Tag Archives: MRFF

The Citadel Denies Uniform Exception for Hijab

Update: New articles identify the student as Sana Hamze.

Update: Norwich University in Vermont has reportedly granted the same unnamed applicant the right to wear a hijab in her uniform. CAIR implies the student may yet take legal action against the Citadel.  Alumni from Norwich reacted similarly to those at the Citadel, with at least one noting Norwich has a civilian program for those who do not wish to adhere to the rules of the military corps of cadets.

citadelThe Citadel, “The Military College of South Carolina,” has denied a request for a waiver from an incoming cadet to wear a hijab with her cadet uniform, among other exceptions. From the President of The Citadel, retired LtGen John Rosa:

The Citadel has relied upon a highly effective educational model requiring all cadets to adopt a common uniform. Uniformity is the cornerstone of this four-year leader development model. The standardization of cadets in apparel, overall appearance, actions and privileges is essential to the learning goals and objectives of the college. This process reflects an initial relinquishing of self during which cadets learn the value of teamwork to function as a single unit…

The Citadel recognizes the importance of a cadet’s spiritual and religious beliefs, providing services for specific needs whenever possible…

The prospective cadet, who had already Read more

ACLJ Defends Military Prayer from “Anti-Christian Zealots”

After Michael “Mikey” Weinstein wrote a letter calling the Marine Corps University’s National Day of Prayer event unconstitutional, the American Center for Law and Justice quietly sent a letter to BGen Helen Pratt defending her handling of the event.

The ACLJ letter (PDF) was “quiet” because, while it was sent at the end of April, the ACLJ didn’t publicize it until just prior to the prayer event.

When Weinstein saw it, he was apparently red-faced.

After a well-worded rebuttal of Weinstein’s errant legal analysis, the last few pages of the ACLJ letter “introduce” BGen Pratt to Mikey Weinstein — using his own ‘colorful’ words. And this was apparently a subject of great embarrassment for Weinstein, whose MRFF quickly fired off another letter defending Weinstein, a letter that could best be summarized as a two-year old saying “nuh-uh.”

As an example, given the singular opportunity to rebut Read more

US Military Celebrates National Day of Prayer

praydeployDespite one ill-fated and ill-willed attempt to keep some US troops from joining together in prayer, the US military celebrated the National Day of Prayer around the world.

Renowned Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias spoke at a National Prayer Breakfast gathering at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to more than 300 US troops, their families, and civilians.  There and at a simultaneous symposium he talked on ‘Where is God in Suffering?’ and  Read more

USAF Enlisted POW Cites Need for Faith

robinsonIn a interesting case of coincidental timing, at the same time Michael “Mikey” Weinstein was demanding the removal of Bibles from POW/MIA displays — Bibles that represented “the strength gained through faith” in captivity — the longest-held enlisted POW, retired Capt. William A. Robinson, was telling Airmen at Lackland AFB about the faith he needed to survive [emphasis added]:

“I had faith in myself, faith in those around me, faith in my country and faith in my God,” said Robinson.

Capt Robinson’s story was mentioned here in 2013 — the first time a POW/MIA table was attacked.  (Notably, the IG and EO office defended the table then, and the story died.) Of course, it isn’t just him. Retired USAF Col Fred Cherry said the same thing, as have many other POWs.

Faith in God helped Read more

MRFF’s Chris Rodda Advocates Military Religious Discrimination

It’s been long established that Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s awkwardly-named Military “Religious Freedom” Foundation actually fights against the religious freedom of Christians in the US military. Examples abound of cases in which a reasonable, principled religious liberty group should have stood up in defense of an Airman, Soldier, Marine, or Sailor, but Weinstein either refused to defend the troop because they were Christian or outright attacked their religious liberty instead.

Fortunately, genuine religious liberty groups have stood in the gap for such Christians — and have defended them even from Weinstein himself. One of the more notable groups is the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which has a long history of, unlike Weinstein, consistent, principled defense of religious freedom regardless of a person’s particular religious belief.

(To wit, the Becket Fund has been fighting for the right of Sikhs to serve in the US military while still being able to practice their religious faith; Weinstein has so far refused to do so, tacitly acknowledging that a “win” for the Sikhs would ultimately be a win for other faiths — including Christians.)

More recently, Mikey Weinstein tried to attack the religious liberty of Read more

Army Criticized for Jesus Talk During Sexual Assault Awareness

The US Army’s Redstone Arsenal in Alabama is being criticized for having a Christian speaker at an event for its Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month.

The only way victims may overcome the horrors of rape and sex trafficking is to accept Jesus Christ as their savior and king.

That is what soldiers and civilian employees of the Army’s Redstone Arsenal were told by guest speaker Tajuan McCarty on April 27 at a command-hosted event…according to one of those in attendance.

That “one of those in attendance” was an anonymous civilian and acolyte of Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, the perpetually offended anti-Christian who believes “Jesus” should only be mentioned in the military during expletives.  Weinstein published the letter from the civilian here.

In what may seem a shock to some, Weinstein’s attack on Redstone Arsenal’s event was Read more

Mikey Weinstein Thinks US Marines are Stupid, Cowards

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein once declared that US Marines were “national security threats,” and now he apparently thinks they’re both stupid and cowards.

On Wednesday, Weinstein published an email from an alleged US Marine at the Marine Corps University at Quantico, Virginia, who apparently had a case of the vapors over the National Day of Prayer [emphasis added]:

This morning the Commanding General’s Staff Secretary sent an email to the entire [MCU] with an invitation to a…MCU Prayer Breakfast…I feel threatened and my promotion potential on the line if I do not attend this religious event…When the Commanding General sends out an invitation to a religious event I feel compelled to attend…

The Marine can’t seem to get his story straight, saying that both a secretary and Read more

General Boykin, FRC to Attend Court Martial Appeal

UPDATE: Various media outlets published coverage of the hearing, which generally appeared to go well for Sterling.  Noted at the Religion Clause, FoxNews, Washington Post, Stars and Stripes, ChristianPost, Bretibart, the Daily Caller, and NC Register, among others.  The ACLJ discussed it here.

The Family Research Council announced retired US Army LtGen Jerry Boykin would attend the oral arguments today for the appeal of US v Sterling, in which former Marine Monifa Sterling is attempting to defend the public display of Bible verses on her desk.

In this case, the court will decide whether the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) protects a Marine…lance corporal [who] desired to post the verses to give her inspiration and strength, but military superiors ordered her to remove the verses she posted.

A lower court refused to protect her religious expression, interpreting RFRA in a constrained manner to protect only certain types of religious exercise. FRC and numerous other religious freedom advocates are urging the court to overturn this harmful decision.

In point of fact, a lot of people — including 10 US states — filed briefs in support Read more

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