gravenmier:
1) Did you and your fellow Marines have a public debate on your base on whether or not you wanted that sign on the base and voted on it?
2) In the military, you don’t get to debate and rule on a lot of things. If either leave the military, click your heeds and carry out the orders or face court-martial.
3) Majority rule? Yeah, well after the USA became a country, the majority of people could not vote because they did not own property because that was the voting requirement for a long time. Poor people, women, and slaves did not have the right to vote. In addition, people were not allow to vote on who was going to be their US senate from their state until the 17th Amendment was passed in 1913. Until that happen, rich people and corporations use their financial power on the state legislature to determine who was going to be federal senator.
4) You have corporations like Walmart denying their workers to have public debate and to vote on whether they wanted to have a union. In addition, you have right-wing organizations like ALEC fighting on behalf of the corporations and wealthy people to get rid of laws at the city, county, state, and federal levels that they did not like and replace them with laws that favor corporations and wealthy people and they are doing it in secret with any kind of public debate and no input from the ordinary citizen.
5) Majority rules? For a long time, it was corporations and wealthy people that did not believe in majority rule and still don’t. If majority rule, then we would have eliminate slavery, have affordable/free education, prevent our manufacturing jobs from being send overseas, free healthcare, and better wages in this country. You also have politicians who no longer want to speak to their constituents anymore.
What a joke democracy has become in this country.
Have all of you forgotten the last 4 words of the military service oath you took?