Tag Archives: john compere

Mikey Weinstein’s MRFF Uses Fake Quotes. Chris Rodda Doesn’t Seem to Mind.

Christine “Chris” Rodda, the longsuffering and underpaid MRFF research assistant of Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, once fancied herself a historian. For a short while, she almost achieved internet fame in her “debunking” of those who tried to use allegedly historic quotes from allegedly famous people to promote their case of, in Rodda’s words, Christian nationalism or some such conspiracy.

The lengths to which she would go were impressive — literally, thousands of words to refute single quotations, in some cases.

Yet, it appears Rodda is willing to let her own group get away with a little bit of that same “fake news.”

John Compere, who tries to remind everyone he is a retired BGen and “disabled American veteran (Vietnam)”, also likes to use quotes, presumably because he thinks it makes his attacks on liberty sound more legitimate — particularly if they come from heroes of conservativism and Christians. He particularly likes Ronald Reagan (previously discussed), whom he rips out of context to make an anti-MRFF quote sound like Reagan would have been pals with Mikey.

Rodda apparently hasn’t schooled Compere there, as he continues to use the quote.

Compere also likes this quote from George Washington (here, for example):

“It has been suggested that [the military chaplaincy] has a tendency to introduce religious disputes into the Army, which above all things should be avoided, and in many instances would compel men to a mode of Worship which they do not profess.”- First Commander-in-Chief George Washington

This quote should raise flags for Read more

ACLJ’s Skip Ash, Jay Sekulow Rise to Counter Mikey Weinstein

The ACLJ has recently begun to more firmly establish itself as one of the most articulate and assertive defenders of military religious freedom, specifically as it pertains to the attacks on religious liberty by Michael “Mikey” Weinstein.

Two weeks ago, Skip Ash (who has already written some lengthy and well-cited rebuttals to Weinstein and his acolyte John Compere) wrote an article detailing how the ACLJ had stood in opposition to Weinstein’s attacks on Bibles in POW/MIA displays. Noting Weinstein’s MRFF had sent yet another letter demanding an investigation (after their first demand was denied), Ash notes the ACLJ also wrote another letter to the DoD, saying

Our purpose, as always, is to educate DOD IG personnel on what the Constitution actually requires and permits vis-à-vis such displays and to refute the broad (though, admittedly, consistent) Constitutional misinterpretations of the MRFF and its supporters. The MRFF and its supporters grossly misunderstand what the Establishment Clause requires, and they too frequently interpret freedom of religion to actually mean freedom from religion.

As has been noted in the past, such Read more

Transgender Controversy Gnaws at Military Morale, Readiness

While the issue of transgenders in the US military has been at a low simmer for more than a year, it continues to be a source of consternation and angst within the military itself, just as any unresolved policy matter would be. While it seems transgenders would ultimately contribute little in the form of military readiness (some public reports indicate actual transgenders in the military number in the high-two digits), the manner in which to address this demographic continues to substantially draw on senior leader time and every troops’ moral conscience.

In an apparent effort to establish their argument as one beyond Donald Trump, the LGBT community Read more

Mikey Weinstein’s John Compere Schooled by ACLJ. Again.

John Compere is a bit of an oddity at Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF. Like many in Weinstein’s circle, he flaunts his credentials, choosing to anoint himself with this byline:

Brigadier General John Compere, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, US Army (Retired), former Chief Judge, US Army Court of Military Review, disabled American veteran (Vietnam), MRFF Advisory Board Member & Texas rancher

(Run by a man whose ego knows no bounds, humility seems to run deep at Mikey Weinstein’s MRFF. In another example, Weinstein disciple Greg Petrequin frequently, and humbly, introduces himself as a “retired senior military officer.”)

Compere — who is otherwise unknown to anyone — never really gives anyone a reason to understand why they should listen to him, and his writings certainly don’t help. While Compere beats out compatriot Chris Rodda’s writings by actually having a point, he appears to borrow from both Rodda and Weinstein as he lets obtuse wording, word count, and pithy quotations pass for supporting a thesis.

And, of course, Compere believes he cannot be wrong.

Thus, when the ACLJ’s Skip Ash wrote a lengthy and thorough rebuttal to a Compere piece in 2016, Compere responded by saying the very fact anyone would dare to critique his position confirmed the piece’s “accuracy”:  Read more

Mikey Weinstein’s John Compere Fails in Air Force Times Rebuttal

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 Read more

The ACLJ Responds to Mikey Weinstein’s John Compere

The following is a very long but outstanding article from Senior Counsel at the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) Robert W. “Skip” Ash.  Ash, a retired US Army officer, delivers a point-by-point response to retired US Army BGen John Compere, a retired JAG who purports to defend the need to restrict military religious freedom.  Compere is an ally and vocal advocate of Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, and he has occasionally commented on this site.

Within the analysis you’ll note some themes common among Compere, Weinstein, and his allies, from straw man arguments to misquoting the Constitution. Their position is impassioned but inconsistent with either basic religious liberty or the US Constitution.

Our thanks to Skip Ash for his tireless work in defense of military religious freedom. You can also read his article at its original ACLJ site.

Why the Angry Atheists are Wrong: A Reply to “Our Constitution, Any Religion & the Military”

By Skip Ash

Every so often, I visit the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) website to see what Mr. Weinstein and his fellow travelers have been up to. When I visited the website on October 31, 2016, I came across a short article entitled, “Our Constitution, Any Religion & the Military,” written by MRFF Advisory Board Member, retired Brigadier General John M. Compere, whose listed credentials read, “Brigadier General, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, US Army (Retired); former Chief Judge, US Army Court of Military Review; disabled American veteran (Vietnam era); Military Religious Freedom Foundation Advisory Board Member; and Texas rancher.” As a partially disabled veteran myself, I appreciate and salute General Compere’s service to our Nation.

I began to read General Compere’s article with considerable interest. As a Constitutional law attorney, however, I was quickly disappointed in both what Read more

MRFF Board Member Attacks Mikey Weinstein

weinstein9Posted on the MRFF site, as written by John Compere, a retired US Army Brigadier General [emphasis added]:

As a 75 year old patriotic American, disabled Vietnam veteran & retired Army airborne officer, it is my observation that any man who resorts to hateful name-calling does so when he cannot address a subject with intelligence or integrity. Such childish behavior can often be observed on our elementary school playgrounds.

If you have the mental maturity for Read more