Love & hate
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.On Aug 15, 2018, at 4:25 PM, (name withheld) wrote:
Hello, I heard Michael Weinstein speak and heard all too clearly that he is permeated with fear that manifests itself in hate to the point of creating “facts” and unfortunately making himself appear foolish rather than an educated professional. I just want to let you know that his has my prayers for love and peace.
(name withheld)
Response from MRFF Founder and Director Mikey Weinstein
From: (name withheld)
Date: August 15, 2018 at 5:47:56 PM MDT
To: (name withheld)
Cc: Mikey W <info@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>
Subject: Love & Hate
(name withheld), I am a friend of Mikey Weinstein and I assure you he is a very dedicated professional and his only fear is that many individuals will NOT be allowed the freedoms the Constitution guarantees. There are many “well meaning” but overzealous people in the military that wish to force their beliefs on others. Mr. Weinstein and the MRFF are trying to ensure that doesn’t happen and that all are free to believe as they wish.
(name withheld)
Response from MRFF Advisory Board Member John Compere
On Aug 15, 2018, at 7:55 PM, John Compere wrote:
Dear (name withheld),Please allow me the opportunity to provide some information about the Military Religious Freedom Foundation founded by our dedicated President & my good friend, Mikey Weinstein.MRFF is an American non-profit constitutional rights organization (composed of over 80% Christians) & dedicated solely to ensuring the right of our military women & men to freedom of religion to which all Americans are entitled under the US Constitution. MRFF represents more than 57,000 military members (96% of whom are Christians) who requested their right to determine, enjoy & practice their own beliefs be respected & protected without coercive interference from others, especially superiors. MRFF only advocates for them when requested & has been officially nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 7 times for its advocacy.For your information, the US Constitution prohibits our government or its representatives (which includes the military) from promoting or endorsing a religion. The US Supreme Court has continuously & consistently confirmed this as the law of our land. US Armed Forces regulations prohibit the military from promoting or endorsing a religion. The military mission is to defend our nation against its enemies – not promote or endorse a religion. The military sworn service oath is to bear true faith & allegiance to the US Constitution – not to a religion. Those who refuse to respect & obey the Constitution, military regulations & military service oath have the right to seek a civilian career.Like our Country, the military consists of women & men with many different faiths & beliefs – not just Christians. The US Department of Defense (which governs our military) recognizes our belief diversity by publishing an official list of currently 221 different belief groups for the military alone. Our many Christian clients & few non-Christian clients do not want another person’s beliefs imposed upon them in the military workplace. They want to fulfill their military responsibilities free from unwanted & uninvited interference from others, especially superiors. Military chapels are available for those who choose to worship & military chaplains are available for those who seek spiritual support.
Please be assured the 57,000+ patriotic military members MRFF is presently serving & the 400+ staff & volunteers serving them through MRFF do not believe MRFF Founder Mikey Weinstein is fearful, hateful or foolish. He is a loyal & patriotic American veteran, educated & experienced professional attorney & a courageous constitutional rights advocate dedicated to protecting & preserving the right to freedom of religion in the military for military members.
Thank you for your communication. We wish you love & peace also.
Most Sincerely,Brigadier General John Compere, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, US Army (Retired)Former Chief Judge, US Army Court of Military ReviewDisabled American Veteran (Vietnam)MRFF Advisory Board Member
I don’t know where you were when you heard Mikey speak, but if you were in the audience at one of the many places he has appeared, I’m very surprised and deeply sorry to hear that your reaction was what you say it is. If, on the other hand, when you say you “heard” him speak, you’re referring to listening to a recorded statement, radio broadcast or the like, I would suggest that one would have to consider the source of the recording and consider the possibility of its having been edited.
Assuming you were personally in a place wherein Mikey spoke and heard it yourself, I’d be interested in knowing what he said that triggered your reaction. If you can provide some examples of his statements and tell me specifically about some of the “facts” you say he created, it would be important to help me better understand your reaction and what might be done about it.
I will admit to being hesitant to accept your analysis as stated because I have significant personal experience with and knowledge of Mikey. So to read that you saw him to be “permeated with fear” frankly strikes me as hilarious. I mean no insult by saying that, but of all the criticisms of Mikey I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard a lot of them from people who despise him because he has a Jewish name or because they think he is anti-Christian or a communist or because they think he’s the Son of Satan, I’ve never heard anyone suggest he was fearful. On the contrary, the fact that he continues his work to protect the right of the women and men in the military to be free to believe as they choose despite continuing vicious and violent attacks on his home and family and an ongoing barrage of threats from hysterical, fear-filled people – most of whom describe themselves as Christians but cannot be – make it clear that this man possesses a degree of personal courage and commitment rarely seen.
And of course I’d like to know more about your experience of him and the reasons for your reaction to his presentation. If you saw and heard him personally, you certainly heard his ability to clearly articulate his point of view. If it was a debate or there were hostile questions, you doubtless heard how quickly and forcefully he focuses, how he brings the facts to bear and, in my experience makes the hostile debater or questioner look to be the foolish one. But that, again, is only my experience.
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