Military Religious Freedom Foundation Ends Reign of Error of Religious Intolerance at Iowa City Veterans Hospital

America is a multicultural wonderland, filled with a people whose ancestors came to this country from every corner of the world to escape religious persecution. To reinforce our nation’s principles of tolerance, founder president Mikey Weinstein’s states: “ The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF} is profoundly pledged to work with all Americans regardless of race, creed, income or national origin. MRFF is the sole source for recourse to aid active duty U.S. Military members and veterans who are victims of unconstitutional religious persecution.”

Given this American mandate, it would seem that a Veterans Hospital would be the last place to find outrageously unconstitutional religious bias in favor of fundamentalist Christian evangelism and a hospital administration that practiced virulent anti-Semitism.

Responding to MRFF’s harsh spotlight on religious discrimination in the case of orthodox Jew, Akiva David Miller, decorated U.S. Navy veteran David Miller, recipient of the Good Conduct Medal, the Sea Service ribbon and the coveted Battle "E" ribbon who has been unwillingly thrust into a battle with the Iowa City Veterans Hospital & Clinics over religious discrimination and strident Christian proselytizing, the following reforms have just been instituted:

Kosher Food: Iowa City V.A. was now alleging that David never requested kosher food the first two times, but that they admitted "dropping the ball" during his last admission. His Chaplain, (first name needed) Kronick now realizes the Iowa City V.A. is lying about this. He will ensure that the food service staff at the Iowa City V.A. receives some specific training on kosher food. He reiterated that the food service staff at the Iowa City V.A. clearly has no understanding of Kashruth - but this problem will be fixed right away. He has also directed the Iowa City V.A. to change their admission forms to include a question for the patient regarding religious needs for diet.

Meetings In the Chapel: the Stations of the Cross have already been taken down, along with the Crucifix and all other religious symbols. Chaplain Kronick has directed the Iowa City VA that they are to keep all religious symbols put away except when conducting religious services. This is the standard policy for all VA and military chapels. Chaplain Kronick also directed that the Iowa City VA either add a Jewish flag to the front of their chapel or remove the Christian flag. This is normal policy within VA and Military chapels to have, in addition to the American flag, both a Christian and Jewish flag at the front of the chapel.

Religious Literature: Chaplain Kronick's inspection of the Iowa City VA discovered near the chapel two racks of religious literature - one for Protestant literature, and one for Catholic literature. Chaplain Kronick directed that they either remove the racks or add another rack of equal size and fill it with Jewish literature. Further, and religious literature made available in patient lounges in the hospital must include equal parts Jewish literature.

Christian Music Played in the Waiting Room: Chaplain Kronick has directed the Iowa City VA that this is to immediately cease. Religious music of any sort may not be played in any patient waiting room.

Religious Symbols: Chaplain Kronick agreed that Christian symbols in an examination room are improper and that the giant quilt hung in the patient waiting room inappropriately uses only the cross as a symbol for chaplains.

Proselytizing: Chaplain Kronick emphasized in the strongest terms that it is a direct violation of VA policy for any chaplain to engage in proselytizing. He has made it abundantly clear that under no circumstances are they ever to engage in these behaviors again. Chaplain Kronick made clear to them that their actions will be monitored by the national office and that proselytizing will not ever be tolerated under any circumstances. Chaplain Kronick emphasized that the entire VA national administration was very upset by this action in particular and that even the Christian chaplains within the VA's upper administration expressed their great displeasure at this course of action.

David Miller’s Medical Records: After reviewing David’s records and finding items that he considered to be seriously objectionable. There is a note in his chart, without any medical explanation, that he was not eligible for ANY narcotics (pain meds, in other words). He brought this situation to the attention of both the Iowa City VA hospital administrator and medical director and ordered them to either provide him with written, medical documentation supporting this order, or remove it from his chart. If anyone had doubted MRFF’s assertion that the Iowa City VA was using their "medical practice" to reprise David advocating for his religious rights, Chaplain Kronick found the note more than suspicious which might very well indicate reprisals for whistleblowimg.

Background Info:

Before moving to Iowa City David had never experienced a VA facility that was so obviously and thoroughly both fundamentalist Christian and Anti-Semitic. Its very orientation class is a metaphor for the greater problem – held in the Christian Chapel, adorned with its Stations of the Cross and altar Crucifix – the Iowa City VA Hospital & Clinic seems to be manifestly saying, "You must understand, this is a Christian institution." The examination room where primary care is given is rife with Christian symbols and scripture.

Over the last two years David was asked over and over and over again by seemingly credulous staff within its offices, clinics and wards, "You mean you don't believe that Jesus is the Messiah?" "Is it just Orthodox Jews who deny Jesus?" and "I don't understand; how can you not believe in Jesus; he's the Messiah of the Jews too you know."

David’s medical records clearly indicate that he is Jewish; however, with

each admission he had to repeatedly inform the nursing staff both verbally and in

writing that: 1. he requires kosher food; 2. he does not wish to be visited

by anyone from the Chaplain's office; and 3. He repeatedly requested they contact his Rabbi – and provided them with both his name and telephone number.

Despite these instructions, during all three of his hospitalizations, he was

denied kosher food and has had to endure his entire hospitalization ordeal without eating. Further, not only did the hospital refuse to notify his Rabbi, they sent to his hospital bedside a proselytizing Protestant chaplain. During these visits by a fundamentalist Christian Chaplain, notwithstanding his adamant objections, he was forced to receive a pamphlet from the Chaplains Office–blatantly Christian in nature and in itself an obvious proselytizing tool.

The first two Chaplain visits were all about trying to convince him that he needed

Jesus, that Jesus was the Messiah of the Jews too – this while he was suffering acute

chest pains and wired to a heart monitor! Astoundingly, he was told by the official hospital management hierarchy, after registering his most fervent complaints, that he needed to object more strenuously in order to terminate the ever-present proselytizing. The point is: how vigorous can they expect David’s objections to be when he is hospitalized with chest pains and wired to a heart monitor?

Both Akiva David Miller and Mikey Weinstein are available for interviews.

* Renowned Civil Rights Attorney and famed political activist Michael L. Weinstein is founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. He is an attorney and businessman who served on active duty in the USAF as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) for ten years and also spent three years as a White House Counsel in the Executive Office of the President of the United States under President Ronald Reagan . Mr. Weinstein was also formerly General Counsel for H. Ross Perot and Perot Systems Corporation.. Michael L Weinstein (Mikey) is a US Air Force honor graduate, part of three consecutive family generations of U.S. military Academy graduates. His immediate family has amassed over 120 years of combined active duty military service in every major combat engagement America from World War 1 to the current so-called War on Terror. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.