MRFF Exposes Wreaths Across America’s Shameful Migrant Worker Treatment, OSHA & Environmental Violations & More — All Aided & Abetted by the DoD and VA
This season’s Wreaths Across America story, coming a bit late this season because of MRFF’s being consumed through the month of December by Christian nationalist Rep. Mike Turner’s (failed) NDAA amendment to shut us down, has something for everyone — migrant worker exploitation, sexual harassment allegations, housing violations, workplace safety and other labor violations, environmental violations, and a scathing report from CharityWatch on this very profitable so-called “non-profit” that annually desecrates the graves of non-Christian veterans — all while being heavily promoted, endorsed, and participated in by the United States Military!
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Wreaths Across America, the non-profit that makes a lot of profit!
Very lucrative scam going by the founders of wreaths across America, the founders of the non-profit being the owners of the company that make the wreaths, bringing in about $26 million each year, and get this, using VOLUNTEERS to lay the wreaths at veteran gravesites. In other words, using free labor that are, effectively, working for the Worcester Wreath Company, owned by the same people that founded Wreaths Across America!
What a scam!
Wreaths Across America says, publicly, that their mission is to “Remember, Honor, and Teach,” when their real mission is to make the Worcester Wreath Company rich, the sole provider of the wreaths!
But it’s given me an idea. I can make PVC crosses, Stars of David, and the Muslim Star and Crescent, mounted on spikes that you simply push into the ground in front of each grave marker, and start a non-profit that memorializes veteran graves each Memorial Day, using volunteers for placement. We’ll call it the “Symbols of Service,” a 501c3, designed to honor the fallen! Who wouldn’t want to honor the service of our veterans each Memorial Day?
Now, we can even advertise that the symbols of service will be provided by “Veteran Tributes LLC,” and can even sing their praises on our webpage as we ask for donations to cover purchase ($19.95), transportation, recovery, and recruit volunteers for placement using local news outlets buried (no pun intended) in the story line, “Veteran Organization Pays Tribute!”
The real beauty of the grave markers, being made of PVC, is that they are recoverable and can be reused in the next purchase cycle at $19.95 per marker! Hire a few illegal immigrants to clean and do touch up paintwork, and we can resell the same markers each year!
The three types of markers avoids controversy by covering the three major religions! Since each VA grave marker, for the most part, already has the religious preference inscribed on the gravestone, placement is easy! For graves that don’t have a religious marking, we simply don’t place a marker! Too easy,
It probably wouldn’t take but a few years to move it nationally and can be expanded to include other holidays as well!
Thanks for the great idea Wreaths Across America!
Hire a PR specialist for $130K/yr and you can recruit Governors and civic leaders to also volunteer their unknowing complicity in promoting the “business” of your non-profit! Civic leaders always love a good photo-op with local news coverage, especially when it comes to honoring veterans.
Hire a “volunteer coordinator” and “donation coordinator,” throw in a few periodic gifts to civic leaders (football game club tickets, maybe even throw in private jet trips for high-level leaders to a National Championship game, etc), and you have yourself a very lucrative business!
I mean, Republicans on the Supreme Court take in all kinds of “perks” provided by the very rich and are accountable to no one! We can do the same thing! Look at Sarah Huckabee, Governor of Arkansas. Paid her friend $20 grand of taxpayer money for a lectern that doesn’t exist, to cover the cost of a “girls trip” to Paris, too easy! All tax payer funded!
If you bring in $20 million/year and spend $5 million in operational costs, you’re left with a cool $15 million in profit – all from a non-profit!
As founder of the non-profit, you can advertise that you take zero in salary, another selling point for your altruism in honoring veterans!
And who doesn’t love honoring veterans!
OK, I’m on it. Gonna be hitting y’all up to honor veterans each Memorial Day!
It’s only $20 bucks, not even the cost of lunch these days!
Ironmoped,
Sounds like L. Ron Hubbard’s philosophy about creating Scientology.
lol what!!!! Mickey Mouse is making 300k a year “running” a non profit. wheres your complaint there?
Hey ‘Gsst’… why don’t you tell everyone you’re an idiot without using the word idiot…. ANYONE actually familiar with legitimate compensation analysis would weigh actual valuation of skills/experience/industry comps/hazards/etc. Using the same ProPublica resource you’ll find dozens of “comparables” with the “Christian Charities” compensating numerous 6-figure staff salaries with far less expertise/workload/hazardous conditions (i.e. constant death threats). As essentially MRFF’s sole senior executive staff position, Mikey does alone what organizations like the ACLJ (Sekulow & family), Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, and American Family Association staff with a half dozen or more 6-figure salaries. Easy to research at ProPublica for anyone familiar with even the most basic knowledge of compensation comparibles. Mikey’s compensation is also well below what is recognized as reasonable hourly compensation for attorneys by both the U.S. District Courts and the DOJ (www.laffeymatrix.com & http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/dc/Divisions/Civil Division/LaffeyMatrix7).
No charge for the education BTW.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation’s 4-Star (out of 4-Stars)/97% positive rating by Charity Navigator is SPECIFICALLY for Accountability & Finance.
https://www.charitynavigator.org/search?q=Military+Religious+Freedom+Foundation+
“why don’t you tell everyone you’re an idiot without using the word idiot….” Nice try boomer, but that isn’t how it’s done.
Gsst…. settle down buttercup, get out of your ‘feels’ and tell us all “How It’s Done”… I’m always looking to expand either my education or my list of idiots….
show me which list you belong in sweety…
,,,and did I mention…
MRFF- Military Religious Freedom Foundation
4-Star (out of 4-Stars) /97% Accountability & Finance positive rating by Charity Navigator
https://www.charitynavigator.org/search?q=Military+Religious+Freedom+Foundation+
…I’m sure Charity Navigator would like to know “how it’s done” by a thoughtful and feeling buttercup as well.
Mark,
Admittedly, I know nothing about Scientology other than Tom Cruise, an otherwise smart guy, is a member. Can’t quite get my head around how someone so smart can be so dumb!
Not to be insulting, but as an atheist, the Scientology story, phaetons and all that caper, is no more “out there” than the Judeo-Christian story of the creator of the Universe knocking up the 12 year old virgin wife of another man (against his own rules, not to mention her age) to manifest himself in human flesh to be sacrificed to himself for the redemption of the sin we are born with because Eve took from the tree of knowledge? And of course, the talking snake, for having encouraged Eve, doomed forever, as punishment, to crawl on its belly for all its days – which……. was kind of what it was already doing? “Oh snap! You got me there Lord!” Too funny!
I mean, the whole thing would make a great SNL skit!
Jist complains about MRFF donations? $300K vs $26 Million for the Worcester Wreath Company? Get some fat on your head bro! You’re going to need it to get that GED!
Can you please help me study for the GED? Im so nervous.
Gsst doesn’t realize that Mikey works long hours and has to pay for security to protect himself and his family from bigots who hate religious freedom and those who fight to protect religious freedom. And Mikey’s compensation doesn’t make Wreaths Across America any less of a scam that is disrespectful of many in our armed services who gave their lives for our country.
Yeah, the reasoning through language arts portion of the GED – thats definitely gonna be a problem! The good news is you have to be at least 18 so you have time!
Be glad to help. Here’s my office address: 4700 Whitesburg Drive, Huntsville, AL. Tel. 256-539-1711. Ask for Mr. C. Lyon.
I donate to the MRF because I worked for the military for many years in my previous career and have seen first-hand the religious Christian Nationalism that’s pervasive throughout, the unconstitutional Christian bullying on full display.
The other reason I donate? It’s my fucking money!
IronMopen,
I was commenting on the Wreaths Across America being a scam much like Scientology. I looked into it a couple decades ago in order to have an informed opinion about it, and saw it for what it was. L. Ron Hubbard was the founder of Scientology, and he said “You don’t get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.”. That quote is what I was referring to.
I am also an atheist. I do not follow Scientology, and never have. I have a Master’s in Computer Science as well. I also find the Scientology “mythology” a bunch of fecal matter.
I understood what you were saying Mark. Good comments!
I’ve known it’s a bunch of hocus pocus, but just can’t be bothered to spend any time on it (Scientology). The Mormons and Joesph Smith, same deal. The angel Moroni? Garden of Eden in Missouri? ALL of it’s a bunch of BS imo.
The incomprehensible size of the Universe (one of many?), and to buy into the whole story of a caretaker God that watches over us 24/7 to see if we’ve been naughty or nice, not to mention his abnormal concern for what we do when naked?
As AC Grayling says, “there’s more evidence for the tooth fairy than the Christian God!”
Computer Science – tough degree, my son has an MS in CS. Left me way behind at linear algebra, never mind the rest of the curriculum. Calculus 1 my “limits,”
pun intended. :-)
Good on ya Mate!
Speaking of immigrants, Texas’ Governor Gregg “Sawblade” Abbott prevents the US Border Patrol from assisting immigrants in distress, the result, over the weekend, a mother and two children drowning in the Rio Grande.
I wonder if he took down the bleachers on our side of the border where Republicans could watch the mother and children drown while they yell anti-immigrant expletives and eat their popcorn – we do love us some watching immigrants drown almost as much as we love seeing them get hung up in razor wire or cut up by the saw blades in between the buoys! Especially the children! Nothing like watching little children get hung up in razor wire! You can take side bets on how long it will take them to bleed out as every movements entangles them more, the razors tearing chunks of flesh out of their little bodies! Bring a decibel meter with you and you can take bets on how loud their crying will get as they call for their Mothers! Woohoo! Even better than blowing up Palestinian kids with 2,000 lb US -made bombs!
The Democrats may be “groomers” but Republicans take it to a whole new level as they come up with innovative ways to detest, er, I mean, protest the sanctity of life!
If you have a miscarriage in Texas, you’ll be punished for crimes against a corpse! Not sure what you’re supposed to do with a fetus God decides to abort, but better check in with the Texas Attorney General just to be sure! Maybe take it to a Texas Committee hearing and ask them what they want you to do with it!
But I digress.
Kudos to Gregg Sawblade for coming up with the idea of the razor wire and saw blades! Very creative! I wonder if his wife, the First Lady of Texas and grand daughter of Mexican immigrants, helped pick out the buoy color? Blood red for a reason?
Good ole “Welcome to Texas” Christian values!
Way to go Sawblade! Brown people struggling in the Rio Grande? Especially kids? Just doesn’t get any whiter than that does it?
Republican family values! Making Attila the Hun look woke!
Speaking again of immigrants, or lack thereof, Indiana State Rep Joanna King has introduced legislation to allow 14 year olds to leave school to work on farms, as long as they have completed the eighth grade and as long as the parent consents.
Do I need to tell you what party?
In fairness, she is limiting their work to no more than 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. Awwww, isn’t that nice of her? She cares so much for children!
I didn’t see anything about rates of pay though. I’m sure that’s coming later to keep these kids from being taken advantage of!
“Republicans in several states are embracing legislation to let children work in more hazardous occupations, longer hours on school nights and in expanded roles including serving alcohol in bars and restaurants as young as 14.”
Serving alcohol in bars at 14? Now there’s a fucking great Republican idea! Let us know how that works out for you!
There’s your future under Republican leadership!
Ban books, kick out immigrants (replace them with American kids who’ll be cheaper to employ), more for-profit schools, less social security, less Medicare, do away with Medicaid and food stamps and help for the poor. No more pre-existing conditions coverage in healthcare (if you lose your job, sucks to be you), open carry without training or license in all States, you get to keep public education money when you home school. What could be better?
Get on it Republicans! You’re doing a stellar job of lowering standards but you can do more! Throw in some prayer in school (Christian prayer), and you’ll have yourselves a real race to the bottom!
Nothing to do with Wreaths across America, unless you count more wreaths being placed on future casualty graves, but an important discussion on the “build up to war.”
The US never takes military action, sustained action, without publicizing its intent. Why? Because it’s too dangerous politically.
Let’s talk about Congress first. Being a member of Congress has to be the easiest job on the planet. You get paid for running your mouth, within the framework of the party. Particularly as a newbie member, you parrot the talking points you’re told to get in line behind. Party affiliation makes no difference.
Most newby politicians can’t believe how many people kiss their asses just by virtue of being a member of Congress or a State legislative body. You get used to people kissing your ass very quickly and, pretty soon, buy in to the notion that you really are deserving of all the ass kissing and favoritism that society doles out to you by virtue of your position. You grow to expect it, caught up in your own self importance. In many cases, it’s not an earned level of confidence in your own abilities, it’s given to you because of your position. Even your staff benefits from being on a congressional staff with perks and societal favors being granted because of position. Your $174,000 dollar salary reinforces your own self importance and places you well above the median HOUSEHOLD income in the US of $74,000 per year. In other words, it’s a good gig!
What does that have to do with veteran graves? Your goal as a congressman, obviously, is to keep your job. Since you’re paid to run your mouth, your focus becomes centered on the popularity of what you say when you open your mouth, influenced enormously by contributions you receive! If you’re going to keep your job, you obviously want to say things that supports the contributions you receive.
Media coverage of what you say is important in terms of managing the message, bringing along constituents in support of your position, which, in turn, is aligned with the Party platform.
The Israeli lobby AIPAC, for example, donated $3.7 million to members of Congress in the month of November alone!
New York Democrat, Ritchie Torres, was the largest single recipient of AIPAC donations in November, as an example.
It would be surprising if Torres said he didn’t support Israel’s actions in Gaza, which he does. It would be more surprising if he said he did not support going after Iran directly, in line with Israel’s strategic effort to get the United States to expand its support of Israel by way of the US becoming an Israeli proxy using our young men and women to prosecute a war with Iran.
Enter the media. You’re hearing, daily, in news reports talking about the Israeli assault on Gaza, as a means of deflection and as a way to initiate a strategic objective, more and more about Iran – we need to cut off the head of the snake, Iranian-backed militias, Iranian funded proxies, Iranian controlled militias, Iran this, Iran that, Iran the source of the problem (never mind we’ve killed over 30,000 in Gaza). The media coverage is getting you ready for US assets and troops to be used in direct action against Iran! You are being conditioned to believe that “we” need to do something about Iran. Not Israel. America’s sons and daughters.
You’re already being told that the United States will rebuild Gaza with US tax dollars. Why? We didn’t attack Gaza. Why isn’t Israel on the hook for rebuilding Gaza? They destroyed it!
Sen Lindsey Graham is already calling for direct attacks on Iran. Linsey Graham thinks it’s OK for your sons and daughters to be used to attack Iran, to fight on behalf of Israel!
Is it OK? I don’t think so.
You’re going to hear more and more in reporting centered on Iran in the coming days and weeks. Netanyahu tried to get us into a war with Iran, unsuccessfully, under the Obama administration. But he has an audience today. He can deflect from Israeli carnage, expand the Israeli State, and get America to go after its nemesis Iran. Not only expanding Israeli interests, but securing his position as those in Israel call for his resignation and prosecution. Netanyahu knows the only way he stays in power is to sustain the war and, in particular, expand it and suck the United States into it!
Don’t let him do it! Don’t let Israel use America’s young men and women to fight his religious Nationalist war!
Write to the White House and your representatives to tell them to “Stop the Carnage,” and “No War with Iran!”
Don’t let Israel put more wreaths on new military member graves!
Israel is a pariah State in violation of international law. A State that should know better given past treatment of Jews. They are the oppressors.
Write to your representatives. Don’t let Israel get us into another American military debacle!