Update: As expected, Weinstein has expanded his attacks to other “crusader” imagery in the military, though unlike the sign below, the US Army has not responded to Weinstein’s demands.

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It was a test, and Michael “Mikey” Weinstein passed with flying colors.

Yesterday’s article on Weinstein and ISIS included a gratuitous picture of a sign in front of the 8th Special Troops Battalion Warrior Training Center in Fort Shafter, Hawaii:

The context was Weinstein’s obsession with the hurt feelings of Islamic extremists — including his claim that they’re motivated to attack the United States because of Crusader imagery.

Mikey did not disappoint.

The sign was erected on a remote portion of the base “far from most of the installation’s foot or motor traffic,” and it had been on the internet for a couple of weeks.

But within just a few hours of the article going up at ChristianFighterPilot.com, Weinstein sent a “demand email” to Major General Edward Dorman claiming the imagery was an “unconstitutional injustice” and calling on him to

immediately cease and desist from using blatantly unconstitutional Christian Crusader imagery…

Weinstein ridiculously claimed “this weaponized imagery representation of historic Christian sectarian warfare” was going to hurt the feelings of Islamic extremists, claiming it

…enrages our Islamic allies.
…emboldens our Islamic enemies and provides a propaganda bonanza bounty of boundless proportions. [and]
…eviscerates our own U.S. military troops’ [sic] good order, morale, discipline, unit cohesion, military readiness, mission accomplishment, heath and safety.

Weinstein’s claims are patently absurd. They are supported not by any shred truth, but only by Weinstein’s personal prejudice toward what he thinks is “Christian.”

Still, the Army unit in Hawaii acceded to Weinstein, removing the sign and also the image from the original article.

This isn’t a traditional military religious freedom issue. No one’s religious exercise is helped or hindered, nor is anyone persecuted by the picture of a knight.  Likewise, no religion is established, nor is any religion demeaned.

Ultimately, this shows little more than Mikey Weinstein’s hypersensitivity, pettiness, and obsession with what he thinks is Christianity in the military.

While the Army technically justified pulling the sign down because it was “not an approved logo,” it legitimized Weinstein’s complaint in the process [emphasis added]:

From: “Mead, Phillip A COL USARMY 8 TSC (US)”
Subject: Response to Email
Date: November 16, 2015 at 9:28:12 PM MST

Mr. Weinstein:

…In light of the concerns that you brought to our attention, the sign was removed from the building, and the image of the sign was also removed from the article on our unit webpage…

Respectfully,

COL Mead

PHILLIP A. MEAD
COL, LG
Deputy Commander
8th Theater Sustainment Command
Ft. Shafter, HI 96858

Despite the wealth of information available on Weinstein and his vitriolic vendetta, it seems some in the military still don’t know who he is or how to handle him.  As has been noted before, there are many, many images, emblems, mascots, and symbols used in the military that someone might not like — including more Crusaders and other religious, mythological, or historical references.  How many more times will they ask “how high?” when Weinstein tells the US military to jump?

Still, it’s interesting to note the MRFF keeps such close tabs here, though that was obvious. Some of the most reliable traffic on this site comes from New Mexico, Connecticut, Colorado Springs, and the Pentagon.

The US military can use — or remove — whatever imagery they want. But giving the perception of validating Mikey Weinstein’s perception of and attacks on Christianity in the US military probably isn’t wise, nor does it positively promote the culture of religious freedom in the military.

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