Michael Weinstein, who runs his self-styled Military Religious Freedom Foundation “charity,” recently endorsed a “horrendously homophobic” website — at least, according to his own standards.<\/p>\n
Last week, Weinstein complained<\/a> that the US Air Force Academy had linked to a website called JewFAQ<\/a>.\u00a0 The page it linked to<\/a> was benign, and did exactly what the USAFA page<\/a> intended, explaining the religious holiday in question.\u00a0 On other<\/em>\u00a0pages, however, the website had the gall to describe teachings from the Talmud.\u00a0 Though this might have shocked Weinstein — a self-described “Jewish agnostic” — most normal readers were not likely\u00a0surprised to read Jewish beliefs on a Jewish website.<\/p>\n Weinstein and his acolytes took particular umbrage with one reference, however.\u00a0 Quoth Weinstein:\u00a0 <\/p>\n [The website] includes a speciously hideous comparison of the originating cause of homosexuality to that of kleptomania. This disgrace is an open slap in the face to all lesbian, gay, and bisexual USAFA cadets, faculty, and staff.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In fact, the website actually says<\/a><\/p>\n I have seen some modern Orthodox sources suggest that if homosexuality is truly something hardwired in the brain, as most gay activists suggest, then a man who acts upon that desire is not morally responsible for his actions, but I am not sure how wide-spread that opinion is. In any case, it is not quite as liberal a position as some would have you believe: essentially, it is equivalent to saying that a kleptomaniac would not be held morally responsible for stealing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Weinstein’s disciples then piled on with anonymous emails:<\/p>\n Saying that I am like a \u201ckleptomaniac\u201d because I am gay is so low that it does not deserve a reply by caring people. Thak [sic<\/em>] you and the MRFF for taking up this fight…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n What would Weinstein have had USAFA do differently?\u00a0 Near the beginning of his diatribe<\/a>, he said [emphasis added]<\/p>\n USAFA uses horrendously homophobic uncredentialed website to reference Jewish holidays, alongside usage of the reputable and well-known About.com <\/strong>to reference Christian holidays.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In an attempt to frame the incident as Christian favoritism,\u00a0Weinstein endorsed About.com as “reputable and well-known,”\u00a0implying Christians were treated “better” because their<\/em> link went to a\u00a0good<\/em> website.\u00a0 But guess what About.com says in its “Ask the Rabbi”\u00a0section on the Jewish perspective on homosexuality<\/a>?<\/p>\n There may be a predisposition toward homosexuality for some, but there exist many such predispositions…Imagine a “kleptomaniac” who could only find fulfillment by stealing from other people. How would society respond? Although we’d be sympathetic and concerned for the individual, we still would not be able to tolerate behavior that’s destructive to society. This behavior is wrong and, with effort controllable.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n So, Weinstein’s MRFF did exactly <\/em>what he claimed USAFA did — in fact, he did worse<\/em>, as he actually endorsed <\/em>the website that linked to something he said was “speciously hideous” and an “open slap in the face” to homosexuals.\u00a0 Granted, it might not be his <\/em>fault:\u00a0 it wouldn’t be the first time the MRFF put its foot in Weinstein’s mouth<\/a> at the hands of his research assistant, Chris Rodda.\u00a0 Weinstein’s affront also comes despite having his own “Director of LGBT Affairs” in Edith Disler — a long-time MRFF advocate and retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who last taught at the Air Force Academy<\/a> — though she was removed from teaching after her\u00a0cadets complained she\u00a0invited homosexuals to address her English class.<\/p>\n It seems Weinstein can’t hold himself to the same standard he demands of others, not that this is a surprise<\/a>.<\/p>\n Notably, whether intentionally or not, Weinstein’s complaint supports his greater vendetta against religious freedom in the US military.\u00a0 In essence, Weinstein is trying to lay the foundation for the US military to judge religious beliefs in opposition to homosexuality as inconsistent with “good order and discipline.”\u00a0 While it has yet to do so, this is not the first time Weinstein has tried to get the US military to officially disavow — or even punish — statements of religious belief by US military members with\u00a0regard to homosexuality.<\/p>\n For now, the simple fact remains that traditional religious beliefs in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam disagree with the social\u00a0normalizing of homosexuality.\u00a0 If Weinstein gets his way, those who have <\/em>those religious beliefs would be restricted from expressing <\/em>those beliefs — or, more dramatically, Weinstein would have them drummed out of the military merely for holding<\/em> those beliefs.\u00a0 He has been woefully unsuccessful so far, but should the military blink and take action against a servicemember for their religious beliefs, he will have his springboard for future fundraising…er, activism.<\/p>\n Quite the goal for a “religious freedom” advocate, no?\u00a0 To their credit, the PDF file remains present on the USAFA website, for the time being, and hasn’t been withdrawn or altered merely because Weinstein threw a tantrum.<\/p>\n It is also notable, of course, that Weinstein went over Gen Gould’s head, directly to the General in charge of the entire US Air Force.\u00a0 It seems Weinstein thinks Gen Welsh will be more receptive than Gen Gould — which might be understandable, given the fact USAFA already did this dance<\/a> several years ago, and long ago stopped\u00a0playing to Weinstein’s fiddle.<\/p>\n Still, given the amount of complaining Weinstein and his advocates do directly\u00a0to the Chief, it would seem Weinstein thinks Gen Welsh has nothing on his plate more important than corresponding with him — in this case, over a hyperlink in an obscure distribution in a single unit.\u00a0 Given the state of the military, the government, and the world right now, that seems unlikely.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
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