USMMA

From: (Name withheld)
Subject: USMMA
Date: January 25, 2023 at 4:52:12 AM MST
To: [email protected]

From the bottom of my heart, I just wanted to thank you sir. 

I’m a current senior at USMMA and have noticed the school’s blatant favoritism of Christianity since I arrived years ago. But the difference between me and the midshipmen that contacted you is that the school had worn me down, and I had accepted that nothing would change. As an atheist, the school’s religious culture was suffocating and I was made to feel unwelcome.

Then I heard about the painting in Wiley Hall being covered, and I grew hopeful. This is a fantastic first step to actually having religious freedom at USMMA. However, between the petition currently going around to remove the painting’s cover, and the forced prayers to an explicitly Christian God at events that are mandatory to attend, there’s still a long way to go. Even though I will be graduating in just a few months, I hope that other non-Christian midshipmen will be able to feel like this is their Academy in the future.

I will admit that I had not heard of you prior to this controversy, but I will be sure to read your books and support MRFF for years to come.

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Response from MRFF Supporter Fr Steve Dundas

From: Steve
Subject: Inspired By Your Email to Mr. Weinstein
Date: January 28, 2023 at 12:12:06 PM MST
To: (MRFF USMMA Midshipman Client)
Cc: Michael L Weinstein <[email protected]>

Dear Midshipman (name withheld),

Mr. Weinstein shared your email with MRFF Board Members, and me as I write responses to much of the Christian Supremacist hate mail received by him and the MRFF.

I am a retired Navy Chaplain and a historian. Mr. Weinstein is a friend. In 2018 the MRFF defended me from spurious charges brought by a MAGA Navy retiree regarding a sermon that I preached at the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek – Fort Story, where I served as Command Chaplain. The charges about me being disrespectful of then President Trump and Conduct Unbecoming an Officer were dismissed during the investigation as completely false, but without the strength demonstrated by the MRFF my career of near 40 years could have come to an ignominious end with a General Court Martial. It certainly would have made the national news with Fox News using me as a symbol of left wing oppression of conservatives in the military. It was frightening to know that my base commander would so easily throw me under the bus. Life is good for me now as a historian, and I am happy to use my knowledge of the history of why we have the Establishment Clause to help those who are under attack by Christian Supremacists using their positions in the military to discriminate against others.

Your story of perseverance for four years in the midst of an overt and overwhelming culture of intrenched Christian supremacy, is inspiring. I am sorry that the Navy Chaplain at the Academy is not defending the liberties of non-Christians at the Academy. However, many are also Christian Nationalists with little understanding of the Constitution and religious liberty or the Establishment Clause. I wish that the Chaplain was doing his job.

Please continue your selfless service and I wish you all the best as an officer in the Merchant Marine and Naval Reserve. We need leaders like you. All the best.

Respectfully,

Steve Dundas
Commander, Chaplain Corps, US Navy Retired
Norfolk, Virginia

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