{"id":44322,"date":"2019-05-08T00:30:29","date_gmt":"2019-05-08T03:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/?p=44322"},"modified":"2021-04-09T10:22:52","modified_gmt":"2021-04-09T13:22:52","slug":"manchester-va-sued-over-bible-on-pow-mia-table","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/08\/manchester-va-sued-over-bible-on-pow-mia-table\/","title":{"rendered":"Manchester VA Sued over Bible on POW\/MIA Table"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"As previously noted<\/a>, both the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation claimed they contacted the VA Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, to demand a Bible be removed from the POW\/MIA display in the foyer. The Bible was removed “out of an abundance of caution,” but the backlash — and a subsequent legal review — led the VA to apologize and return the Bible, which was donated by World War II POW and Army Air Corps TSgt Herman “Herk” Streitburger [emphasis added]:<\/p>\n

\u201cManchester VAMC officials temporarily removed the Bible from the display out of an abundance of caution,\u201d VA spokeswoman Kristin Pressly said in a statement provided to USA TODAY. \u201cFollowing that removal, Manchester VAMC received an outpouring of complaints from Veterans and other stakeholders \u2013 many of whom dropped off Bibles at the facility<\/strong> \u2013 in protest of this action.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pressly said that after consulting with lawyers<\/strong>, the facility determined the Bible will stay and \u201cremain indefinitely<\/strong> as part of the missing man display, a secular tribute to America\u2019s POW\/MIA community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe apologize<\/strong> to the Veterans, families and other stakeholders who were offended by our incorrect removal of this Bible<\/strong>,\u201d she said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Note that this apology came from Kristin Pressly, speaking for the VA<\/em>, not the Manchester medical facility.<\/p>\n

Now, James Chamberlain, described as a “devout Christian” and “Air Force veteran,” has filed a lawsuit (PDF)<\/a>\u00a0to force the Manchester VA to remove\u00a0the Bible.<\/p>\n

In an interesting twist, Chris Rodda<\/a> (never known for truth or accuracy) and a few websites said\u00a0the MRFF “filed a lawsuit,” yet that doesn’t appear to be accurate. The MRFF is not party to the suit, and the lawyer appears to be a local town barrister with no public affiliation to Weinstein or his crew. The lawsuit mentions<\/em> the MRFF, but only in an irrelevant aside. (Prior lawsuits from the MRFF were often filled with unrelated facts and accusations.) Though he is clearly acting as the “publicity rep” for Chamberlain, it would seem Mikey Weinstein is keeping the actual lawsuit at arm’s reach, as if to profit from it without bearing any loss when the lawsuit fails — as it surely will.<\/p>\n

As if to prove his role as social media coordinator, Weinstein’s group made a point of saying the story of the lawsuit had gone “major media viral” as it has now been copied to all the major news channels — clearly indicating Weinstein doesn’t know what “viral” means. If you publish a press release and have it go out on the wire, the story isn’t “viral.” But it boosts Mikey’s ego to think it so.<\/p>\n

Weinstein is also ignoring the fact much of the press reporting has an incredulous tone, setting Mikey up as a veritable “Florida man<\/a>.”\u00a0 He may think any<\/em> publicity is good publicity, but Weinstein’s\u00a0ego may not be able to handle the blowback.<\/p>\n

While carefully keeping skin out of the game, Weinstein presumably hopes to gain were the lawsuit to prevail. He would have, in that case, a loaded gun to go after every other POW\/MIA display in the country and tell them to remove Bibles. Regrettably for Chamberlain, it’s probably the worst example he could have chosen, since the Bible on the POW\/MIA table comes from an actual POW<\/strong>. While Chamberlain’s lawsuit complains the table should “be a memorial to all who serve,” that isn’t what it is, by definition. The table is a memorial to POWs and MIAs<\/strong>. Chamberlain — whose bona fides are oddly left out of the complaint — appears to be neither, while an actual POW donated the Bible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Still, Weinstein does assume some risk, because when the lawsuit fails — and it will — he’ll have to overcome that ruling to continue his annual fundraising on the backs of the POW\/MIA tables. In other words, everyone will stop listening to him — which means they’ll stop sending him money.<\/p>\n

In brief, a quick reading of the complaint demonstrates the weak (or non-existent) foundation upon which it stands [emphasis added]:<\/p>\n

The first amendment of the United States Constitution states…\u201cCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.\u201d<\/p>\n

The placement of the Christian Bible…is in violation of that fundamental proscription — that the government may not establish any religion<\/strong>. Nor can the government give favoritism to one religious belief at the expense of others.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

No reasonable person walks into the foyer of a Veterans Affairs building, sees a POW\/MIA table with a candle, flower, plate, glass, and Bible, and reasonably thinks the government is trying to establish a religion<\/strong> or that Christianity is favored over other religions.<\/p>\n

Mikey may not like<\/em> it, and Chamberlain may feel offended<\/em>, but no law, policy, or constitutional provision has been enacted to keep their feelings from being hurt.<\/p>\n

The National League of POW\/MIA Families says the Bible represents<\/p>\n

the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ann Mills-Griffiths, chief executive and chairman\u00a0of the league, minced no words<\/a> in what she thought of Weinstein and the lawsuit.\u00a0 She [emphasis added]<\/p>\n

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called the foundation\u2019s efforts to have Bibles removed from displays \u201cabsurd and stupid<\/strong>.\u201d She said those who have removed them under pressure from the group are \u201cpolitically correct cowards<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Mikey Weinstein won’t like being called a coward, so we’ll see if he goes after Mills-Griffiths next.<\/p>\n

The VA, for its part, isn’t backing down. Building on Pressly’s earlier statement, the VA press secretary went even further [emphasis added]:<\/p>\n

National VA spokesman Curt Cashour criticized the lawsuit as “nothing more than an attempt to force VA into censoring a show of respect for America\u2019s POW\/MIA community.”<\/p>\n

“Make no mistake: VA will not be bullied on this issue<\/strong>,” he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Would that the Armed Services would speak so forcefully when Mikey Weinstein tries to trample the rights of US troops.<\/p>\n

It appears First Liberty, which has helped the Manchester VA to date, is going to help protect the VA from the “bully” Mikey Weinstein, as noted from Chief of Staff Mike Berry in the Military Times<\/a>, following a rant by Mikey:<\/p>\n

\u201cThat sectarian Christian Bible bolted down to that POW\/MIA table at the Manchester NH VAMC is a grotesque gang sign of fundamentalist Christian triumphalism, exceptionalism and supremacy, indeed a middle finger of unconstitutional repugnance to the plurality and separation of church and state guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution,\u201d Weinstein told Military Times.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a state actor, the VA cannot elevate one faith over another or no faith,\u201d he continued. “The VA is wretchedly disrespecting millions of American veterans by doing so. The VA has ignominiously made sure that that sectarian Christian Bible sticks out like a tarantula on a wedding cake in that POW\/MIA display, and they\u2019ve done so for a reason! It\u2019s immoral, unethical and blatantly illegal under our Constitution.<\/p>\n

“We look forward to aggressively prosecuting our case in federal court.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berry is also looking forward to that confrontation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m confident the MRFF will continue their losing record<\/strong>,\u201d he said. “It\u2019s sad that the MRFF continues its efforts to bully the VA at the expense of our veterans and service members.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut as I\u2019ve said, if the MRFF wants to destroy or disturb the Manchester VAMC display, they\u2019ll have to come through us.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mikey Weinstein, a former Air Force Captain, probably has about a hundred pounds on Mike Berry, a current reserve US Marine.<\/p>\n

Berry could take him.<\/p>\n

Image<\/a> via Kristin Pressly\/Manchester VA Medical Center via AP.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Also at the local Union-Leader<\/a>, FoxNews<\/a>, the Religion Clause<\/a>, and the Stars and Stripes<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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