MIKEY’s OP-ED – From the Halls of Oklahoma to the Shores of Oahu
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Church-state separation win in Oklahoma – Immediate Implications for “God Bless” Sign at Marine Corps Base Hawaii
In the battle against the diehard fundamentalist Christian enemies of the U.S. Constitution, clear, public victories are rare but very sweet. And “sweet” is certainly one way to describe this past Monday night’s unceremonious removal of the granite “Ten Commandments” monument from the Capitol grounds in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
This unconstitutional eyesore was erected in 2012 amidst the ceaseless efforts by those seeking to preserve the so-called “Judeo-Christian” (read: fundamentalist Christian supremacist) character of our secular democracy. Since then, predictably, the statue has been the focus in a long-running game of political football which finally concluded when the 4,800-pound slab of granite was hauled off in the dead of night to private grounds, where it belonged in the first place and where it will be wholly (holy?) in accord with the time, place and manner requirements of the United States Constitution.
One can be forgiven for thinking that the Oklahoma statue removal would be a convincing demonstration, for all to witness, of the sustaining inviolability of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the protection it offers against medieval-style religious zeal and triumphalism in the halls of power.
Sadly, it remains doubtful as to whether this clarion message came through loud and clear at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCB Hawaii) on Oahu. In what one can only assume was a fit of post-9/11 jingo-religiosity, in 2001 a sign reading “God Bless the Military, Their Families, and the Civilians Who Work With Them” was erected and has since enjoyed a particularly conspicuous placement at the base – imagine a tarantula sitting atop a wedding cake.
Of course, the organization of which I am the Founder and President – the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) – knows that this seemingly altruistic message or “good news,” as some might call it, is anything but. In fact, the sign is deliberately divisive and sends an exclusionary message of unbridled supremacy and dominance to the growing community of non-religious service members at MCB Hawaii, not to mention those service members of faith whose chosen object of religious worship and piety may not be referred to as “God”… not to mention those who don’t like to see their cherished Christian faith used as a crude proselytizing cudgel against their comrades-in-arms! Indeed, for servicemembers who may happen to be Jewish, Muslim, Wiccan, Hindu, Norse/Ásatrú, or atheist/agnostic/humanist/secular, these “blessings” instead resemble a veritable gut-punch to unit cohesion, good order, morale and discipline at a time when the U.S. Marines continue to contend with a long-standing crisis affecting its esprit de corps.
When MRFF justifiably intervened on behalf of 65 Marine complainants/clients, the all-too-predictable “(non)response response” from the base was an absolutely ridiculous assurance of exercising “due diligence to ensure compliance with existing regulations and law” and, of course, a cowardly refusal to remove the offending sign.
This latest example of military proselytizing on Uncle Sam’s time and dime certainly, government-paid missionary work as it were, wouldn’t be the first time that military officials in commanding positions threw mission accomplishment, military readiness, good order, unit cohesion, morale, and discipline overboard. For fundamentalist Christian chauvinists steeped in a twisted culture of Constitutional dereliction, nothing matters more than their untrammelled ability to wave the symbols of their chosen faith tradition in the faces of all the troops , particularly their otherwise helpless armed forces subordinates. They commit these unconstitutional crimes with eager reckless abandon; Department of Defense policies, directives, instructions, and long-standing regulations be damned.
However, with the latest news of Oklahoma’s removal of the illicit “Ten Commandments” slab from the grounds of the State Capitol, one can be forgiven for reacting with sentiments of renewed hope in the durability of the U.S. Constitution’s nonpareil religious (and non-religious) protections. The writing is on the wall: the separation of church and state is here to stay.
Are you listening, MCB Hawaii commander, Col. Sean C. Killeen?
Click to read at Daily Kos
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- November 7, 2025 | No comments
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Wow Mikey, just wow. You reached a new low here, you called the 10 commandments an “eyesore” and this from someone who claims to be Jewish. You are calling one of the greatest things that Jews all over the world cling to an eyesore. May I suggest that you turn in your Jew card and stop praying, besides, God does not hear your prayers MIkey, even of the psalmists wrote – “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Psalm 66:18. Well Mikey God does not hear you because you consistently cherish iniquity or sin in your heart. Still shaking my head over this, basically you have slapped God in the face, saying that His commandments are an eyesore. Do you think the Holocaust survivors consider the 10 commandments are an eyesore, you Mikey are no better than the Sonderkommandos in the Nazi death camps. If you do not know who the Sonderkommando’s are, they were fellow Jewish prisoners in the death camps who carried out of the gas chambers those fellow Jews who were just murdered and took those lifeless bodies and stuffed them in the ovens to be burned. How does it feel Mikey to have the stench of Zyclon B on your hands from those who were gassed, and has the stench of human flesh being burned reached your nostrils yet! You have insulted every Jewish person on the planet, may you never show up again at any synagogue, and may they turn you away unless you are willing to apologize to your fellow Jews!!
Also you say that Christians are the enemies of the constitution, really, since when in your feeble mind, and please don’t say that you are not anti-Christian, because your words convict you at every turn of being anti-Christian. Every time you insult, ridicule, harass Christians you pound the nails into Christs wrists and feet even more, just don’t get His blood on you while doing it, it just might set you free!!
You keep saying that this religious stuff ruins unit cohesion and morale, NO, what ruins unit cohesion and moral is two fag queers humping each others ass when they feel like, and now you want queer transgenders in the military. If a man wants to be a woman, no problem, just give me a kabar knife and I will slice and dice their genitals off, but it might me a bit bloody and messy and need a surgeon to try to make a vagina for them, but for those who women who want to be a man, no problem, just grab a penis that was sliced off and sew on them! Immorality ruins unit cohesion and military readiness more than a person’s faith in God!
Have a nice day!
Yeshua Warrior, you need to STFU, since all you have is ad hominem attacks. Anyone who disagrees with your theism is “feeble-mined”, eh? That’s funny, given how feeble-minded you NEED TO BE to accept the bible, torah, or any other bullshit holy book.
So Jews cherish the 10 C’s, and THAT’S reason enough to keep it on GOVERNMENT GROUNDS? What about the OTHER 603 Mosaic laws — OH, you don’t KNOW about THOSE, do you? I seriously DOUBT even the Hassidic Jews of America are all that bothered by the removal of that plaque; it’s just you fucking christians who are all butthurt about it….and that;s JUST TOO DAMNED BAD, because the law of the land DOES NOT answer to religion. It’s the other way around.
And don’t even BOTHER trying to marginalize me for my language, it was carefully chosen, for the effect I intended, and you couldn’t possibly match my IQ, anyway. You want to DEBATE the reality and content of the bible, I’d be HAPPY to do so…but you’d DEFINITELY go away butthurt from THAT, ’cause I will EVISCERATE your holy book.
P.S. – So what is next Mikey, will you ask that all the Jewish chaplains to remove their 10 commandment insignia off their uniforms since it is on government property?!
I see the removal of the 10 commandments statue as a prophetic picture of what is happening to our nation. Our nation is slowly getting rid of any reference to God and to Jesus Christ. Soon God will say you do not want me, ok, I will totally remove my hand of protection and blessing on this nation, then let’s see what happens! We had a glimpse of Him removing his hand of protection from this nation on 9/11. That was a warning!
Be forewarned, God’s patience for this country will not tarry for long, and He will indeed execute His wrath and judgement on this country for our blatant and horrendous sins and turning our backs on Him. However, God has promised that He will protect the Christian and Messianic Jew from this wrath to come, not that life will be easy, but we will find our protection under the shadow of His wings!
Mikey,
Thank you so very much for all the work you do. I’ve no idea how you keep your sanity when dealing with the likes of Dominionists. Perhaps it’s the Viking in me but I really just want to open a can of whoopass all over them – guess that’s giving them what they want – huh?
Sighs. Yep, that would be why you are in charge of the MRFF and I’m just a commentor. Again, thank you. I know my late husband would approve of you and your work. :)
Wow YW, just wow. You are all over the map, going from hither to yon. BTW, did you write to the Church of Satan?:
“After the tablet was erected on public property, groups including civil libertarians, a satanic church in New York, those backing animal rights and even a satirical Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster requested equal space to showcase their beliefs in protest.”
YW, I gotta tell you, most Agnostics don’t pray, but of course some do. I kinda pray at times, like when I kinda pray/wish that I could go for a ride in a flying saucer — but just a short ride … and an even shorter one if the Saucerians tell me that they know where Heaven is — I would then ask that they take me back to earth so that I could hypocritically get serious about religion again (I started out at a small religious school in a small town in First Grade).
YW, when were you in the military? If so, you will recognize the vet’s standard 4 questions: Which branch, Where mostly, When, & what was your job (some throw in the rank business, but rank fluctuates with societal emphasis on Social Engineering: example: In 1954 US Army in Germany, most of the troops were of the rank E3 (PFC); ten years later after much Social Engineering, most of the troops were non-Corporal E4’s, namely “Spec 4’s” . . . so, a machine gunner in 1954 was a PFC . . . let’s say that that machine gun was handed down for ten years: the guy doing the very same job i.e. operating that MG in 1964 was, courtesy of Social Engineering, a Spec. 4 !!!)
YW, are you in favor of what the Christian Dominionists want, namely to rewrite the U.S. Constitution in order for the USA to officially become a Christian Nation?
YW, have you spoken with a member of the therapeutic community re your fixations about Jews in ovens, and about the sexual equipment of those other than what the media calls “traditional heterosexuals”? When I was in the Army in Germany our main concern was not getting caught out alone on the Post at night – I knew of one guy who lost eyesight in one eye, and another guy who still walks with a limp because they violated that unwritten rule. Sexual orientation had nothing to do with the attacks (I directly knew that since I worked at the Post Headquarters, where all the reports were filtered — there were other reasons for those attacks).
YW, have you been to Germany? I knew ethnic Poles (plural) from the Upper Mid-West in the Army who married German girls. All these years later and not one divorce, but lots of grandkids.
It is said when a person tells you who they are, believe them.
YW writes: You keep saying that this religious stuff ruins unit cohesion and morale, NO, what ruins unit cohesion and moral is two fag queers humping each others ass when they feel like, and now you want queer transgenders in the military. If a man wants to be a woman, no problem, just give me a kabar knife and I will slice and dice their genitals off, but it might me a bit bloody and messy and need a surgeon to try to make a vagina for them, but for those who women who want to be a man, no problem, just grab a penis that was sliced off and sew on them! Immorality ruins unit cohesion and military readiness more than a person’s faith in God!”
I believe YW has no idea of how to live in the here/now where sexual freedom means not being shoved into a hetrosexual only box. I believe a unit that is assigned to combat isn’t all that worried about the sexuality of the person next to them. As I understand it (per talks with veterans who’ve been in combat) the only concern folks have before going into battle is to survive and whether or not each member of the unit knows their job and can do it. After all, sexuality and gender identification have no effect on whether or not a person can handle firearms or if they can take another’s life in defense of you and yours. It’s not a job for everyone.
As for the 10 Commandments being an eyesore? ANY mention of any religion by the government (and that includes the military) is an affront, or should be, to all Americans. The fact YW doesn’t understand this point speaks volumes to their intelligence and ability to face facts.
YW
YW
It’s you warrior types I worry about.
Dominionist much?
Perhaps some mental health consults would help you figure out the difference between freedom of and from religion and the murders of innocent Jews. And help you get over your obsessions, which jimmy has pointed out.
Mikey, keep up the good work. You let people like YW post to this site so we can be reminded of the hatred that you face for us every day.
And YW confirms that I am doing good by supporting you with my yearly commitment. Wish it could be more.
My late husband, a committed Christian and retired from the USN, would applaud your work. Thank you.
Oh I forgot to mention that today is Bring your Bible to School Day and pictures of kids bringing their bibles to school is blowing up Twitter. What a glorious thing, kids and teenagers bring their bible to school and ready to share their faith in Christ with their teachers and it does not go against the Constitution either. Can you imagine, what a revival that would be if thousands of teachers accepted Christ today!!! Praise Jesus!
“The fact YW doesn’t understand this point speaks volumes to their intelligence and ability to face facts.”
More rather to the lack of intelligence when it comes to YW and his inability to face the facts.
Then then Muslims should be able to bring their Korans to the schools even if those schools happen to be Christians ones. Allah be praise!
G,
No Muslims would not be allowed to bring their Koran to a Christian school, because they would not be studying the Koran but the bible. Because Christians schools like Catholic schools are private, they can choose whom they will enroll in their school. Years ago when I was teaching at a Christian high school, there were a couple Mormon families who sent their children there, but in their bible classes they had to learn the bible not the book of Mormon.
Mikey,
I would not count your victories just yet, legal battles for religious freedoms are being won in court left and right – http://blog.libertyinstitute.org/2015/10/4-reasons-war-for-your-religious_8.html
YM, I would not count your chickens before they are hatch.
If kids can’t bring the Koran to the Christians schools, then they need to be stripped of their tax exemptions. I don’t appreciate the Bible being brought into public schools and colleges which I support with my taxes.
If I was a college professor or a public school teacher, and some kid tries to convert me with the Bible, I would not hesitate to not use the rod on him/her and thump the Bible on his/her head.
Hey G,
You know what deal with it. It is not against any law and even the Supreme Court has upheld that students whether, elementary through college have the right to bring their bibles to school and college campuses along with teachers and professors.
Christian, Catholic, or Jewish schools are private and thus they receive no federal funding so they have the right to set their own rules for the students and the school.
G, if you were to use the rod on a student who tried to convert you and thump the bible on their head, that is called assault and battery and the student could press charges and have you arrested.
You may want to read up on all the religious rights students have in public schools and colleges – https://answersingenesis.org/public-school/religion-in-schools/christian-law-association-rights-in-public-schools/
YW & G,
I’ve followed your conversation. YW is all over the place – starts with the bring your bible to school day, asks how wonderful if new souls could be won for heaven. When The idea of other faiths and other holy books are included YW says nope, Christian only because Christian school so Christian rules.
My question is why and more important how is it possible to have new souls won for Christ in a Christian school that only allows Christians through the door.
YW is doing what dominists do – switching facts in the middle of a debate. Starts with public schools, slides in the our house our rules bit, and then gloats about how he’s allowed to push his idea of truth on the rest of us.
Did I get that right?
Don’t want YW’s version of America? Then get out and vote. Let’s push religion back into the church.
Connie,
As a private school, whether be, Christian, Catholic, Jewish or Muslim, they can set their rules as they wish.
As a former Christian school high school teacher, I am sure there were students at the school who were not Christians, case in point, at the school where I taught there was a Mormon family that sent their kids there. All the teachers knew who they were, but we never targeted them to share Christ, we figured that the gospel was presented in their required bible class and if they had questions we would answer them. Now, the Mormon students could not be involved in student leadership since they were not Christians and they were fine with that.
Also, with Christians clubs on college campuses, they have the right to set standards for that club as to who is on the leadership board of that club, and normally a non Christian cannot be on the leadership board but can attend its functions if they wish. I am sure Muslim Student Assoc on many college campuses today would not let a Christian or Jew be on their leadership boards.
As far as religion and the church, the first amendment grants the right not to keep a persons religion just in their church, mosque or synagogue or whatever. Jesus also taught to spread the “good news” to all nations, tribes and tongues and not to keep it in the synagogue or church as it were.
Dear YM:
If parents are going to hit their kids in the name of discipline, then the parents should be arrest for assault and battery. BTW, there was this pastor named Eric Dammann who had hit a kid because the kid was not taking God seriously plus the kid was acting too intelligent and that piss off the pastor. I don’t think the paster ever got send to prison for assault and battery.
Many Christian schools and organizations did get money from the federal government under George Bush, Jr., and got legal aid from him. You obviously did not read the link
YW, As I stated earlier, if kids can’t bring their own Koran, etc., to other religious schools, then those religious organizations should be stripped of their tax exemption. The laws of the countries should apply equally to them.
“but can attend its functions if they wish. I am sure Muslim Student Assoc on many college campuses today would not let a Christian or Jew be on their leadership boards.”
Do you have any prove of that or are you just running off your mouth?
“My question is why and more important how is it possible to have new souls won for Christ in a Christian school that only allows Christians through the door.”
Excellent question, Connie! That is kind of like a business complaining about trying to get new customers and new employees but they excluded certain groups of people by not hiring them and/or selling goods and services to them. Redlining the neighborhood by banks and real estate agents is a good example. It is also like the US military stating that they are short of people but at the same time, refuse to allow certain groups of people to join the military let alone promote them.
“YW is doing what dominists do – switching facts in the middle of a debate. Starts with public schools, slides in the our house our rules bit, and then gloats about how he’s allowed to push his idea of truth on the rest of us.”
I agree with you, Connie. YM is doing what the Republican Party does when it doesn’t want to have a straight simple debate on an issue like gun control for example.
Here is the link again about Bush helping the Christians organizations: http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/America/W's_Christian_Nation.html
WOW! As I read this I can only think…Bully. The same attitude of hate I received for wearing my military uniform on college campuses.
John,
It gives me sadness to read you getting hate when wearing your uniform. I know back when Vietnam was ending soldiers were not getting any love, and our politicians did nothing to protect the warriors who went into battle and came back scarred with the horrors that occurred over there.
As for your bully comment – who exactly are you calling a bully? Mikey? Because in my opinion (and yes, I was horribly bullied as a child so I know a few things about bullies) it is not the MRFF that are acting the bully but those who MUST profess their belief in their personal relationship with Christ.
It’s been said before and bears repeating here – religion is like a penis. It’s wonderful you have one and all until you start waving it in everyone’s face.
On a serious note – either everyone’s faith is acknowledged or no one’s faith. I’m not sure why Evangelicals miss this oh, so simple message. Your faith is important. TO. YOU. AND. YOU. ONLY. Please stop thinking your faith is superior to everyone else. In these United States we learned to share early on. Were you missing from class that week?