MRFF now represents 60,000 and counting
active duty U.S. marines, sailors, soldiers, airmen, cadets, midshipmen, national guard, reservists and veterans, including matters involving High School JROTC around the nation, about 95% of whom self-identify as practicing Christians.
Our MRFF clients have faced unconstitutional religious church/state violations and noxious abuse from their military superiors who almost exclusively brandish one particular version of Christianity, fundamentalist Christianity, as a weapon to intimidate, menace, harass, subdue, and terrify their otherwise helpless armed forces subordinates.
MRFF's client base consists of
Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Native American Spiritualist, Humanist, Pagan, Atheist, slightly over 18% of all Muslim Americans in the U.S. military, other minority faith and non-faith military members, and over 1,000 LGBTQ
military members.
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MRFF Board and Advisory Board Members' Statements on MRFF's 60,000 Client Milestone
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My Dear Mikey,
It has been a long and bumpy road for the Military Religious Freedom Foundation but it is paying off. Today marks a true milestone. 60,000 uniformed servicemen and women have now stepped forward to defend the establishment clause of the constitution and to resist the conversion therapy being forced on them by predator evangelicals in their services.
The recent success of MRFF in the cases of the Christian cake and Muslim Santa also demonstrate that the military is beginning to understand that we serve the constitution irrespective of our religious beliefs, and we demand respect for our religious beliefs, whatever they may be.
Thank you for putting “holiday” back into the holiday spirit. Now we can celebrate all of our beliefs.
Happy holidays. Proud to be on the team.
With best wishes
Ambassador Joe C. Wilson III
MRFF Board Member
(United States Foreign Service, Retired).
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MRFF's recent 60,000-client achievement is a testament to the organization's tremendous influence in our country's fight to preserve First Amendment freedoms. In these very challenging times, MRFF has never backed away from doing the right things or compromising any principles. It is heartening that thousands of members of the military can depend on MRFF and will continue to do so. Kudos to a terrific oganization that is truly one of a kind.
Marty Esquivel, Esq.
MRFF Board Member, Trial Lawyer
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This year, the client base of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) exceeded 60,000 men and women. For anyone doubting the need for or the mission of the MRFF, this figure is a resounding refutation of that doubt. Over their time of service, most men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces learn "to grin and bear it", as one of my seasoned sergeants used to put it. It's sort of the nature of their business. But they will not bear being forced into a religious mold--by any chaplain, commander, or bemedaled overlord.
However, when it's their leadership chain of command that tries to do this forcing, they have little recourse and no place to turn. Except for the MRFF. Their constant inflow of thank-you's attests to their gratitude for this service. The great majority of soldiers, sailors, airmen and women, Marines, and members of the Coast Guard support the U.S. Constitution--indeed are under oath to defend it--in all respects, including freedom to practice the religion of their choice or no religion at all. When that Constitutional provision is compromised for them, they know that MRFF has their back. They know redress is on the way. Always.
Lawrence Wilkerson
MRFF Advisory Board Member; former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s Chief of Staff, Colonel US Army (Retired).
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Hearing the news that the number of clients served by the MRFF, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, has this year reached over 60,000 is hugely inspiring. At the same time, it is utterly depressing. The simple fact that so many of the women and men serving their country in our military have had their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religious belief or non-belief protected by the dedicated American patriots in the MRFF is in itself a stunning achievement.
However, the fact that there is so much need for this protection, that there is so little understanding of the critical importance of the separation of church and state within the upper ranks of the military itself, is a cause for alarm. The greatness of our nation comes, in significant part, from its promise to safeguard the dignity of each individual by guaranteeing the protection of the freedoms of speech, assembly, thought and choice for its every member. The idea that one in authority might insist that his or her chosen belief system must be accepted by all subordinates is an assault on our fundamental rights and cannot be tolerated. Would that this was never the case, but tragically it is a reality in our lives. It is our good fortune, then, that the MRFF is here to respond when needed.
Mike Farrell
MRFF Advisory Board Member;
Accomplished Actor (best known for his role as
B.J. Hunnicutt on M*A*S*H), Dedicated and
Renowned Human Rights Activist.
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I’ve urged Mikey Weinstein to quit the work he’s been doing many times over these last years. No one should be subjected to the constant horrific barrage of hateful, bigoted, and anti-semitic attacks he and his family have had to endure. I honestly don’t know how he’s managed to keep going in his mind-numbing efforts on behalf of the people who serve in our country’s military. But his stunning success in helping to protect such a critical right of everyone in uniform to practice their own religious belief, or non-belief, is the most inspiring and unbelievable achievement I’ve witnessed
in my life.
The fact that his organization now has 60,000 clients who have joined and benefitted from his heroic efforts speaks to the need and success of what this man had done despite the hatred and attacks he’s faced. I’m proud to be a supporter of his work and to have him as a friend. Congratulations on this remarkable achievement Mikey.
Bobby Muller
Founder of Vietnam Veterans of America
MRFF Advisory Board Member; Nobel Peace Prize (1997), Int’l Campaign Co-Founder; to Ban Land Mines.
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“As of this year, 2018, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) has represented more than 60,000 men and women; individuals honorably serving in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Our clients contact the MRFF seeking professional help in matters involving allegations of unequal treatment under the law and practices, policies and procedures which violate the constitutional requirement to maintain a separation of church and state. It is very important to note that the MRFF provides its help on a pro bono basis.
The MRFF is led by its founder and president Mikey Weinstein, a gentleman recognized for his tenacious, courageous and indefatigable efforts to ensure that the Constitution of the United States will be fairly, impartially and equally applied to all members of our United States armed forces. Unfortunately our client base is an indicator that much work remains to be done and of the need to ensure that the MRFF remains viable. The MRFF deserves a great deal of credit for its unwavering commitment to protect those whose life is dedicated to our protection, the men and women of the United States armed forces.”
Pedro Luis Irigonegaray, Esq.
MRFF Advisory Board Member; Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers and Fellow, International Academy of
Trial Lawyers.
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KUDOS to MRFF for reaching its milestone of representing 60,000 military men and women who requested their right to religious freedom, to which all Americans are entitled under our Constitution, be protected by MRFF !
CONGRATULATIONS to MRFF for persistently pursuing its patriotic principle of “Fighting for our service members' rights, so they can fight for ours” !
Unfortunately, there is a wicked and wanton war disrespecting, debasing and disrupting the American Constitution right to religious freedom for men and women serving in our US Armed Forces.
The Constitution prohibits our government or its representatives (which includes the military) from promoting or endorsing a religion. The Supreme Court has continuously confirmed this constitutional prohibition as the law of our land. Military regulations also prohibit the military from promoting or endorsing a religion.
60,000 military men and women (96% of whom are Christians) are fortunate the MRFF, a nonprofit constitutional rights organization (80% of whom are Christians), exists to respond to their request for religious freedom representation at no expense to them.
1st President & Commander-in-Chief George Washington even publicly acknowledged the importance of military individual belief freedom - “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 ”.
WASHINGTON and MRFF are to be continuously commended for realizing and respecting the religious freedom right of our brave men and women serving this great nation.
John Compere
MRFF Advisory Board Member; Brigadier General, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, US Army (Retired); former Chief Judge, US Army Court of Military Review; disabled American
veteran (Vietnam); and Texas rancher.
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I'd like to congratulate the MRFF on hitting the milestone of 60K clients! As someone who has been involved and supportive of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation from its earliest days, I'm painfully aware of both the need for the MRFF across our military and the challenges that these 60K clients have faced over the years--challenges that members of my own family and I have had to deal with directly. It's always been an enormous comfort to us, though, knowing that Mikey and the entire MRFF team has our back and our Constitutionally guaranteed rights in their sights. It's the sole focus of your efforts and you've been more effective for so many because of their rabid passion for the document that I swore to support and defend for the first time more than 41 years ago.
At the same time, it's with some mixed emotions that I note this milestone. I'm continually disappointed that our senior leaders and others don't walk the talk and that 60,000 service members and their families have felt like the MRFF is their only valid and effective path to help. Until that number--or the growth in that number--drops significantly, the MRFF's work and ours will not be done. I look forward to that day, but know in the interim that you are there. It's for precisely that reason that I feel honored to be a member of the MRFF's Advisory Board and particularly humbled to be a past winner of the MRFF's Jefferson Award.
Thanks again, to Mikey, Bonnie, and the entire MRFF staff, my fellow Advisory Board Members and all others that have supported the MRFF over the years. The battle continues, but the battle will be won.
Marty France
MRFF Advisory Board Member
Brig Gen, USAF (Ret)
Former Permanent Professor & Head of the Dept. of Astronautics and Engineering Division Chair at the USAF Academy.
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On the occasion of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) surpassing 60,000 clients, well and faithfully served, I want to express my heartfelt congratulations, gratitude and admiration for their selflessly leading the fight against the Evangelical Christians, Dominionists and their forces of evil,
in their hostile attempt to take over and irreparably damage our military.
The Patriots, at the MRFF, do more than any other organization, in taking care of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsman and Government Civilians, by protecting and preserving their Constitutional rights and religious freedoms and giving them a voice that they are not allowed to have. I also wish to applaud the courage of those brave men and women, who put themselves in harm’s way, every day, to report violations committed against the Constitution and religious freedom, by both officers and enlisted and leaders at all levels, who prey against those who can’t fight back. They risk promotions, their careers and sometimes their personal safety, in order to support and defend the Constitution, against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Gregory J. Petrequin
U.S. Air Force Colonel (Ret)
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I just learned you hit a new client milestone. No doubt a result of heightened recognition of the important service you provide.
Congratulations!
Carol Moseley-Braun
MRFF Advisory Board Member
Ambassador and Former U.S. Senator.
First African-American female elected to the U.S. Senate
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PATHEOS/FRIENDLY ATHEIST
COVERS MRFF
The U.S. Military Ordered a
Bible Cake and Told a Muslim to
Wear a Santa Outfit
BY:
Herman Mehta
Friday, November 30, 2018
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"
How Christian is the U.S. military?
One Air Force base in Qatar just held a Thanksgiving party in which they had a cake in the shape of a Bible, on which a Bible verse was written. A picture of the cake was then posted on the base’s Facebook page."
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The image was only taken down after complaints from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation’s Mikey Weinstein, on behalf of local service members
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"While the issues appear to be resolved,
I would love to know if the officials who called for a Christian cake or ordered the Muslim officer to don a Santa outfit will be punished in any meaningful way.
If not, how will anything ever change? Because these types of stories seem to pop up all the time. If you’re promoting Christianity through the military, shouldn’t the repercussions be severe considering how egregious the act is?"
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BAPTIST NEWS GLOBAL
COVERS MRFF
Christmas controversy in the US military: A Bible cake and a Muslim
ordered to don a Santa suit
BY:
Newsweek (Reprint)
Friday, November 30, 2018
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MRFF Information/Contact:
(505) 250-7727
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SUPPORT MRFF!
Your Generous Support Allows us to Continue our Fight in the Courts and in the Media
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