On 8 November, the Air Force Times published its letters to the editor online. Among them was one from retired US Navy Commander Wayne Johnson, who took Michael “Mikey” Weinstein to task for his attacks against US Air Force LtCol Michael Kersten.

Johnson had some advice for the Air Force. Rather than telling Weinstein to pound sand, Johnson suggested something simpler:

Nuts! [emphasis added]

‘NUTS’ TO DEMAND

In a recent interview with base public affairs for a Meet Your Leadership series at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Kersten, 39th Medical Support Squadron commander, mentioned his Christian faith and quoted the Bible.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation and its president, Mikey Weinstein, is demanding the Air Force rebuke what Kersten said as well as punish him. If the Air Force has real integrity, it should respond to this demand with the words of Army Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, when the Germans demanded that he surrender during World War II’s Battle of the Bulge: ‘Nuts!’

If not, the Air Force should take Kersten to a general court-martial and see how that plays out in the press.

Mr. Weinstein and the high-minded sounding MRFF are one in the same. He founded the MRFF and makes hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from donations the MRFF receives spouting his hate of Christianity. I have a feeling many of those who donate to the MRFF through things like the Combined Federal Campaign do not know what the foundation really does under its banner of ‘stopping religious coercion in the military.’

Weinstein and the MRFF would not dare condemn a Muslim soldier or airman for quoting the Koran. He has no interest in religious freedom in the military. On the contrary his goal is to stamp out any mention of Christianity in the military. Not sure about Judaism or the Old Testament of the Bible. I would love to see his reaction, or lack thereof, if someone quoted King Solomon or Moses at a military function.

Navy Cmdr. Wayne L. Johnson (ret.)
Alexandria, Va.

Johnson’s well-informed letter earned a quick rebuttal publication from Mikey Weinstein’s burgeoning public affairs representative, retired BGen John Compere:

[Johnson’s letter] belligerently exhibited ignorance of this law and regulation violation as well as the MRFF.

How, precisely, a letter “belligerently exhibit[s]” something remains to be seen. More interesting is the content of Compere’s rebuttal:

The military mission is to defend our diverse nation against all enemies – not promote a religion. The sworn service oath is to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States … and bear true faith and allegiance to the same” – not to a religion. The First Amendment of the Constitution prohibits our government or its representatives from promoting a religion.

Much of the language in Compere’s short letter appears to be borrowed from his much longer treatise that’s been previously published. It’s possible the Air Force Times edited out the actual meat of Compere’s rebuttal — because his statement as written is ultimately worthless. Compere’s response isn’t remotely controversial: Certainly, with some context the military doesn’t promote religion, etc.

But what does that have to do with Michael Kersten? Compere never says. Not unlike Skip Ash’s takedown of Compere’s longer argument, Compere seems to be rebutting an argument no one is making.

Like his mentor Mikey Weinstein, Compere harangues against a ‘national security threat’ that exists primarily in his own mind.

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