Michael “Mikey” Weinstein finally published his response to the Hopper dinner invite that was previously covered by MRFF ally Bob Lawrence and Christina Hopper herself, via Weinstein’s website.

Within the 2,000-word missive, Weinstein gets close — so close — to acknowledging he treated Hopper disrespectfully and wrongfully. But he never quite gets there.

He lauds the evening they spent together and even the character of Hopper and her husband, but even as he now realizes she doesn’t “stalk [her] helpless, lower-ranking subordinates,” he can’t bring himself to retract his accusation that she is a “proselytizing Air Force officer” who has “thrashed” good order and discipline into “bloody bits.”

Hopper can be accused of 1st-degree religious zealotry unbecoming of a military leader…

Much of Weinstein’s blog is filled with stereotypical and colorful language that promotes his ego, his normal invective, and his frequent talking points. Looking past that, though, there is one sentence that stands out among all others:

The Hoppers inspire me to be more ready and properly prepared to engage in the spirit of friendship and good faith communications with some of our potential enemies.

For a decade Mikey Weinstein has been known for his vitriol and invective. He has attacked everyone from government officials to Jewish soccer moms, making legal threats, demonizing them, and hurling language at them that would make even the most hardened biker gang blush. This is a character flaw his allies, his own organization, and even his family have called out, though also somewhat accepted.

Though some recent events leave room for doubt, perhaps the Hoppers have helped Mikey Weinstein finally begin to understand that disagreement and debate do not require disrespect.  Weinstein has further to go, of course: Even within his “heartfelt” missive in which he expressed his conviction to “love others,” he blindly characterized those who disagree with him as “foes and enemies.”

There remains one great disappointment. If Mikey Weinstein had the courage to actually admit his wrong — his hateful attack on Hopper’s character that he implicitly reversed here — it might mark an important step in developing the introspection necessary for him to realize how frequently he has conducted himself this way. Perhaps, then, he could finally see beyond his own invective to realize his “enemies” are little more than a bogeyman.

God has much work to do yet in the heart of Mikey Weinstein. Perhaps the Hoppers have lit an important candle.

One can hope. And pray.

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